Assistant Professor – Forest Conservation Biology

The John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto, invites applications for a full-time tenure-stream position in the field of forest conservation biology as part of the Institute of Forestry and jobshiringnearme.org. This appointment will be at the rank of Assistant Professor, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2025.

This search aligns with the University’s commitment to strategically and proactively promote diversity among our community members (Statement on Equity, Diversity & Excellence). Recognizing that Black, Indigenous, and other Racialized communities have experienced inequities that have developed historically and are ongoing, we strongly welcome and encourage candidates from those communities to apply.

Candidates must have earned a PhD degree in conservation biology, biodiversity science, or a related field by the time of appointment, or shortly thereafter, and have a demonstrated record of excellence in research and teaching. Candidates must have training and expertise in forest conservation science, including but not restricted to conservation biology, biodiversity, ecological systems, and strategies for the protection and restoration of forested landscapes. We seek candidates whose research and teaching interests complement and enhance our existing strengths. The successful candidate will be expected to pursue innovative and independent research in this area at the highest international level, with a high potential for funding through competitive granting agencies such as the Canadian Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).

Candidates must provide evidence of research excellence, which can be demonstrated by a record of publications in top‐ranked and field-relevant journals or forthcoming publications meeting high international standards; the submitted research statement; presentations at significant conferences; awards and accolades; and strong endorsements from referees of high standing.

Candidates must have the ability to contribute to the evolving interests of both undergraduate and graduate student populations. Responsibilities include teaching at all levels of the undergraduate and graduate programs, participating in related Faculty service, and graduate student supervision. The candidate will specifically contribute to teaching in the professionally accredited Masters in Forest jobshiringnearme.org program, forest conservation undergraduate program (BA and BSc), and research-stream PhD and MScF programs. Evidence of excellence in teaching will be demonstrated by teaching accomplishments, and the teaching dossier, including a teaching statement, sample course materials, and teaching evaluations or other evidence of superior performance in teaching-related activities submitted as part of the application, as well as strong letters of reference. Other teaching-related activities can include performance as a teaching assistant or course instructor, experience leading successful workshops or seminars, student mentorship, or excellent conference presentations or posters.

The position will include opportunities for the candidate to collaborate with U of T colleagues across a wide range of disciplines. The Programs in Forestry are set within the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design. Candidates with experience related to the interface between forests and the built environment (such as urban forestry) are welcome. There is potential within the position for collaboration within the broader U of T academic community, including the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Geography and Planning, Environment, and Engineering, as well as collaborative research relationships with government and non-government organizations and agencies involved in forest conservation. For more information, please visit our home page at http://www.daniels.utoronto.ca and http://forestry.utoronto.ca.

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Set within a preeminent research university and located at the center of one of North America’s most cosmopolitan cities, the Daniels Faculty uniquely combines the disciplines of forestry, architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and visual studies in undergraduate, professional, and advanced graduate programs. The Daniels Faculty explores the intersections between nature, technology, architecture, and various built and natural geographies in a way that situates forestry, art, and design to meet contemporary challenges. Emphasis is on connections between design disciplines at work in shaping the natural and built environments in the scholarly research and work of our faculty. Following a decade‐long transformation of the school’s faculty and professional programs, and a major increase in its endowment, the Faculty has recently expanded its undergraduate and graduate programs. Most recently, Forestry has been welcomed as a new program that will broaden the research and teaching reach of the Daniels Faculty. To accommodate both growth in its curricular offerings and an increase in its research programs, an award-winning new building complex for the Faculty was completed on Toronto’s historic One Spadina Crescent. 

All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking the link below.  Applicants must submit a cover letter; a current curriculum vitae; a research statement outlining current and future scholarly, research, and creative professional activities; representative examples of publications; and a teaching dossier to include a strong teaching statement, sample course materials, and teaching evaluations or evidence of superior performance in other teaching-related activities as listed above.

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 referees submit recent 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 or two files in PDF/MS Word format.  If you have questions about this position, please contact the Daniels’ Academic HR Office at daniels.academichr@utoronto.ca.

All application materials, including reference letters, must be received by November 4th, 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.