The Department of Earth Sciences in the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto invites applications for a full-time tenure stream position in the science of groundwater and other subsurface fluids as applied to water, life, Earth and/or energy. The appointment will be at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2026.

The successful candidate, upon formally accepting the offer of a full-time faculty position, may be nominated for a Canada Excellence Research Chair that will establish a program focused on understanding the role of groundwater and other subsurface fluids for sustaining both human society and the biosphere, particularly as applied to essential resources such as drinking water, water for agriculture and industry, critical minerals such as lithium and helium, and unconventional energy resources. The Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program is intended to support world?class researchers and their teams in establishing ambitious research programs at Canadian universities. Nominees to the Canada Excellence Research Chairs opportunity will be internationally leading researchers whose proposed research program aligns with one or more of the Government of Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation priority areas. Research Chairs are appointed for eight years, with award values of either $1 million or $500,000 per year; these two award values recognize the varying costs of research within different disciplines.

The University of Toronto requires that applicants must have earned a PhD degree in Earth or environmental sciences, geosciences, or a related area, with a clearly demonstrated exceptional record of excellence in research, service, training, and teaching. We seek candidates whose research and teaching interests complement and enhance our existing departmental strengths. The successful candidate will be an internationally recognized research leader in groundwater science whose accomplishments have made a major impact on the field and/or societal impact. Candidates will be expected to sustain and lead innovative research that will advance the global frontiers of knowledge in the field, and to maintain an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program, with a particular focus on the Canadian federal Tri-Agencies.

Candidates must provide evidence of research excellence, which can be demonstrated by a record of sustained high-impact contributions and publications in top-ranked and field relevant journals, the submitted research statement, presentations at significant conferences, distinguished awards and accolades, evidence of impact on the field and/or societal impact, and other noteworthy activities that contribute to the visibility and prominence of the discipline, as well as strong endorsements from referees of high standing.

Candidates must also possess a strong demonstrated record of service to the research community (e.g., service on peer review committees, faculty recruitment committees, advisory committees) and a demonstrated record of attracting and mentoring a diverse group of students, trainees, and research personnel, and establishing an equitable and inclusive research environment. Nominees to the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program will be expected to develop and implement a plan for establishing and maintaining a diverse team and an inclusive research and training environment.

Evidence of excellence in teaching will be provided through teaching accomplishments, the teaching dossier submitted as part of the application (with required materials outlined below), as well as strong letters of reference.

Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The Department of Earth Sciences recognizes the legitimate impact that leaves (e.g., parental leaves, slowdowns due to illness or disability, impacts of COVID-19) can have on a nominee’s record of research achievement. These leaves will be taken into careful consideration during the review and assessment of application materials.

The Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Toronto is an inclusive, vibrant community of students, faculty and staff passionate about understanding our home planet as well as other planetary bodies. We are leaders in cutting-edge science and are deeply invested in research, teaching and learning to address some of the greatest challenges facing humanity now and in the future, including climate change, green energy and the development of a sustainable, healthy society. We have a venerable 175-year tradition of research and education in Earth Sciences and rankings place us among the very top in the geosciences in Canada and internationally. We offer our students programs with strong emphases on research training, experiential discovery in the field, in our advanced analytical laboratories and in our computing labs working with the latest AI-driven technologies. We maintain a series of cutting-edge analytical labs, a suite of modern equipment for research and teaching in the environmental geosciences, and offer a vibrant, top-ranked Earth Sciences graduate program spanning the three campuses of the University of Toronto (including the Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences at University of Toronto Scarborough and the Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences at University of Toronto Mississauga).

The University of Toronto provides exceptional opportunities for collaborative and interdisciplinary research and teaching, and actively encourages cutting-edge scholarship. Furthermore, it offers the excitement of working with a diverse, high-achieving student population. The successful candidate would also have ample opportunity to engage with cognate units such as the School of the Environment, the newly established Lawson Climate Institute, the Archaeology Centre, the Centre for Global Change Science, the Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health & Sustainable Care (Public Health, Medicine and Pharmacy), the Climate Positive Energy Initiative, or the Lassonde Institute within the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. The successful candidate would also have the opportunity to contribute to established institutional research clusters focused on the UN SDG’s and on Indigenous research, and to develop new ones. Opportunities are also available to work with a wide range of public and private organizations, groups, and institutions that reflect the region’s diversity. Seen as one of the most multicultural places in the world, Toronto is a thriving cultural and intellectual hub offering an outstanding quality of life.

All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking the link below. Application materials must include the following:

• Cover letter (maximum 2 pages)
• Current curriculum vitae
• A research statement outlining current and future research interests (3-5 pages)
• Electronic copies of three most significant research publications (published over the last 5-6 years)
• A teaching dossier to include:
• a strong teaching statement of interests and philosophy (2-3 pages)
• sample course materials and course evaluations

Equity, diversity and inclusion are essential to academic excellence as articulated in University of Toronto’s Statement on Equity, Diversity and Excellence. We seek candidates who share these values and who demonstrate throughout the application materials their commitment and efforts to advance equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment. Demonstration of how the candidate would bring new perspectives to the Department, experiences and meaningful plans for connecting to groups that have been historically marginalized in the geosciences are criteria that will be considered in our evaluation of excellence.

Applicants must also 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 referee the day after an application is submitted. Applicants remain responsible for ensuring that references submit letters (on letterhead, dated and signed) by the closing date. More details on the automatic reference letter collection, including timelines, are available in the FAQs.

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 file in PDF format. If you have any questions about this position, please contact Ampy Tolentino, Assistant to the Chair of Earth Sciences (amparo.tolentino@utoronto.ca).

All application materials, including recent reference letters, must be received by June 18, 2025.

In order to meet the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program timelines, the University of Toronto must select and confirm the nominee in advance of November 2025, register the candidate by January 21, 2026, and submit a full nomination package to the Program by March 18, 2026.

Click here to apply online.

The Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program does not impose any restrictions regarding nationality or country of residence of the nominee. However, given the Program’s focus on the attraction of outstanding researchers to Canada, the Department of Earth Sciences will prioritize the nomination of those candidates who currently hold an academic appointment outside of Canada.

The University of Toronto has adopted the AAU Principles on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Academia, including the requirement that applicants release personnel information from prior employers regarding sexual misconduct. Full details and requirements can be found here.

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

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. 

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.

For further information on the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program, including eligibility criteria, please consult the Program website.

Requirements are described in the advertisement

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