Tenure-stream open rank (Assistant, Associate or Full Professor), Engineering

Brock University

About Brock University
The Brock University experience is second to none in Canada. Located in the historic Niagara region, Brock offers all the benefits of a young and modern university in a safe, community-minded city, with beautiful natural surroundings. With over 19,000 students and more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs in seven diverse Faculties, Brock excels at providing exceptional experiential learning opportunities and highly rated student and campus life experiences.

Our Geography
Brock is located in a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada. This unique region intersects Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, and is home to nearly 500,000 residents. Brock is one of the region’s top employers, and is a significant contributor to the economic, intellectual and cultural fabric of the area. Niagara provides abundant recreation, cultural and lifestyle options and is just a short drive from the Greater Toronto Area and the United States border.

About Engineering at Brock
The Brock University is creating a new engineering learning experience that will prepare graduates to address the local needs of the Niagara Region and equip them with the skills needed to contribute to Ontario and Canada’s future during a time of economic, social, and technological change. The new academic program will be informed by the values of Brock University, with a focus on interdisciplinary and experiential learning. We intend to: 1) offer students the opportunity to undertake a high-quality, relevant, and distinctive engineering education experience, located in the Niagara Region; 2) respond actively to the shifting skill set needs of employers regionally, provincially, nationally and internationally; 3) attract more talented young people and new investors to Niagara to build a long-term sustainable future. Brock University’s engineering program will be structured around themes that represent and add emerging trends important to both the Niagara Region and to Canada. These will include:

Feeding the World: Sustainable agriculture and land use, bioengineering in developing food markets, and emerging technology for environmental remediation.

Shaping the Future: Automation, human and machine interactions, the technical and policy analyses of energy use in manufacturing, the environment and the economy.

Connecting the World: The technology and methods of collecting, managing and analyzing the shared data of the modern world; how cities and organizations can harness information to create better places to live.

Creating Healthy Communities: Technology for improving our personal health and the health of our communities; engineering for assistive living and augmented biology, improving the methods that keep our municipalities healthy and functioning.

A Brock University engineering graduate will be confident in working in any of these four themes, while possessing skills that are in high demand in the labour markets of both today and tomorrow. Such skill sets include artificial intelligence, cognitive flexibility, complex problem-solving, engineering design and corresponding tools, project management, teamwork, mentorship, and scientific communication. Brock educated engineers will be creative makers and doers who empathize, reflect, innovate and create within an era of radical change. We are therefore seeking passionate, creative, and collaborative individuals who can help us actualize the description presented above. Candidates will be researchers who see no borders, just frontiers to explore, and who are excited by the prospect of building Brock’s engineering programs. Candidates should also embrace transdisciplinary integration in their research and be able to translate this into the engineering program at Brock. Responsibilities for each position will be commensurate with rank.

Complete applications that are received by May 24, 2024, will be given full consideration; however, review of applications will continue until the position is filled. Inquiries regarding this position should be directed to the Chair of the Search Committee at engineering@brocku.ca. Please do not email the application material to the Department. Although we appreciate all applications received, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

About the Position
Brock University is excited to announce the approval from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities to launch our first undergraduate program in Integrated Engineering, starting in the Fall of 2024. We are seeking a dynamic and passionate faculty member to join our team and contribute to the success of this innovative program and other forthcoming undergraduate and graduate programs.

Brock University is inviting applications for one open rank (Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor) tenure-stream faculty position in one of the following areas:

• Software Engineering
• Electrical Engineering

The new faculty member will join the newly created Yousef Haj-Ahmad Department of Engineering in the Faculty of Mathematics and Science and work closely with current faculty members and the Department Chair to establish new academic programs in engineering at Brock University. In addition to developing programs in engineering at both undergraduate and graduate levels, the successful candidate will be expected to develop a high-quality research program that fosters entrepreneurship, community, and industrial partnerships to strengthen Brock University’s research endeavors and facilitate partnerships within the Niagara Region.

Applicants must demonstrate that they have a track record in research and teaching and must be willing to work with or have experience working with industry, community groups, not-for-profit organizations and/or government. Experience in developing new academic programs and educational experiences for students in technology, engineering or related fields will be an important asset. All applicants must have a Ph.D. in Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or another closely related engineering field.

Applicants should be able to inspire and guide undergraduate and graduate students at every stage of their academic endeavours and serve as mentors to junior faculty. Applicants should also demonstrate an active ongoing record in conducting scholarly research, attract industrial and Tri-Council funding where appropriate, and publish in innovative areas of engineering aligned with our themes above. Senior candidates who expect to be appointed as a tenured faculty member must be registered as a Professional Engineer (PEng); junior tenure-track candidates must be eligible to register as a Professional Engineer.

Responsibilities

Individuals appointed to an Associate/Full Professor position will provide guidance in delivering all aspects of program development, program review and program accreditation, ensuring that learning outcomes are achieved, and core competencies are addressed through pedagogical effectiveness, the use of technology and robust evaluation. Priorities will include:

• Leading the co-creation of innovative and imaginative professional academic programs in engineering, including experiential-based undergraduate and graduate degree programs currently in the initial stages of development. Working with colleagues to develop the curriculum content, courses and teaching methodologies for engineering, with a focus on real-world problem-solving and design-based learning pedagogies.
• Contributing to the delivery of programs by teaching courses in the undergraduate and graduate programs in Engineering and contributions to the Minor in Engineering Sciences.
• Supervision of undergraduate and graduate students and contributions to the graduate program through supervisory committees are expected.
• Developing strong and meaningful partnerships with external industry partners both within the region and beyond.
• Collaborating with academic colleagues in Brock University’s Faculties and Professional Schools and the University’s Transdisciplinary Research Units.
• Conducting successful transdisciplinary research programs supported by a variety of foundations, granting agencies and industry.
• Striving to secure external funding to support graduate students and research where appropriate.
• Creating and cultivating research projects/initiatives.
• Collaborating with scholars within the University and across the international research community.
• Advising Brock’s academic community on learning objectives and outcomes, curriculum design, curriculum mapping and other curricular initiatives.
• Developing authentic and effective assessment strategies leading to the accreditation of the engineering programs.

Individuals appointed to an Assistant Professor position should possess relevant post-doctoral experience and have demonstrated some experience in teaching and research, including supervision and a promising track record of scientific excellence and publications.

The successful candidate will be expected to build and maintain an internationally recognized and externally funded research program where appropriate. For this position, supervision of undergraduate and graduate students, and contributions to the graduate program through supervisory committees, are expected.

Teaching requirements will include undergraduate and graduate programs in Engineering and contributions to the Minor in Engineering Sciences.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively with researchers across the university and with external partners to generate and facilitate the use of research knowledge to improve and advance the strategic priorities of the University. Applicants must be registered, or eligible for and committed to registration, as a Professional Engineer within the Province of Ontario.

What we Offer
Brock University offers competitive salary and benefits and ample support for research and sabbaticals. Research resources include conference support, start-up funding, subscriptions to major databases and access to various research funding vehicles. For candidates considering relocation, moving expenses will be administered according to the Faculty Association Collective Agreement.

Application Process
Hiring decisions will be made on the basis of excellence in research and teaching, and meeting departmental needs. The successful candidate will be expected to take up the position on July 1, 2024 or thereafter. The application should be submitted via the Workday online application system (note: file maximum of 5 MB per attachment upload) and should include the following (incomplete application packages will not be processed):

• A cover letter (2 pages max.) clearly indicating the position being applied for. All applicants must include one of the following statements: “I am a Canadian citizen / permanent resident of Canada”; or, “I am not a Canadian citizen / permanent resident of Canada” in their cover letter.
• An updated and complete curriculum vitae including the current PEng status: “Registered as a PEng”, “Applied for PEng, decision pending”, etc.
• A research statement (2 pages max.) covering the most important research contributions, future research plan and objectives.
• A teaching statement (2 pages max.) including contributions to teaching, a learning philosophy, and experience in curriculum development, experiential education, and knowledge mobilization or science communication.
• EDI statement (2 pages max.) including actions related to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion
• A list of at least 3 referees, including their contact information (referees will only be contacted for short-listed candidates).

Applications should be submitted electronically through the Brock Careers website at the following link: https://brocku.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/brocku_careers/job/St-Catharines-Main-Campus/Assistant-Professor_JR-1017547

Our Commitment
Brock University is actively committed to diversity and the principles of employment equity and invites applications from all qualified candidates. Women, Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) peoples, Black people, people with disabilities, members of visible minorities/racialized groups, and Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and additional sexually and gender diverse (2SLGBTQI+) persons are encouraged to apply and to voluntarily self-identify as a member of a designated group as part of their application. Candidates who wish to be considered as a member of one or more designated groups should fill out the Self-Identification Form and include the completed form with their application.

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

We will accommodate the needs of the applicants and the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) throughout all stages of the selection process, as outlined in the Employment Accommodation Policy https://brocku.ca/policies/wp-content/uploads/sites/94/Employment-Accommodation-Policy.pdf. Please advise: talent@brocku.ca to ensure your accessibility needs are accommodated through this process. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.

We appreciate all applications received; however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Learn more about Brock University by visiting www.brocku.ca