Assistant Professor – Computational Biology

Posting Date:  November 22, 2021

Closing Date: January 31, 2022

Req ID: 17526

Job Category: Faculty-Tenure Stream

Faculty / Division: Temerty Faculty of Medicine 

Department: Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research

Campus: St. George (downtown Toronto) 

Description:                                                                    

The Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto invites applications for a full-time tenure stream position in the area of computational biology. The appointment is at the rank of Assistant Professor, with an expected start date of September 1, 2022.

We seek a colleague whose research interests complement and strengthen our existing scientific community, which encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative technology development. The successful candidate must have a Ph.D. in a relevant field by the time of appointment, with an exceptional track record in computational biology with scholarly interests in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Candidate must also have a demonstrated record of excellence in research and a strong demonstrated commitment to excellent teaching. The candidate will receive institutional support to establish a research program that innovate and apply computational approaches for analysis and interpretation of large-scale datasets and that will benefit from being embedded in an interactive community of experimental and computational biologists. Preference will be given to candidates with postdoctoral training in computational sciences (computational biology, bioinformatics or quantitative biology).  

The successful candidate is expected to pursue innovative research in computational biology at the highest international level and to establish an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program. Candidates must provide evidence of research excellence that can be demonstrated by the submitted research statement, publications in leading journals, invited scientific presentations, awards and accolades, and strong letters of references with endorsements from referees of high standing.

Candidates are also expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to excellent undergraduate and graduate teaching. To this end candidates must provide a statement of teaching philosophy and interests, which could refer to previous experience as a teaching assistant or course instructor, leading workshops or seminars, student mentorship, or awards for oral presentations and posters at conference. Reference letters should indicate the candidate’s suitability for undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentorship. The candidate will actively participate in the research and teaching ecosystems of the Donnelly Centre and the Department of Molecular Genetics, where the successful candidate will have a graduate school appointment. They will also participate in the Computational Biology in Molecular Genetics (CBMG) Ph.D. track, offered through University of Toronto’s Department of Molecular Genetics.

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

State-of-the-art research space will be provided in the Donnelly Centre, which is in the heart of downtown Toronto, one of the safest and diverse metropolitan areas in the world. The Donnelly Centre is an interdisciplinary research institute at the University of Toronto with the mandate to create a research environment that encourages integration of functional genomics, computer science, engineering and biology, and that spans leading areas of biomedical research (http://www.thedonnellycentre.utoronto.ca). The Department of Molecular Genetics (www.moleculargenetics.utoronto.ca) holds a leadership position in Canada and internationally as a premier venue for biomedical and life sciences research and education. Toronto is a vibrant and cosmopolitan city, one of the most desirable in the world in which to work and live, and a major centre for advanced computer, medical and biological technologies.  The University of Toronto has one of the most concentrated biomedical research communities in the world, including 10 academic hospitals/research institutes that are all fully affiliated with the University. This community that attracts more than $1.37B in annual research investment.

All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking the link below.  Applicants must submit 1) a cover letter; 2) a one-page summary that includes education/training history, and a 350-word abstract of their research plan; 3) a curriculum vitae that includes information regarding the most significant scientific contributions (up to five) as they relate to the application; 4) a statement of current and long-term research interests (three to five pages); and 5) a statement of teaching interests (one page).

In addition, applicants must provide the name and contact information of three references. The University of Toronto’s recruiting tool will automatically solicit and collect letters of reference from each after an application is submitted (this happens overnight). Applicants remain responsible for ensuring that references submit letters (on letterhead, dated and signed) by the closing date.

Submission guidelines can be found at http://uoft.me/how-to-apply. Your CV and cover letter should be uploaded into the dedicated fields. Please combine additional application materials into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format. 

If you have any questions about this position, please contact Ms. Sylvie Besnard at sylvie.besnard@utoronto.ca.

All application materials, including reference letters, must be received by January 31, 2022.

For more information about the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, please visit www.thedonnellycentre.utoronto.ca.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons / persons of colour, women, Indigenous / Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement
The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.

To apply for this position now, go to:

https://jobs.utoronto.ca/job/TORONTO-Assistant-Professor-Computational-Biology-ON/552871617/