Social and Environmental Determinants of Health – Assistant Professor & Novo Nordisk Research Chair

The Department of Geography, Geomatics and Environment at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) invites applications for a full-time tenure stream position in Social and Environmental Determinants of Health. The appointment will be at the rank of Assistant Professor, and the successful candidate will also hold the position of Novo Nordisk Research Chair for a five-year term, renewable following a favorable review. This appointment will have an anticipated start date of July 1, 2024.

About the Novo Nordisk Network
The University of Toronto’s Novo Nordisk Network for Healthy Populations is a new cross-disciplinary research network aimed at reducing the burden of diabetes and related chronic conditions. In partnership with the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and the University of Toronto Mississauga, the goal is to establish an integrated platform of community-based research to address root causes of the diabetes epidemic in Mississauga, Peel Region and beyond. The Network will foster innovation and build capacity by leveraging the three University partners’ wealth of academic strengths and cutting-edge methods, and by catalyzing the creation of important links across fields to integrate diverse mindsets and approaches. Through reciprocal partnerships with community stakeholders, the Network will support the co-design and evaluation of locally relevant solutions that can be applied to a broad range of contexts. Using an integrated approach that targets health disparities across settings of healthcare, communities, and living environments, the Network will advance knowledge on how to make populations healthier in a feasible, effective, sustainable, and equitable way.

Candidates must have earned a PhD degree in geography or a related discipline by the time of appointment, or shortly thereafter, with a demonstrated record of excellence in research and teaching. The successful candidate must have a background and expertise in the area of health geography and environmental and social determinants of human health. The successful candidate will be expected to actively pursue innovative and independent research at the highest international level and to work on building and leading an internationally renowned, competitive, and externally funded research program in the areas of social and environmental determinants of health.

We are seeking candidates who are interested in leading a research program focused on high-impact, innovative research that addresses key longstanding and emergent issues in health equity, population health, and chronic disease prevention. Their research into the impact of social, environmental and/or political determinants of human health and risk of chronic disease may focus on factors such as social inequities, housing and/or other elements of the built environment, pollutants and/or human interference in the environment, health policies, or immigration. Candidates must provide evidence of research excellence, which can be demonstrated by a record of peer-reviewed publications in top-ranked and field relevant journals or forthcoming publications meeting high international standards, the submitted research statement, external funding (e.g., grants, major research awards), presentations at significant conferences, student supervision and strong endorsements from referees. Candidates must also have experience in community-based or policy-relevant research. Demonstration of community-collaborative work through the development and implementation of social justice and equity initiatives, as demonstrated in the application materials, will also be considered as evidence of research expertise.

Evidence of excellence in teaching will be provided through mentoring or supervision, including with diverse groups of students, teaching accomplishments, the teaching dossier, including a teaching statement, sample course materials, and teaching evaluations submitted as part of the application, as well as strong letters of reference.  The successful candidate will have a strong quantitative or qualitative methods background, including the ability to teach methods courses in social and environmental determinants of health and aligned methods and to supervise students whose research draws on these methods.

The successful candidate will demonstrate attention to the broader public health and societal contexts in which their research is located.  Candidates will be expected to work with communities disproportionally impacted by chronic illness (e.g., persons of Black, Indigenous, South Asian, low-income, and other minority or marginalized backgrounds) in an applied context, such as working with local leaders and operators in advancing knowledge translation. The successful candidate will engage high-risk groups, community-based organizations, and policymakers in the region of Peel to co-develop, implement, and evaluate effective, feasible and equitable interventions that consider local context and needs. They will also commit to sharing their knowledge locally and broadly so that findings can be applied across multiple settings. They will foster multi-disciplinary collaboration through a community-focused vision and build capacity with learners and community members.

The successful candidate’s research must also align with the UTM Academic Plan and strategic research priorities, which should be explicitly discussed in the cover letter.  Candidates must also align with the strategic research directions of the University of Toronto’s Novo Nordisk Network for Healthy Populations, a cross-disciplinary research network that aims to reduce the burden of diabetes and related chronic conditions through community-based interventions. The successful candidate will be expected to participate in the network’s overall strategic priorities as a core member of the scientific steering committee, to contribute to the education program, and to collaborate with other network members in cross-disciplinary initiatives. Candidates will also be required to demonstrate strong administrative, collaborative leadership, and interpersonal skills.

The successful candidate will have a primary appointment in the Department of Geography, Geomatics and Environment at UTM and a graduate appointment in the tri-campus Department of Geography and Planning, with the potential for cross-appointments including but not limited to the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and/or Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing.

Applicants are expected to seek program and project funding from one or more of Canada’s tri-council agencies (Canadian Institute of Health Research, Social Science and Humanities Research Council, and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council) to support their research program.

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

This appointment is at the University of Toronto Mississauga, which is a research-intensive campus with a commitment to interdisciplinary research, a multicultural student body, and a modern campus. The University offers the opportunity to conduct research, teach, and live in one of the most diverse cities of the world.

At UTM we are committed to fostering an environment of diversity and inclusion. With an enviably diverse student body, we especially welcome applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, Black, or racially visible (persons of colour), and who have experience working with, teaching or mentoring diverse groups or students. Candidates must demonstrate, in their application materials, an ability to foster diversity on campus and within the curriculum or discipline, and must show evidence of a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial environment. Candidates must submit a statement describing their contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion, which might cover topics such as (but not limited to): teaching that incorporates a focus on underrepresented communities; efforts undertaken to develop inclusive pedagogies, collaboration, and engagement with underrepresented communities; and mentoring of students from underrepresented groups. If you have questions about this statement, please contact search committee co-chair Laura Brown at  chair.utm.geography@utoronto.ca.

All qualified candidates are invited to apply by clicking the link below.

Applications must include a cover letter; current curriculum vitae; research statement outlining current and future research interests; up to three sample publications; statement outlining their experience working with impacted communities, multiple collaborators, and knowledge translation efforts; a statement describing their contributions to equity, diversity, and inclusion (as outline above); and a teaching dossier (including a statement of teaching philosophy and description of teaching experience, sample syllabi and course materials, and teaching evaluations). Candidates should clearly articulate how they meet the requirements for the job in their cover letter, and how their research aligns with the UTM’s Academic plan and the priorities of the Novo Nordisk Network for Health Populations.

Applicants must provide the name and contact information of three references. The University of Toronto’s recruiting tool will automatically solicit and collect letters of reference from each referee the day after an application is submitted. Applicants remain responsible for ensuring that their three references submit letters (on letterhead, dated and signed) by the closing date. More details on the automatic reference letter collection, including timelines, are available in the candidate FAQ.

Submission guidelines can be found at http://uoft.me/how-to-apply.  Your CV and cover letter should be uploaded into the dedicated fields. Please combine additional application materials into one of two files in PDF/MS Word format. If applicants have questions about the position, please contact search co-chair Laura Brown, chair.utm.geography@utoronto.ca.

All application materials, including recent reference letters, must be received by March 11, 2024.

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

Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

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.

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