Job Description

Queen’s University is situated on traditional Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Territory. Ne Queen’s University e’tho nońwe nikanónhsote tsi nońwe ne Haudenosaunee tánon Anishinaabek tehatihsnónhsahere ne óhontsa. Gimaakwe Gchi-gkinoomaagegamig atemagad Naadowe miinwaa Anishinaabe aking.

The Department of Biology and the School of Environmental Studies at Queen’s University jointly invite applications for a tenured Tier 1 Canada Research Chair at the rank of Associate or Full Professor with specialization in paleolimnology, with a preferred starting date of July 1, 2026.

Description and Qualifications
The Chair will be expected to lead an internationally recognized program in paleolimnology and environmental change. The successful applicant will join the Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Lab (PEARL), a large group of paleolimnologists studying environmental change in lakes and rivers. Research at PEARL has involved both fundamental and applied projects, mainly dealing with assessing ecosystem health associated with the impacts of human disturbances from mining, agriculture, forestry, urbanization and industry on lake ecosystems, consistent with the focus on UN Sustainable Development Goals relevant to sound policy decisions. Assessing the resiliency of lakes, rivers and wetlands to climate change has also been a major focus. PEARL is equipped with a large variety of specialized equipment. The successful candidate will have a PhD* or equivalent degree and provide evidence of: high-quality scholarly output from independent research, including peer assessed publications; securing external research funding; strong potential for outstanding teaching contributions at undergraduate and graduate levels; and a commitment to academic and pedagogical excellence. Candidates must also provide evidence of their ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and student-centred environment, with a strong commitment to fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion. The successful candidate will also be expected to make contributions through service to the Department of Biology and the School of Environmental Studies, the Faculty, the University, and/or the broader community. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
*Note: the requirement for a PhD is that of the University and not the CRC program.

Canada Research Chairs were established as part of a national strategy to foster research excellence (www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca). The successful candidate must submit an external application to the Tri-agency Institutional Program Secretariat that meets the requirements for the successful nomination of a Tier 1 Chair as defined by the Canada Research Chairs Program:
• be outstanding and innovative world-class researchers whose accomplishments have made a major impact in their fields;
• be recognized internationally as leaders in their fields;
• have superior records of attracting and supervising graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (taking into account different practices in the relevant field or discipline) and, as chairholders, be expected to attract, develop and retain excellent trainees, students and future researchers; and
• be proposing an original, innovative research program of the highest quality.

CRC nominees are required to comply with the Government of Canada’s Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC). Applicants are encouraged to refer to the Government of Canada’s safeguarding your research website for further information on the identification and mitigation of security risks.

Vaccination Requirements
Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status and provide proof that they were fully vaccinated or had an approved accommodation to engage in in-person University activities. These requirements were suspended effective May 1, 2022, but the University may reinstate them at any point.

Institution
Queen’s University has a long history of scholarship, discovery, and innovation that shapes our collective knowledge and helps address some of the world’s most pressing concerns. Home to more than 25,000 students, Queen’s offers a comprehensive research-intensive environment. Diverse perspectives and a wealth of experience enrich our students and faculty while a core part of our mission is to engage in international learning and research.

Since 2021, Queen’s University has ranked in top 10 globally Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. The rankings measured over 1,700 post-secondary institutions on their work to advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

From Nobel Prize-winning research exploring the building blocks of the universe to cancer care and treatment to sustainable technologies, our university is tackling humanity’s most pressing challenges.

A member of the U15 group of Canadian research universities, Queen’s is home to a vibrant research community that includes 33 Canada Research Chairs and over 20 research institutes who work in partnership with communities, governments, and industry to advance research and innovation, making a measured impact on Canada and the world.

Faculty and their dependents are eligible for an extensive benefits package including prescription drug coverage, vision care, dental care, long term disability insurance, life insurance and access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program. Employees also participate in a pension plan. Tuition assistance is available for qualifying employees, their spouses and dependent children. Queen’s values families and is pleased to provide a ‘top up’ to government parental leave benefits for eligible employees on maternity/parental leave. In addition, Queen’s provides partial reimbursement for eligible daycare expenses for employees with dependent children in daycare. Details are set out in the Queen’s-QUFA Collective Agreement. For more information on employee benefits, see Queen’s Human Resources.

Queen’s is committed to excellence in research and research training for the benefit of Canadians and to achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive Canadian research enterprise. Queen’s University has in place many institutional supports for these values and regularly monitors and reports on its progress in achieving inclusive goals. Queen’s University demonstrates its commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion by ongoing self-study and by implementing best practices on an ongoing basis. The research community at Queen’s is committed to and recognizes that building a culture of diversity is a socially responsible approach that actively removes discrimination and barriers to inclusion to provide benefits that reach beyond Queen’s University. At Queen’s, we recognize that diversity advances research for the greater good by valuing alternate perspectives, thereby unlocking creative potential and stimulating novel collaborations. To that end, Queen’s values its responsibility to promote equity in the employment of women, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities; Queen’s is an advocate for equity within the Canada Research Chairs Program. Queen’s commits to evaluating representation of the four Designated Groups listed above within its Canada Research Chair Program and commits further to striving proactively to meet and to maintain its equity targets among the exceptional researchers recruited to this program.

The City
The University is situated on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe, in historic Kingston on the shores of Lake Ontario. Queen’s is an integral part of the Kingston community, with the campus nestled in the core of the city, only a 10-minute walk to downtown. Kingston’s residents enjoy an outstanding quality of life with a wide range of cultural and creative opportunities, with access to many natural areas and proximity to vibrant First Nations Communities including Tyendinaga and Akwesasne. Kingston is a unique Canadian city of 125,000 with a distinct blend of history, recreation, industry, and learning. Kingston offers unique waterfront living with many recreational opportunities. It is within a two-and-a-half hour drive (two-hour train ride) to the commercial, industrial and political hubs of Toronto, Montreal, and the nation’s capital, Ottawa, and a thirty-minute drive from the international bridge linking Ontario and upstate New York. The city is also the origin of the historic Rideau Canal system – a UNESCO International Heritage site, and is close to Frontenac Provincial Park, the Thousand Islands National Park, and the Frontenac Arch UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The Queen’s University Biological Station, north of the city, encompasses 34 km2 of diverse lands, affording premier learning and research opportunities. Visit Inclusive Queen’s for information on equity, diversity and inclusion resources and initiatives.

How to Apply
The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen’s is strongly committed to employment equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and encourages applications from Black, racialized/visible minority and Indigenous people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ+ persons. In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority, including any qualified individuals who have a valid legal work status in Canada. Please indicate in your application if you have a valid legal work status in Canada. Applications from all qualified candidates will be considered in the applicant pool.

In addition, life circumstances such as illness, disability, family and community responsibilities (e.g., maternity leave, parental leave, leaves due to illness, leaves due to caring for family members, slowdowns due to chronic illness or disability, or COVID 19 impacts) are often an expected part of life and are likely to have an impact on a nominee’s record of research achievement. These impacts will be given careful consideration during the assessment process. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions.

The University will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation during the interview process, please contact Tammy Wintle in The School of Environmental Studies (Tel: 613 533-6000 ext. 74298, [email protected]).

Those interested in this position should submit a complete application package, including the following documents:
• a cover letter (including: whether or not you have a valid legal work status in Canada; and whether your proposed research is advancing a Sensitive Technology Research Area with attestation to having no active affiliation with a Named Research Organization).
• a current Curriculum Vitae (including a list of publications with students clearly indicated and grant funding secured and pending, and with names of students on publications clearly indicated);
• a statement of research interests, including vision for the next 7 years in approximately 2-5 pages;
• a statement of teaching interests and experience (including teaching outlines and evaluations if available); and,
• a statement of experience with, and commitment to, facilitation and promotion of Indigenization, equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and accessibility; and,
• The names and contact information for three individuals who could provide letters of reference if requested by us.

The deadline for applications is Sept. 10, 2025, however, applications will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled.

Applicants are encouraged to send all documents in their application packages electronically as PDFs to Tammy Wintle at [email protected], although hard copy applications may be submitted to:
Tammy Wintle
The School of Environmental Studies
116 Barrie St.
Queen’s University
Kingston, Ontario
CANADA K7L 3N6
(Tel: 613 533-6000 ext. 74298)

Academic staff at Queen’s University are governed by a Collective Agreement between the University and the Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA), which is posted at http://queensu.ca/facultyrelations/faculty-librarians-and-archivists/collective-agreement and at http://www.qufa.ca.

Required languages: English

Education level: PhD or equivalent

Required skills: The Chair will be expected to lead an internationally recognized program in paleolimnology and environmental change.

Closest intersection: Barrie Street and Union Street