The Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph invites applications for a tenure-track position, at the rank of Assistant Professor, in the area of Plant Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology. All applicants undertaking fundamental synthetic biology research focused on areas including but not limited to engineering of metabolic pathways, genomics and computational biology, genetic circuit redesign, biosensors, and plant/microbial interactions with the goal of enhancing plant productivity are encouraged to apply. 

A culture of inclusion is an institutional imperative at the University of Guelph as this is vital to advancing innovation, critical thinking, solving complex problems and creating a modern academic community. We seek individuals with experience working with diverse students, colleagues, and constituencies. Therefore, we invite and encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are underrepresented in higher education. The Department strives to be a collegial, inclusive, and welcoming environment that values diversity, and wellness among our members as key ingredients in our collective success.

The successful candidate will join a dynamic, multidisciplinary, research-intensive department with 40 faculty members who study diverse biological systems at levels from molecules to multicellular organisms. The Department is home to undergraduate programs in Biochemistry, Microbiology, Molecular Biology & Genetics, Neuroscience, and contributes to programs in Biological Science, Biomedical Science and Plant Science. Graduate training activities are focused on a program offering M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Molecular and Cellular Biology, and faculty members also participate in cross-department programs such as Plant Agriculture, Bioinformatics, Biophysics, and Neuroscience. The successful applicant will be expected to develop a creative and independent research program sustained by external funding from national/provincial agencies and be able to leverage funding from industrial partners and agricultural stakeholders. Accordingly, the research program of the selected candidate will align with the mandate of the University of Guelph as a leader in research and training focused on enhancing food quality and stability.

The University of Guelph is the second largest employer in Guelph, a city of approximately 130,000 people, located about an hour drive west of Toronto, Ontario. University of Guelph is a top-ranked comprehensive university in Canada with an enrolment of about 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across over 40 academic units. The University is known for its commitment to student learning, innovative research, and collaboration with world-class partners. It is a unique place, with transformative research and teaching and a distinctive campus culture. People who learn and work here are shaped and inspired by a shared purpose: To Improve Life. Reflecting that shared purpose in every experience connected to our university positions us to create positive change, here and around the world. Our University community shares a profound sense of social responsibility, a drive for international development, and an obligation to address global issues.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit the following materials as a single PDF file: (1) a cover letter indicating area(s) of research focus; (2) a curriculum vitae; (3) an overview of proposed research program (1000 - 1500 words); (4) a teaching statement (500 words); and (5) contact information of three references. Assessment of applications will begin on August 17, 2020and will continue until the position is filled. Applications should be sent by email to to the attention of:

Dr. Joe Colasanti
Search Committee Chair
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology
College of Biological Science 
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ont, N1G 2W1 Email: mcbchair@uoguelph.ca 

The Research Overview statement should be a maximum of 3 pages of 12pt font in length. This statement should: 

1. Detail the candidate’s specific area of expertise, with a description of their contributions to the field.
2. Provide a detailed plan of their future independent research program, and how this program might be leveraged to obtain extramural funding.
3. Indicate how the candidate’s research program will synergize with the research environment. 

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

The University recognizes that applicants may have had obligations outside of work that have negatively impacted their record of achievements (e.g., parental, elder care, and/or medical). You are not required to disclose these obligations in the hiring process. If you choose to do so, the University will ensure that these obligations do not negatively impact the assessment of your qualifications for the position.

The University of Guelph resides on the ancestral lands of the Attawandaron people and the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit and we offer our respect to our Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Métis neighbours as we strive to strengthen our relationships with them.

At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion  is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

If you require a medical accommodation during the recruitment or selection process, please contact Occupational Health and Wellness at 519-824-4120 x52674.