The Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) invites applications for two full-time tenure stream appointments in Neuroscience. Both appointments are at the rank of Assistant Professor, with an expected start date of July 1, 2021, or shortly thereafter.
Context & Qualifications
The University of Toronto Scarborough is implementing a new Strategic Plan: Inspiring Inclusive Excellence. Consistent with the values and objectives in that plan, we especially welcome candidates who self-identify as Indigenous or those who have lived experience in Black or other racialized (persons of colour) communities.
This position is part of a cohort of similar faculty searches in Historical and Cultural Studies, the Centre for Critical Development Studies, Political Science, and Psychology. New colleagues will have the opportunity to be connected with previous cohorts of faculty from under-represented groups, including those hired last year in four departments spanning the Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities.
Applicants must have a PhD in Biological Sciences, Neuroscience, or a related field, at least one year of postdoctoral research experience, an outstanding research record, and a demonstrated strong commitment to excellence in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
The successful candidates must employ the latest approaches to understand brain function on multiple levels ranging from the genomic and cellular to circuits and entire organisms. We are particularly interested in candidates who will create synergies with existing neuroscience research at UTSC, in areas such as motor control, learning and motivation, synaptic plasticity, sensory neurobiology, neurodegeneration, neuro-epigenetics, and the neurobiology of stress. The candidate must complement and deepen our existing departmental strengths. Research areas of interest must include one or more of the following:
- translational neuroscience focused on understanding the molecular or systems level mechanisms underlying brain diseases
- neuroimmunology e.g. microglia, immune responses in healthy and diseased brain
- tool development for imaging or manipulating brain function
- neurobiology of memory, sensory or motor systems
- computational neuroscience
- vertebrate and invertebrate models
The successful candidates will be expected to conduct innovative and independent research at the highest international level and to establish outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research programs. Applicants must have a record of excellence in research, as demonstrated by publications in top ranked and field-relevant academic journals, presentations at significant conference, awards and accolades for work in the field, an innovative research statement and strong endorsements by referees of high international standing.
The successful candidates will also have a strong commitment to excellence in teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate level. A commitment to excellence in teaching will be demonstrated through the teaching dossier including a statement of teaching philosophy, teaching accomplishments, sample course materials, and teaching evaluations or other evidence of superior performance in teaching-related activities documented in the submitted teaching materials, as well as strong letters of reference. Other teaching-related activities may include performance as a teaching assistant or course instructor, experience leading successful workshops or seminars, student mentorship, or conference posters or presentations. The successful candidates must also show evidence of a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment, demonstrated through the application materials.
Salaries will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Further information on the research and teaching activities of the department can be found at http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~biosci/.
The University of Toronto is an international leader in biological research and education and the Department of Biological Sciences enjoys strong ties to other units within the University. The successful candidates will be cross appointed to the Graduate Department of Cell and Systems Biology at the University of Toronto (http://csb.utoronto.ca/), and are expected to maintain an active research program centered at the University of Toronto Scarborough, and to foster and facilitate inclusivity while working in one of Canada’s most diverse institutions. At UTSC, the new faculty members will have access to several research facilities including state of the art molecular, cellular, neuroscience, and imaging tools in the Centre for the Neurobiology of Stress (https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/cns/) and the outstanding chemistry analytical capacity offered by the TRACES Lab (Teaching and Research in Analytical Chemical and Environmental Science – http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~traceslab/).
Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons / persons of colour, women, Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.
As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.
Accessibility Statement
The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.
The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.
If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.
Contact information
Application Process
Applications must include a current CV, a cover letter, a statement of research, three representative publications, a teaching dossier to include a statement of teaching philosophy, sample course materials, teaching evaluations or other teaching materials showing evidence of excellent performance in teaching related activities as listed above. Submission guidelines can be found at: http://uoft.me/how-to-apply. We recommend combining attached documents into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format.
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. We seek candidates who value diversity and whose research, teaching and service bear out our commitment to equity. Candidates are therefore also asked to submit a 1‐2 page statement of contributions to equity and diversity, which might cover topics such as (but not limited to): research or teaching that incorporates a focus on underrepresented communities, the development of inclusive pedagogies, or the mentoring of students from underrepresented groups.
Applicants must also arrange to have three letters of reference sent directly by the referee to the hiring unit via email biologygeneral@utsc.utoronto.ca by the closing date (on letterhead, dated, and signed). PLEASE NOTE: This search is not using the University’s automatic solicitation and collection functionality for reference letters.
Applications lacking reference letters will not be considered. If you have questions about this position, please email biologygeneral@utsc.utoronto.ca.
All application materials, including reference letters, must be received by January 5, 2021.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
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