Health & Exercise Sciences – Tenure-Track Assistant Professor (Human Exercise Metabolism) – The University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus

RANK: Assistant Professor (tenure track)
FACULTY: UBCO-Faculty of Health and Social Development
DEPARTMENT: School of Health & Exercise Sciences
LOCATION: University of British Columbia – Okanagan campus, Kelowna, B.C.

The School of Health and Exercise Sciences in the Faculty of Health and Social Development invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Human Exercise Metabolism. The ideal candidate will be an outstanding scholar, with a strong record of research impact and demonstrated ability to attract external funding. The candidate will be expected to complement, innovate, and accelerate interdisciplinary research in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences and to build a leading internationally recognized laboratory. We particularly welcome applicants whose research program focuses on metabolic aspects of exercise (or physical activity) related to obesity, cardiometabolic health, and/or environmental physiology/resiliency. The anticipated start date of this position is July 1, 2024.

The successful applicant will be an emerging leader in exercise metabolism with demonstrated ability to conduct basic and applied human experimental studies. The ability to integrate metabolic measurements at the whole body, cell/tissue, and molecular level would be an asset. Priority will be given to candidates conducting translational and interdisciplinary human research with expertise in one or more of the following areas: i) the effects of exercise on key metabolic tissues (e.g., muscle, adipose, liver) involved in the pathogenesis of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related cardiometabolic disorders; ii) role of mitochondrial metabolism in exercise, health, disease, and environmental stress; iii) immunometabolism and the cell/tissue-specific interactions between exercise, metabolism, inflammation, and health; and/or iv) development, testing, and optimization of novel exercise or lifestyle therapies for preventing and treating metabolic disease by targeting tissue-specific metabolic defects. It is also expected that the ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience and the prerequisite skills/ability to independently establish human metabolic research techniques (e.g., metabolic testing, muscle or adipose biopsies, mitochondrial respiration, stable isotope tracers, metabolomics).

In addition, in accordance with UBC’s Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Action Plan and pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights code, the selection will be restricted to members of the following designated groups: people with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, racialized people, and people from minoritized gender identity groups. Applicants will be asked to complete an equity survey as part of the application, and candidates from these groups must self-identify as belonging to one or more of the designated equity groups to be considered for the position. Because the search is limited to those self-identifying as members of designated equity groups, candidates must also provide their name in the survey to be considered. Personal information is collected under the authority of sections 26(a), 26(c) and 26(e) of the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The information you provide will only be used to determine whether you qualify for participation in this restricted process, and to advance accessibility, equity, and fair adjudication in this process. Data will be shared confidentially with the search committee.

The School of Health and Exercise Sciences is committed to truth and reconciliation and calls to action for Indigenous representation as well as equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been historically, persistently, or systematically underrepresented or discouraged. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can also demonstrate through teaching, research, experience, and service that they can contribute to advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and decolonization. A valuable additional qualification is familiarity and experience conducting research and using pedagogical methods that afford students across all Indigenous, racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds, as well as all sexual and gender identity and disability groups, equitable opportunities to reach their maximum potential. Candidates should have a strong commitment to fostering inclusivity and teaching effectively in a welcoming environment.

The candidate must have a Ph.D., an outstanding record of high-quality publications in peer-reviewed journals for career stage and the ability to attract and mentor research trainees of diverse backgrounds, abilities, and interests. Postdoctoral fellowship research would be an asset. The candidate should also be committed to developing meaningful partnerships and engagement with relevant community and industry stakeholders. Finally, the successful candidate will be expected to provide evidence of excellence in teaching and to provide service to the University and the broader academic and professional community.

UBC is one of the world’s leading universities and is consistently ranked in the top 40. The university has two distinct campuses, one in Vancouver and one in Kelowna. UBC’s Okanagan campus, located in the city of Kelowna, has over 10,000 students in seven faculties, with strong undergraduate and graduate programs. Situated in the heart of the Okanagan Valley, one of the most scenic regions in Canada, it offers an intimate learning environment and excellent opportunities for regional, national, and international scholarly activities. For more information about UBC resources and opportunities, please visit http://www.hr.ubc.ca/faculty-staff-resources/. Information about the surrounding community can be found at: https://hr.ubc.ca/careers-and-job-postings/relocation-services/relocating-kelowna.

The School of Health and Exercise Sciences at UBCO offers Bachelor of Health and Exercise (BHES), Master of Science (MSc), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees. The undergraduate program serves approximately 800 students across four years of study and was recently revised to provide students with the option of taking one of three concentrations: Kinesiology and Allied Health, Clinical Exercise Physiology or Health Behaviour Change. The concentrations are designed to be competency-based and enhance experiential learning to produce job-ready graduates for positions or graduate programs in health care, industry, research, academia, not-for-profit, and government. The School of Health and Exercise Sciences graduate program also offers advanced research training opportunities to over 60 MSc and PhD students across a diverse research portfolio that ranges from systems physiology through to behavioral science. The School is home to outstanding researchers from the Centre for Health Behavior Change, Centre of Heart Lung, and Vascular Health, and from the field of neuromuscular physiology.

Applications must be submitted online at https://ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/ubcfacultyjobs. Candidates should submit:

• A curriculum vitae
• A proposed research plan that clearly identifies the objective(s) of their research program, outlines key research themes and examples of project ideas (not exceeding 3 pages).
• A statement of teaching interests, teaching philosophy, teaching experience and effectiveness (not exceeding 3 pages in total).
• A statement on how their research and teaching would contribute to an equitable, diverse, and inclusive (EDI) academic environment (not exceeding 1 page).
• The names and addresses (e-mail included) of three referees, who can speak to your research, teaching, administrative abilities, and service

Applications will be reviewed starting October 20th, 2023 and continue until the position is filled.

For more general inquiries about the position, applicants can contact: Dr. Tanya Forneris, Acting Director, School of Health and Exercise Sciences at tanya.forneris@ubc.ca. For inquires specific to the research elements of this position please contact Dr. Jon Little, School of Health and Exercise Sciences at jonathan.little@ubc.ca

All appointments are subject to budgetary approval.

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