Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Computational Biology - Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Science

Competition Number: 26.10.267

Category: Full-Time Tenure-Track

Salary: Commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Closing Date: A review of applications will begin January 3, 2027 and continue until a suitable candidate is found.

Mac Ewan University's Faculty of Arts and Science is seeking applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Computational Biology. We seek an emerging research leader who uses computational approaches to address important questions in the life sciences. The successful applicant will receive a full-time, probationary tenure-track position, at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, in the Department of Biological Sciences.

The position will commence July 1, 2027, subject to final budgetary approval. This position will support and build on Mac Ewan University's Teaching Greatness:
Strategic Vision 2030.

Mac Ewan University, in the heart of downtown Edmonton, is dedicated to providing undergraduate students with a transformative, academically rigorous, and personal learning experience in a creative, collaborative, and supportive learning environment. Mac Ewan continues to evolve and adapt to meet the changing needs of its students and the communities it serves, offers student-focused instruction, and inspires students through a powerful combination of academic excellence and personal learning opportunities.

The Department of Biological Sciences is seeking a candidate whose research falls broadly within computational biology, including but not limited to bioinformatics, multi-omics analysis, computational ecology, mathematical and computational modelling of biological systems, or big data applications in the life sciences. Upon starting the academic appointment, the successful applicant will work with the University to apply for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair.

For further information relating to a Tier 2 Chair, please . In addition to establishing a research program, the successful candidate will contribute service to the institution and to undergraduate teaching within the Department of Biological Sciences. Teaching responsibilities may include courses in bioinformatics, computational biology, biological data analysis, or other areas aligned with the candidate's expertise. The successful applicant will have reduced teaching load during the CRC appointment.

This position represents a strategic investment in computationally driven biological research and interdisciplinary scholarship at Mac Ewan University. The successful candidate will establish, with the support of Mac Ewan's Office of Research Services, a new research institute and serve as its director. This interdisciplinary institute will bring together researchers from Departments across the institution, including Biological Sciences, Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics, and Physical Sciences, to tackle complex biological challenges through data-intensive and computational approaches.

This institute will serve as a hub for computationally-enabled biological research across the University, and will develop partnerships with external organizations such as industry, healthcare organizations, government agencies, and research institutions. In alignment with Mac Ewan's mandate as an undergraduate University, the institute will support undergraduate research experiences in computational and data-driven biology. The successful candidate will be expected to develop a strategic vision for the institute and build a collaborative research community that bridges traditional disciplinary boundaries, positioning Mac Ewan as a leader in interdisciplinary computational life science research.

As a successful applicant, you will have:

• a PhD in biological sciences, or a related field, with experience working with large-scale biological data sets;
• evidence of, or strong potential for, outstanding teaching ability and a demonstrated commitment to undergraduate teaching and mentorship;
• an active program of original and innovative academic research in computational biology, or a related field, and evidence of a productive research program with strong potential for external funding success; and,
• evidence of interdisciplinary collaboration and leadership, with strong communication and relationship-building skills.

A Tier-2 CRC has a term of five years, which may be renewed once for a second five-year term. Tier 2 Chairs are intended for exceptional emerging scholars. Candidates must be ten years or less from their first…