Canada Impact+ Research Chair in Vegetable Genetics and Production Technologies

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Location:

Guelph, ON, CA, N1G 2W1

Primary Category Page:
Faculty, Librarian and Veterinarian

Division: OAC Guelph Campus

Requisition

Canada Impact+ Research Chairs Program

The Canada Impact+ Research Chairs (Impact+) program is a one-time initiative designed to support institutions in attracting world-leading researchers whose work addresses critical national and global challenges. The program emphasizes both research excellence and tangible impact. Impact+ Chairs will receive long-term funding and institutional support to advance ambitious and transformative projects in Canada’s strategic priority areas, build and maintain exceptional research teams, and collaborate with partners across sectors and borders.

Impact+ chair holders are expected to drive the translation of discoveries into applications, commercialization and social and economic benefits for Canada and the world, while also developing the next generation of highly qualified personnel.

The Impact+ program provides opportunities for internationally renowned scholars and scientists in areas of strategic importance to Canada. Only candidates who are internationally based (both working and residing outside of Canada) at the time of the intake’s Final date to receive applications are eligible to apply.

Nominees must be full professors or associate professors or, if recruited from outside the academic sector, must possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed at these levels.

Canada Impact+ Research Chair in Vegetable Genetics and Production Technologies

The Ontario Agricultural College is recruiting a Canada Impact+ Research Chair in Vegetable Genetics and Production Technologies, at an award value of the $500k/year; of this, a minimum of $320k/year will be available to fund the direct costs of the research activities of the chair holder and their team. The term is for 8 years, with a possibility for a four-year funded extension, at 50% of the original award value.

The Chair in Vegetable Genetics and Production Technologies is aligned with the federal strategic priority area of food and water security. As the world faces increasingly complex agricultural challenges including climate change, rising water scarcity, and the emergence of new pathogens and pests, the need for sustainable and resilient agricultural practices has never been more urgent. Vegetable production plays a critical role in ensuring food security by providing nutrient dense food for a growing population.

Canada is a major vegetable producer, with over $6 billion in farm gate value, yet relies heavily on food imports to meet domestic consumption. Field and greenhouse vegetable production is essential not only for the nation’s food systems and food sovereignty, but also for its economy, supporting rural communities and contributing to domestic and global food markets.

In the context of climate change, vegetable crops are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and temperature fluctuations. At the same time, the emergence of new diseases and insect pests presents an ongoing threat to crop yields. Addressing these challenges requires innovative solutions in crop management, breeding, and technology, ensuring that vegetable production systems remain both productive and sustainable.

Water scarcity further exacerbates these issues, as efficient water management becomes a cornerstone for future agricultural success.

Through the Impact+ recruitment program at the University of Guelph, we seek a dynamic researcher and educator who will contribute to advancing vegetable production to support national and global food security. The chair holder will hold a PhD (this is a University of Guelph requirement) and be an established leader in any area of science directly relevant to this goal, such as (but not limited to):

• Leading-edge plant breeding methods, including genome editing…