The Department of Computer Science at the University of Saskatchewan is pleased to invite applications for a Canada Excellence Research Chair in Analytics. The Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) Program is the flagship of a national strategy to make Canada one of the world’s top countries in research and innovation (https://www.cerc.gc.ca/). The chairholder is expected to advance one or more of the Government of Canada’s priority areas and pursue significant partnerships and collaborations with Canadian and international entities (academic, public, private, not-for-profit, philanthropic) as well as by and with Indigenous Peoples and communities, where appropriate, and to promote and facilitate translation and mobilization of their research results.
The successful candidate will initiate and lead an innovative program of research in analytics; foster extensive interdisciplinary and multi-sector collaborations; and raise the profile and impact of the Department of Computer Science and the University of Saskatchewan through innovative research and knowledge mobilization.
The University of Saskatchewan (USask) is a research-intensive institution with world-leading researchers in agriculture, plant genomics, synchrotron science, water security, vaccine development, and computer science. USask is the only Canadian university to have previously received two Canada First Research Excellence Fund grants—Global Water Futures: Solutions to Water Threats in an Era of Global Change and Designing Crops for Global Food Security. These grants and many of the other research programs at USask are major data generators, and there will be numerous opportunities for an analytics researcher to work with novel datasets and top scientists in the physical, life, and social sciences. USask has a strong history of multi-disciplinary and collaborative research and has an excellent track record of supporting and fostering research that bridges research areas. As well, the chairholder will have the opportunity to collaborate with, and to leverage unique datasets from, world-class research institutes at the University of Saskatchewan, including the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), the Global Institute for Water Security (GIWS), the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS), and the Canadian Light Source (CLS). The chairholder will have access to significant high performance computing facilities locally at the University of Saskatchewan, in addition to WestGrid and Compute Canada computing facilities.
The chairholder position will be held in the Department of Computer Science in the College of Arts & Science where they will have the opportunity to lead collaborations on analytics research with other science, social science, humanities and arts disciplines. The College of Arts & Science is a multidisciplinary faculty spanning the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and fine arts. The Department of Computer Science is committed to high-quality, high-impact research, and innovative and interdisciplinary collaborations.
The University of Saskatchewan is one of Canada’s top 15 research-intensive universities and is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, a city on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River known for its quality of life, diverse and thriving economic base, a vibrant arts community and a full range of leisure opportunities. The University has a reputation for excellence in research, teaching, and scholarly activities and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs to a student population of over 25,000.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will be an internationally recognized research leader from academia, government, or industry with a Ph.D. in Computer Science or related discipline. We are seeking candidates with a proven track record of excellence, creativity, and leadership in research as demonstrated through distinguished awards, prominent research contributions, and collaborative and multi-disciplinary work. Candidates with a commitment to the advancement of women and other underrepresented groups and a demonstrated ability to work with a diverse student body are especially encouraged to apply.
The successful applicant will be nominated for a Canada Excellence Research Chair. The CERC nomination is subject to review and final approval by the CERC Secretariat. A faculty appointment, as a tenured faculty member at the Full or Associate Professor level in the Department of Computer Science, is conditional on award of the CERC.
CERC are Canada’s premiere personnel awards with a value of up to $8 M over eight years. In addition, the successful candidate will receive a competitive start up package inclusive of additional research infrastructure and research personnel support. As part of the nomination, the University will also support up to a $2 M application to the Canada Foundation for Innovation – John R. Evans Leadership Fund for research infrastructure for the chairholder’s research program.
This position comes with a comprehensive benefits package which includes dental, health, and extended vision care plans; a pension plan; life insurance (compulsory and voluntary); academic long-term disability; sick leave; travel insurance; an employee assistance program; a professional expense allowance; and a flexible health and wellness spending program.
How to Apply
Interested candidates must submit their application using the University’s online application portal. Click on the “Apply Now” button (top left side of the page) to submit an application. Visit the “Tips for Applying” page (https://careers.usask.ca/tips-for-applying.php) for instructions on how to apply. Complete applications will include a detailed curriculum vitae, a research statement, an equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) statement, and the names and contact information of three references. As part of the application process, applicants will be asked to complete a voluntary employment equity survey.
Review of applications will begin May 1, 2022; however, applications will be accepted and reviewed until a candidate is selected for the Registration Deadline (September 15, 2022).
The Canada Excellence Research Chair supports research excellence and recognizes that principles of equity, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to this goal. The University encourages applications from members of underrepresented groups including the four designated equity groups (women, members of a racialized minority, Indigenous persons, and persons with disabilities). Recruitment will be guided by the Canada Research Chairs Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Practices (www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/program-programme/equity-equite/index-eng.aspx) and by the strong commitment of the University of Saskatchewan, the College of Arts and Science, and the Department of Computer Science to diversity, inclusion, and equity.
The impact of leaves (e.g., parental leave, extended leave due to illness, etc.) will be carefully considered when reviewing the candidate’s record of research achievement. Therefore, candidates are encouraged to explain in their application how career interruptions may have impacted them.
For questions related to this position or the selection process, please contact Kevin Schneider, Head, Department of Computer Science at kevin.schneider@usask.ca or (306) 966-4886.
The University of Saskatchewan has instated a number of health and safety requirements for faculty, staff and students in consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic, including self-disclosing and providing proof of vaccination status, regular point-of-care testing and/or mandatory masking in order to access our campus(es).