Assistant or Associate Professor – Tier II Canada Research Chair Human Thermoregulatory Physiology

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Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Tier II Canada Research Chair in Human Thermoregulatory Physiology Academic unit:

Faculty of Health and Social Development, UBC Okanagan campus

Type of appointment: Assistant Professor, Tenure Track or Associate Professor, Tenure Anticipated
Start date: April 1st, 2026
Date posted: December 13, 2024
Closing Date: February 2nd, 2025
The expected salary range for these positions are: Assistant Professor: $110,000 – $135,000 Associate Professor: $155,000 – $180,000

Situated on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation, The Faculty of Health and Social Development at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan campus invites applications for a Tier II Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Human Thermoregulatory Physiology in the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) stream. Tier II CRCs are tenable for five years and renewable once.

UBC Okanagan has prioritized climate adaptation and disaster resilience as core research areas, aligning with its Outlook 2040 vision and commitments under the 2019 Climate Emergency Declaration and Canada’s 2022 National Adaptation Strategy. As part of this initiative, the campus is conducting a cluster hire for three NSERC Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) across the Faculties of Science, Applied Sciences, and Health and Social Development. These roles aim to advance research on climate change mitigation and adaptation, fostering resilient communities. The NSERC Tier-II CRC in Human Thermoregulatory Physiology in the Faculty of Health and Social Development is one of the three Chairs that will be recruited as part of the UBC Okanagan cluster hire initiative. Please consult UBC Okanagan’s VPRI webpage for more details about each Chair (https://research.ok.ubc.ca/canada-research-chairs-cluster-hiring).

Applicants must have a PhD with a strong background in both scholarship and community engagement, provide evidence of active and excellent research, and demonstrate a record of successful teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Chair will pursue a research program examining the acute and chronic influence of environmental thermoregulatory stress. Ideally, the individual would use an experimental systems physiology approach that would complement the strengths in cardiac, vascular, respiratory, cerebrovascular and metabolic physiology that already exist within the School of Health and Exercise Sciences. Critically, the research program should be aligned with the institutional priority of Environmental Resilience,
with clear avenues for the development of mitigation strategies to enhance human performance, comfort and safety in thermally challenging and unstable environments.

This individual will run controlled laboratory, and field-based studies examining the human physiologic response to thermoregulatory challenges and use these data to inform further research or knowledge translation avenues. Studies examining the physiological response to environmental thermal stress in healthy individuals across the lifespan, as well as individuals with increased exposure to these stressors (e.g., wildland firefighters and military personnel) or those with chronic health conditions, would produce data that could be used as a basis for future cross-faculty collaboration. For example, the CRC might work with colleagues across UBC to apply the knowledge they develop through their research program to inform 1) mechanistic studies exploring the influence of genetic, epigenetic, immunological and microbiome status on the human response to thermal stress, 2) the development of new materials or mitigation strategies to enhance human comfort, safety, and performance in challenging environments, or 3) policy development (e.g., health, first responders/military, schools, or provincial government).

The successful candidate will be an emerging scholar who has achieved public and academic recognition for their intellectually provocative and impactful research in the field and whose scholarly profile and research proposal meet the criteria of the CRC program and demonstrate an excellent fit with institutional strategic goals and the aims of the position. In addition, the successful candidate is expected to propose an original, innovative, high-quality research program; demonstrate the potential to attract, develop, and retain excellent trainees, students, and future researchers; and demonstrate the potential to become a global leader in their field in the next five to ten years. The Chair will be expected to maintain an outstanding research program, contribute to teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, supervise graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and contribute to service at all levels within the University and to the profession.

Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements for a Tier II CRC position; they must be emerging scholars who should, at a minimum, be assistant or associate professors, or possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed to these levels. Tier II CRCs are intended for exceptional emerging scholars, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field, and who have completed their PhD within the last 10 years at the time of nomination. Applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree (and where career breaks exist, such as maternity, parental or extended sick leave, clinical training, etc.) may have their eligibility for a Tier II Chair assessed through the program’s Tier II justification process. UBC recognizes the legitimate impact that research interruptions and eligible leaves (e.g., maternity, parental, medical, bereavement) can have on a candidate’s record of achievement. These leaves will be
taken into consideration during the assessment process. Please contact the research grants office for more information. The Canada Research Chairs Program supports outstanding researchers in areas that will further UBC’s strategic research plan. Please consult the Canada Research Chairs website
www.chairs.gc.ca for full program information and further details on eligibility criteria. All Chair nominations are subject to review by the CRC Secretariat, and appointment as a CRC is conditional upon their approval.

Application Process
In accordance with UBC’s CRC Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Action Plan, and pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights Code, the selection will be restricted to members in one or more of the following designated groups: Women and gender equity-seeking groups, Racialized individuals (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 process, and applicants 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 when completing the equity survey in order 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 restricted process, and to advance accessibility, equity, and fair adjudication in this process. Equity Survey Data will be collected by the UBC Equity & Inclusion Office and shared confidentially with the search committee. Responses will be stored in a secure database.

The application package should include:
– cover letter (up to 2 pages) addressing the applicant’s interest in, and suitability for, the Tier II CRC
– A full curriculum vitae (no page limit);
– Quality of the nominee i.e., research/leadership excellence (up to 1 page)
– a description of your most significant research accomplishments (max. 500 words);
– an outline research program proposal for a Tier II CRC in Human Thermoregulatory Physiology (max. 2 pages);
– brief statements – (max. 1 page each)
o (a) explaining the importance of, and your approach to, the development of key research partnerships internal and external to UBC, and
o (b) explaining your experience working with a diverse student body and your contributions or potential contributions to creating/advancing a culture of equity and inclusion.
– three samples of published research;
– Name and contact information for four potential referees (at least one at “arm’s length”) who meet the Canada Research Chairs Program’s conflict of interest requirements. (Please note reference letters will not be solicited at this time).

For all materials, where relevant, applicants should specifically address the NSERC mandate.

Interested candidates are invited to submit an application package online at https://ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/ubcfacultyjobs/details/Natural-Sciences-and-Engineering-Research-Council–NSERC–Tier-II-Canada-Research-Chair-in-Human-Thermoregulatory-Physiology_JR19466 . As indicated above, applicants must also complete this equity survey as part of the application. [https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6WJHol7SfPxRMu9].

Complete application packages are required by 11:59 pm PST, February 2nd, 2025. The successful applicant will be required to prepare a CRC package by August 15, 2025, UBC’s internal deadline for the October 2025 CRC deadline. The earliest anticipated start date for this position is April 1st, 2026, or upon a date to be mutually agreed and is contingent on CRC approval.
Should you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Professor Glen Foster, Associate Dean for Research FHSD, at [email protected].

The University is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for all members of its workforce and in particular, for its employees with disabilities. An inclusive work environment for employees with disabilities presumes an environment where differences are accepted, recognized, and integrated into current structures, planning and decision-making modes.
We welcome colleagues with the experiences and skills to contribute to our principles of inclusion, equity, and diversity throughout campus life. UBC is also committed to ensuring that the application and interview process is accessible to all applicants. If you require accommodations or have questions about UBC benefits, services or accommodations policies, please contact Jacky Ivans, Relocation and Benefits Associate at [email protected]. If you have any questions regarding accommodations or accessibility during the recruitment and hiring process or for more information and support, please visit UBC’s Centre for Workplace Accessibility via email at [email protected]. To learn more about how the University is working to create a more inclusive working and learning environment, please see the UBC Inclusion Action Plan’s goals related to recruitment and retention at this link.

UBC welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for all candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Within
this hiring process, we will make efforts to create an inclusive and equitable process for all candidates (including but not limited to people with disabilities). Confidential accommodations are available on request for applicants who are short-listed. To make a confidential request for accommodations, please contact Professor Glen Foster (Associate Dean for Research FHSD) at
[email protected].

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 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, Métis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates who are from at least one of the federally designated groups (FDG) are encouraged to apply.

About the Faculty of Health and Social Development and the School of Health and Exercise Sciences

The Faculty of Health and Social Development is a Faculty of distinction and excellence in teaching, research and community engagement and is home to over 40 researchers across the Schools of Health and Exercise Sciences, Nursing, and Social Work. The Chair in Human Thermoregulatory Physiology will be located in the UBC School of Health and Exercise Sciences (https://hes.ok.ubc.ca/) and work with colleagues across the Faculty and the wider institution, including those in the Centre for Heart, Lung and Vascular Health (https://chlvh.ok.ubc.ca/), and the Centre for Health Behaviour Change (https://chbc.ok.ubc.ca/). Specifically, the Chair will act as a catalyst for research within the domain of human resilience to climate change and work in concert with two additional CRCs being appointed in the School of Engineering in the Faculty of Applied Sciences and the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science at UBC-Okanagan. Collectively, it is anticipated that these three CRCs’ work will help foster resilient communities through research in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The UBC School of Health and Exercise Sciences is known for its strong undergraduate and graduate programs, including an emphasis on competency-based learning, and community-engaged research. Health and Exercise Sciences faculty conduct research in areas that include systems physiology, health behaviour change, and chronic disease management. The UBC School of Health and Exercise Sciences offers a BHES, MSc, and PhD. For more information, visit: https://hes.ok.ubc.ca/

The Faculty of Health and Social Development at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus acknowledges that the land on which we work takes place on the unceded, ancestral, and currently occupied territory of the Syilx Okanagan Peoples. As faculty, staff and students, we recognize that we have continuous work to do in learning, unlearning, reflecting, and taking action towards decolonization, reconciliation, and the centring and celebrating of Indigenous Knowledges, Peoples, and Leadership.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply: however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

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