The Department of Systems Design Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo is inviting applications and nominations for the position of Department Chair. The successful candidate will be appointed at the rank of a tenured full professor and is expected to have a distinguished record of teaching and research, be a person of academic stature, appointed for her/his intellectual and administrative abilities and qualities of leadership. The first term of office for a department chair is four years, renewable for four years. Following the appointment as Chair, the appointee will assume regular faculty member duties within the Department.

Home to 930 undergraduate students, 230 graduate students, 16 staff, and 41 faculty members, the Department is a unique and innovative research and learning environment centered around the use of systems design methodology to engage in technical, environmental, socioeconomic, health and political aspects of the engineering process to better understand and change the world.

Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo offers co-operative education undergraduate degrees in both Systems Design Engineering and in Biomedical Engineering, as well as Master and Ph.D. programs, attracting the best and brightest students from across Canada and around the world. Additionally, the department is home to the Centre for Society, Technology and Values (CSTV) which explains and examines social aspects of technology and technological change.

The world-class research of our faculty and students is spurring innovation in a diversity of transdisciplinary methodological and application areas that include: biomedical systems, intelligent and automated systems, human factors and interfaces, physical and mechatronics systems, societal and environmental systems.

The successful applicant will have a relevant PhD degree, and is expected to hold an engineering license for practice in Canada or be eligible to apply for an engineering license with Professional Engineers Ontario immediately upon appointment.

The salary range for the position is $180,000 to $250,000. Negotiations beyond this salary range will be considered for exceptionally qualified candidates.

The successful candidate is expected to take office by January 1, 2027. The committee will begin to review complete applications upon receipt, however, to ensure full consideration, applications must be received by September 30, 2026.