Microbiology and Immunology – Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Infections Disease and Immunity

The University of British Columbia

Location: British Columbia
Date posted: 2021-08-30
Advertised until: 2021-10-15

The Department of Microbiology & Immunology (www.microbiology.ubc.ca) in the Faculty of Science at the Vancouver campus of The University of British Columbia invites applications for a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Infectious Disease & Immunity. Candidates will have established an internationally recognized research program of fundamental science leading to the control of drug-resistant and emergent pathogens and related diseases. Candidates investigating host-microbe interactions, microbial pathogenesis, immunity to infection, or new methods for the development of antimicrobials and/or host-directed therapies are encouraged to apply.

The successful applicant will be an internationally recognized expert investigating the science of infectious diseases and will nucleate a world-leading research cluster. The Chair will bridge fundamental biology, health research, applied and data science approaches to forge new cross-disciplinary interactions. The Chair will promote the establishment of a new Science of Health research cluster consisting of faculty members investigating infectious diseases in the context of diverse impacts on individual health (e.g., climate change, environmental exposures, sociodemographic factors), and the health of the larger eco-system, including plants and other species. The Chair’s research program will catalyze new funding opportunities from national and international agencies for researchers across the Faculty of Science, UBC and broader research community.

The Department of Microbiology & Immunology consists of 25 research faculty with strengths in molecular microbiology, cellular and systems immunology, microbial and host genomics and epigenomics, host-microbiome interactions, bioinformatics, and animal models of disease. The Chair will establish their laboratory in the Life Sciences Institute (lsi.ubc.ca), which houses 85 laboratories across 10 departments. Additional cross-disciplinary collaborative opportunities can be found in the large and diverse community of researchers at UBC and affiliated hospitals. Established research groups include the UBC Data Science Institute, Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, the BC Centre for Disease Control, and the Genome Science & Technology training program. The Chair will have access to LSI cores, which are interconnected within the broader UBC core ecosystem. This includes high-throughput sequencing, high performance computing, single-cell analytics, cytometry by time-of-flight (CyTOF), proteomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, structural biology, the Centre for Disease Modeling and a CL3 facility. Together, these facilities provide state-of-the-art infrastructure for studying animal models of disease, global pathogens, and high-throughput screening.

Tenured appointment will be at the Associate Professor or Professor level and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Competitive start-up and infrastructure development funds will be provided. Positions are subject to final budgetary approval. The Chair could start the position by July 1, 2022.

Applicants should submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, a detailed summary of research interests describing funded projects and future directions (maximum 5 pages), a statement of how you will nucleate a new research cluster, and a statement describing your experience working with a diverse student body, as well as your past, present, and/or future contributions to creating/advancing a culture of equity and inclusion. Apply at http://microbiology.ubc.ca/faculty-opportunities. In addition, the applicant is encouraged to arrange for letters from 3 referees to be sent to micb.recruitment@ubc.ca. All inquiries should be sent to the same address with “CRC-I position” in the subject line. Accommodations are available on request for all candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. To confidentially request accommodations, or for general inquiries about the position, please contact Parvin Bolourani at Parvin.Bolourani@ubc.ca. Review of completed applications will begin on October 1, 2021.

Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements for a Tier 1 CRC position. Tier 1 CRC nominees must be Professors or Associate Professors who are expected to be promoted to the Professor rank within one or two years of the nomination. The Canada Research Chairs Program supports outstanding researchers in areas that will further UBC’s strategic research plan. All Chair nominations are subject to review and final approval by the CRC Secretariat. Please consult the Canada Research Chairs website https://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca for full program information and further details on eligibility criteria.

In accordance with UBC’s CRC Equity, Diversity, and 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: women, visible minorities (members of groups that are racially categorized), persons with disabilities, and Indigenous peoples. Applicants to Canada Research Chair positions are asked to complete this equity survey: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6WJHol7SfPxRMu9 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 to be considered. Personal information is collected under the authority of sections 26(a) and 26(c) 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 hiring process. Data will be collected by the Equity & Inclusion Office and only the names of those who identify as women, visible minorities (member of groups that are racially categorized) and/or Indigenous peoples will be shared with the search committee. Currently, UBC has a gap in representation for people with disabilities. Until such time as this is remedied, the names of those self-identifying as having a disability will be provided separately to the search committee. Responses will be stored in a secure database. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence.

An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from the four designated groups who are also members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. In assessing applications, UBC recognizes the legitimate impact that leaves (e.g., maternity leave, leave due to illness) can have on a candidate’s record of research achievement. These leaves will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process.

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