Canada Impact+ Research Chair Nominee in Environment, climate resilience, and Arctic; Food and water security; Democratic and community resilience

Position Status: Permanent; OPSEU Local 685

Department: Department of Geography, Geology, and Land Stewardship, Faculty of Cross-Cultural Studies

Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Posting Date: May 4, 2026

Preferred Start Date: November 2026, or as negotiated

The Department of Geography, Geology, and Land Stewardship within the recently formed Faculty of Cross-Cultural Studies at Algoma University invites applications for nomination to the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs (Impact+) program under the Government of Canada’s priority areas of Environment, climate resilience, and Arctic; Food and water security; Democratic and community resilience.

Undergraduate education is the Department’s focus with degrees in Geography, along with foundational programming in Geology and certificates in Aki and Environmental Stewardship and Geomatics. The Canada Research Chair in Healing & Reconciliation (Tier II) is hosted in the Department. Additionally, the Department is one of three Canadian institutional partners, currently delivering Level 1 of the Professional Lands Management Certification Program (PLMCP) in partnership with the National Aboriginal Lands Managers Association (NALMA).

Algoma University’s Sault Ste. Marie campus, where the position is based, is located in a place historically known as Baawaating (in Anishinaabemowin). This is Robinson-Huron Treaty Territory, and the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, home of Garden River First Nation, Batchewana First Nation, and the Metis Nation. Additional First Nation communities also have a presence in Sault Ste. Marie. At the centre of the Great Lakes, and lying on the cusp of the transition zone between deciduous and boreal forests, makes Sault Ste. Marie an ideal locale to engage with the land, climate resilience, and food and water security within a Northern context. This location offers a unique and unparalleled cross-cultural and natural environment to ground a transformative research program.

The Canada Impact+ Research Chairs (Impact+) program is a one-time initiative that offers eligible Canadian, degree-granting institutions an opportunity to attract world-leading and internationally based researchers whose work addresses critical national and global challenges. The program is awarded in $1 million per year or $500 thousand per year for eight years, with the possibility of a 4-year extension at 50% of the original award value, determined by an external review in Year 7 of the award. Impact+ emphasizes both research excellence and tangible impact to advance ambitious and transformative projects in Canada’s strategic priority areas, build and maintain exceptional research teams, and collaborate with partners across sectors and borders. Impact+ Chairs are expected to drive the translation of discoveries into applications, commercialization and social and economic benefits for Canada and the world, while also developing the next generation of highly qualified personnel.

Impact+ nominees must:

• be internationally based (both working and residing outside of Canada) as of the Impact+ application deadline
• have a recent track record of research accomplishments and significant interest in making new contributions to Canada
• be full or associate professors or, if recruited from outside the academic sector, possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed at these levels.

Please consult the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs website for full program information, including further details on eligibility criteria.

Algoma University Impact+ Strategic Priority Areas: Environment, climate resilience, and Arctic; Food and water security; Democratic and community resilience

The Canada Impact+ Research Chair (CIRC) will:

• Lead emerging, timely research focusing on geographical aspects of food and water sovereignty, land stewardship,and climate resilience in place-based Northern contexts, supporting community wellness and the reclamation of multiple identities after colonization.
• Foster collaborations co-developing research agendas with scholars in the discipline of Geography and in diverse fields such as Indigenous Studies; Archaeology; Climate, Food and Water Studies; and the Geo-Humanities.
• Establish dialogue and links with Northern local communities and organizations, working in partnership to research land stewardship initiatives within ethical frameworks.
• Mentor highly qualified personnel in multi-perspective, cross-cultural praxis and geographic methods of inquiry through teaching, research, and partnerships.
• Translate research into public facing outputs, such as policy briefs, museum exhibit collaborations, story maps, digital archives, videographic storytelling, and public lectures for local, regional, national and international audiences.

Qualifications

• Only candidates who are internationally based (both working and residing outside of Canada) at the time of the Impact+ Program application deadline for each intake are eligible.
• Hold a Ph. in Geography or closely related discipline (This is a requirement of the OPSEU Local 685 Full-time Faculty Collective Agreement at Algoma University).
• Be an established full professor, or an associate professor expected to advance to full professor within 1–2 years.
• Demonstrate a record of outstanding research contributions, including high-impact publications, mentorship, and external research funding.
• Show a proven ability to lead large interdisciplinary teams and foster collaborations with academia, industry, and government.
• Exhibit a strong commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) in research, mentorship, and recruitment.

Expectations

• Undergraduate teaching (six credits per year) in Geography, Geology and/or Land Stewardship domains.
• Supervision and advising of undergraduate students.
• Engage in curriculum development and contribute to the enhancement of the Geography, Geology and Land Stewardship Department and Geography degree programming.
• Participate in service to the university, such as student mentorship, research advising, and academic committees.
• Other duties and responsibilities as outlined in the OPSEU Local 685 Full-time faculty collective agreement.

Application Process: The Impact+ recruitment process consists of two stages. First, candidates apply to an open job posting at Algoma University. The successful candidate will then work with Algoma University to co-develop an application for the federal funding program. Appointment to an Impact+ university position is contingent upon receiving an Impact+ award. Impact+ awardees must begin their appointment within 12 months of accepting the award. The term is for eight years, after which other funding sources may be leveraged to facilitate a permanent position within our faculty.

1. Cover letter outlining your interest in the position and alignment with the Impact+ position in the priority area of Environment, climate resilience, and Arctic; Food and water security; Democratic and community resilience.(2 pages)
2. Current Curriculum Vitae (CV) if applicable, we encourage applicants to explain any career interruptions that might have affected research productivity
3. Research and Training Vision Statement that details the short (1-2 years) and long-term (5+ years) research vision for elevating Algoma’s existing strengths, and for pioneering new directions in Environment, climate resilience, and Arctic; Food and water security; Democratic and community resilience via the Impact+ position. The statement should highlight why the applicant is competitive for this position based on the profile criteria mentioned above. (3 pages)
4. Teaching statement, outlining the candidate’s teaching philosophy, approach and methods, and how they will apply as a Impact+ Chair at Algoma. (2 pages)
5. Indigenization, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (I-EDI) Statement- that describes the applicant’s philosophy and strategies for incorporating I-EDI considerations into research design, team building, teaching, and mentorship activities. It should explain how the applicant provides equitable opportunities for collaborators and students from diverse backgrounds and how they foster a welcoming and inclusive environment and aligns with Algoma’s Special Mission. (2-3 pages)
6. Sample research publications
7. Full Contact information of three referees, who are established authorities in the field, who are not in a conflict of interest.

Note: Application materials should be submitted as a single combined PDF file, with a file name that identifies the applicant.

Salary Scale:

• Associate Professor $121,216 - $160,248
• Full Professor $141,211 - $174,403