Assistant or Associate Professor and the Bill and Lynne Gray Chair in Advanced Poultry Technology

Position Title / Rank: Assistant or Associate Professor and the Bill and Lynne Gray Chair in Advanced Poultry Technology Management - REPOST
Department: Animal Biosciences 

Position Description:
 

The Department of Animal Biosciences within the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) at the University of Guelph is seeking an outstanding tenure-track or tenured candidate for the prestigious Bill and Lynne Gray Chair in Advanced Poultry Technology Management at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank. This position is made possible by a generous $3.5 million gift from the William and Lynne Gray Foundation and L.H. Gray & Son Limited, aimed at advancing innovation and sustainability in the Canadian poultry and egg sector.  The anticipated start date for this appointment is a mutually agreed-upon date in 2025.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and conduct cutting-edge research in advanced poultry technology management, harnessing expertise from diverse fields including mechanical, electrical, environmental, software and chemical engineering to revolutionize poultry housing and management practices.
• Secure research funds  and manage the awarded funds to support cutting-edge research initiatives.
• Create, develop and implement innovative technologies and systems for sustainable and profitable poultry and egg production, leveraging precision farming, automation, robotics, data analytics, artificial intelligence, sensor technologies, computer vision, human dimensions, and other relevant cutting-edge approaches.
• Publish scholarly articles in high-impact journals relevant to the field.
• Collaborate with other faculty and researchers at the University of Guelph (e.g., Engineering, Computer Science, Economics, etc.) to address problems related to monitoring and management of poultry at the level of the animal in commercial production systems.
• Work closely with the Ontario Poultry Research Centre in Elora, contributing to its planning and operations.
• Recruit, supervise, and mentor graduate students in their research programs.
• Instruct students in undergraduate and graduate classroom settings.
• Engage with industry partners to translate research findings into practical applications.

Qualifications:

• The successful candidate will have a PhD in Animal Science, Engineering or a related field, with expertise in technologies and tools for monitoring and managing poultry on farms.
• The successful candidate could possess an academic background from a range of animal-science disciplines (e.g., ethology, nutrition, genetics/genomics, or physiology) and species (e.g., dairy cattle, swine, and/or poultry), with additional experience and training in data science or engineering.
• A strong record of accomplishment for developing innovative technologies is highly desirable. This may include patents, licenses, or other intellectural property related to agricultural technology, particularly in poultry management or precision farming systems.
• The successful candidate will have the ability to teach and mentor students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Evidence of effective teaching experience is beneficial.
• The successful candidate will have: strong communication skills and the ability to engage effectively with industry stakeholders; interact with faculty, staff, and students including those of different demographic, ethnic, gender, and cultural backgrounds; mentor and advise graduate students for their academic success; develop innovative instructional approaches; and have a commitment to on‐going professional development.

What We Offer:

• A competitive salary and benefits package.
• Access to state-of-the-art research facilities at the Ontario Poultry Research Centre.
• The opportunity to work with a dynamic and interdisciplinary team of researchers and educators.
• An annual scholarship program to attract global talent to pursue careers in the Canadian poultry and egg industry.

The ideal candidate will be joining a dynamic and world-renowned department, with an expectation to establish an innovative and sustainable research program that will complement and enhance existing capabilities. The candidate must possess the ability to conduct independent and groundbreaking research at the highest level, as well as collaborate effectively with other members of the department and campus.

The successful candidate is expected to be actively involved in service and be a champion for EDI initiatives, fostering a welcoming, equitable, opportunity-rich and safe environment for students, researchers, staff and faculty.

The Department of Animal Biosciences Animal Biosciences | (uoguelph.ca) is Canada’s top-ranked department in the field, with exceptional expertise across a wide range of species and fields, including animal behaviour and welfare, genetics and genomics, physiology, and nutrition. Faculty of the department have access to modern, world-class animal housing facilities as well as an in-house high performance computing cluster. The department currently has 26 faculty and is home to the Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, the Centre for Nutritional Modelling, and houses many faculty affiliated with the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare. The Department actively fosters a culture that is positive, collegial, highly interdisciplinary, collaborative and respectful of all members.

Part of the Ontario Agricultural College Ontario Agricultural College | University of Guelph (uoguelph.ca), the Animal Biosciences department has a long history of achievements in serving the agriculture and agri-food industries within Ontario and beyond.

The University of Guelph resides on the traditional lands and territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee and Huron Wendat. These lands are now home to a rich diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people. We offer our respect and gratitude to our Indigenous neighbours and affirm our responsibility to realize our commitments to reconciliation through ongoing action. We are guided in this work by Bi-Naagward | It Comes into View, the Indigenous Initiatives Strategy. 

The University of Guelph is the third largest employer in Guelph, a city of approximately 130,000 people, located about an hour drive west of Toronto, Ontario. University of Guelph is a top-ranked comprehensive university in Canada with an enrolment of over 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across over 40 academic units. The University is known for its commitment to student learning, innovative research, and collaboration with world-class partners. It is a unique place, with transformative research and teaching and a distinctive campus culture.

People who learn and work here are shaped and inspired by a shared purpose: To Improve Life. Reflecting that shared purpose in every experience connected to our university positions us to create positive change, here and around the world. Our university community shares a profound sense of social responsibility, a drive for international development, and an obligation to address global issues.

Application Process:

If you are a current employee of the University of Guelph you must apply on the internal Career Page to be considered as an internal applicant.

SuccessFactors: Career Opportunities (sapsf.com)

Assessment of applications will begin on April 1, 2025 and will continue until the position is filled. Interested applicants should create an account on https://careers.uoguelph.ca/ and apply for the advertised faculty position (Requisition ID #792) by submitting the following materials (in an integrated Single PDF file):

(1) A cover letter;

(2) A curriculum vitae;

(3) A maximum 3 page cover letter in which you provide a research statement that describes your research plan; how your research aligns with existing or emerging areas of research within the Department and how you embed Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) considerations in your research;

(4) A maximum 2-page teaching statement including teaching philosophy; evidence of effective teaching; how you would embed EDI in teaching practice (please identify areas that you would be interested in teaching); and

(5) The names and contact information of three persons who will serve as references.

• Questions about the position can be addressed to Grégoy Bédécarrats at: gbbbedecar@uoguelph.ca
• Questions about the application process can be addressed to Diana Rau at: drau@uoguelph.ca

Date Posted: 02/25/2025
Deadline: 04/01/2025 or until a suitable candidate is found.

This position is represented by the University of Guelph Faculty Association (UGFA). 

The University of Guelph commits to fostering inclusive excellence through promoting Indigenization, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. Inclusion is a core pillar of Our Time, our strategic plan, which pledges to “transform our human resources, governance and student services and practices across the University to enable us to recruit a diverse student, faculty and staff body and support them in achieving their personal, professional and scholarly goals.” The University commits to creating and maintaining “equitable work environments that empower us in our pursuit of student, faculty and staff success, research excellence, innovation and impact.” 

The University of Guelph invites applications from all qualified individuals; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. We strongly welcome and encourage applications from members of designated groups in employment, including Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, racialized persons, women, and 2SLGBTQIA+ persons. 

The University of Guelph recognizes that career paths can be diverse and career interruptions may occur. We encourage applicants to note in their applications whether they would like considerations given to the impact of any circumstances, such as (but not limited to) those due to health and/or family reasons, that may have affected an applicant’s record of achievement. You are not required to disclose these circumstances in the hiring process. If you choose to do so, the University will ensure that these circumstances do not negatively impact the assessment of your qualifications for the position. 

The University of Guelph is committed to ensuring all applicants have fair and equitable participation in the hiring process. If you anticipate needing accommodations during the recruitment or selection processes, confidential assistance is available on request by contacting Occupational Health and Wellness at 519-824-4120 x52674. If you have any questions regarding accommodations or accessibility during the hiring process or for more information and support, please visit the University’s Occupational Health and Wellness or contact OHW at ohw@uoguelph.ca.