Senior Scientist, Virology

Location: St. Catharines

Brock University is located on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples, many of whom continue to live and work here today. This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties and is within the land protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Agreement.
We are one of Canada’s outstanding comprehensive universities, where excellence and innovation thrive! Brock has been recognized as a Top Employer in Hamilton-Niagara for seven consecutive years. We have been ranked #3 as Canada’s Best Employers and top 10 as one of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity. For 2025, Brock has been proudly recognized as one of Canada’s Top Employers for Company Culture, ranked seventh by Forbes in partnership with Statista.
At Brock, you will find a welcoming, inclusive community and an exciting range of meaningful career opportunities. Ignite new possibilities for your career. Break through t End Date:
September 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM
This job advertisement is to fill an existing vacancy in the Administrative Professional (Employee Group).

About the Role:

The Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute at Brock University is looking for an experienced scientist with a PhD in Plant Pathology, Plant Production, Agriculture Engineering or related areas with a focus on grapevine viruses, pathogen eradication from grapevine, grapevine plant propagation, and germplasm maintenance. Experience in vineyard field research and a desire to work with the Canadian grape and wine industry is required.

Overseeing pathogen detection using high throughput sequencing and droplet digital PCR is required. Reporting to the Director, CCOVI, the Senior Scientist, Virology leads and participates in short-term and long-term applied and field research on issues relevant to the local grape and wine industry and leads and participates in outreach activities to support the local and Canadian grape and wine industry.

The Senior Scientist supervises research assistants, and 4th year thesis students and co-supervises graduate students.
The Senior Scientist, Virology will:
Provide research knowledge to pre-existing and new research programs in areas of their expertise in grapevine virology and vine propagation;
Lead the development of research programming focused on short-term and long-term issues relevant to the Niagara grape and wine industry;
Liaise with industry grape growers and winemakers to determine issues of relevance;
Carry out applied and field research and track, analyze and report on progress, communicating results to end users, the research community and media venues;
Collaborate with other CCOVI researchers and with professors affiliated with CCOVI to apply for competitive, multidisciplinary grant proposals and carry out joint research projects;
Maintain adjunct status in the department of Biological Sciences to have active participation in training and mentoring of graduate and 4th year students;
Lead the development of outreach activities to assist the local grape and wine industry, including workshops, seminars and videos;
Actively engage in strategic, long-term opportunities for the local community and industry engagement;
Oversee research personnel that are hired as a direct result of a successful grant application;
Provide financial oversight for any part of a grant that has a budget allocated directly to the incumbent as the Principal Investigator or collaborator;
Oversee all financials for short- and long-term grants and projects while demonstrating fiscal responsibility.
Key

Skills and Experience:

PhD in plant pathology, plant production systems or agriculture engineering with a focus on grapevine virology, and experience working on issues relevant to the grape and wine industry in areas of virology and plant propagation;
Advanced ability to obtain and manage grant money to fund research for the local grape and wine industry as a collaborator or as a principal investigator;
A research scientist who is recognized as an expert in their area of grapevine virology and grapevine propagation through local or national invited speaking engagements, and who has led a team of scientific and technical personnel or…