McCall MacBain Chair in Physical Environment

Position Description

The Department of Kinesiology in the Faculty of Science at McMaster University, together with the McCall MacBain Kinesiology and Healthspan Institute, invites applications for the McCall MacBain Chair in Physical Environment. This appointment is anchored in the Department of Kinesiology in the Faculty of Science with a joint appointment to the Faculty of Health Sciences.

We seek a scholar whose research addresses how physical environment stressors, such as climate change, heat, air pollution, and thermal strain, affect human physical function and health across populations. The Chair's program is expected to identify vulnerability markers, generate protective guidelines, and inform behaviour-based and policy-based mitigation strategies. The work is explicitly positioned to shape environmental health standards, occupational guidelines, and global climate and health frameworks.

The successful candidate will develop and lead an internationally recognized, externally funded research program, supervise and mentor trainees, and contribute to teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Chair will have access to the Physical Activity Centre of Excellence (PACE) living lab and will be well positioned to build partnerships across environmental science, public health, and occupational health.

This Chair is one of four McCall MacBain Chairs in Healthy Living established through a transformational $50-million endowed gift from the McCall MacBain Foundation, the largest gift ever made to a kinesiology department in Canadian university history. The gift establishes the McCall MacBain Kinesiology and Healthspan Institute, a joint initiative of the Department of Kinesiology in the Faculty of Science and the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact in the Faculty of Health Sciences. The endowed funding will be used to cover the salary and benefits for the position with any remaining funds available to support research and scholarly activities associated with the Chair, including travel, and graduate student support. The Chair will also be eligible to apply for research funds that will be available through the McCall MacBain Kinesiology and Healthspan Institute.

This is a Chair appointment open to exceptional candidates at all ranks. Applications are welcome from scholars at the rank of Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor. The rank and type of appointment, and the starting salary will be commensurate with the successful candidate's experience, record, and qualifications. The anticipated start date is July 1, 2027.

The chairholder will join an interdisciplinary community that bridges kinesiology, environmental and population health, and health research methods, with natural links to units across the Faculties of Science and Health Sciences, including Earth, Environment and Society and the McMaster Health Forum. The Chair will help position McMaster as a global voice on environment, climate, and human function.

McMaster University is a globally renowned institution of higher learning and a research community committed to advancing human and societal health and well-being. Our focus on collaboratively exchanging ideas and approaches makes us uniquely positioned to pioneer ground-breaking solutions to real-world problems leading to a Brighter World. The Faculty of Science works to create global impact by advancing scientific discovery and knowledge and promoting greater understanding. Our innovative, interdisciplinary approach generates new methods and insights, results, and lasting change. The Faculty of Health Sciences is internationally recognized for its pioneering, evidence-based approach to health research, education, and care, and for driving discoveries that improve health and health systems locally, nationally, and globally.

Commitment to Inclusive Excellence

The diversity of our workforce is at the core of our innovation and creativity and strengthens our research and teaching excellence. In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster University strives to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity, and has a strong commitment to employment equity.

The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives, and especially welcomes applications from First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, members of racialized communities (“visible minorities”), persons with disabilities, women, persons who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.

We invite all applicants to complete a brief Diversity Survey, which takes approximately two minutes to complete, through McMaster's application submission portal. Survey link will be shared via email closer to the start of the application review date. All questions are voluntary, with an option to decline to answer. All information collected is confidential and will be used to support efforts to broaden the diversity of the applicant pool and to promote a fair, equitable and inclusive talent acquisition process.

Job applicants requiring accommodation to participate in the hiring process should contact the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Science at baileyd@mcmaster.ca to communicate accommodation needs.

How to Apply

Complete applications must be made online at https://hr.mcmaster.ca/careers/current-opportunities/ (Faculty Positions, Job 77360) by the deadline, to the attention of Dr. Stuart Phillips, Professor and Chair, Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1.

A complete application consists of:

• a cover letter (including a statement regarding whether the applicant has Canadian citizenship / permanent resident status (see below))
• a current Curriculum Vitae
• a statement of research interests and vision for the Chair (maximum 3 pages)
• a statement of teaching interests and philosophy, including evidence of teaching effectiveness (maximum 2 pages)
• a statement of experience and plans for advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in post-secondary education, community-based or other professional settings, including how you will include EDI considerations in your research questions (maximum 2 pages) You are also invited, at your discretion, to comment on your lived experiences in the statement.
• the names and full contact information of at least three (3) referees

Letters of reference are not required and will not be reviewed at the application stage; the Department will request letters of recommendation from referees at later stages of the search process.

McMaster University recognizes the potential impact that career interruptions and personal circumstances (e.g., pregnancy, early childcare, eldercare, illness, etc.) can have on an applicant's record of research achievement. We encourage applicants to explain in their applications the impact that career interruptions, or other issues, may have had. Progressive policies are in place to assist faculty members achieve a work-life balance.

Review of complete applications will begin on November 1, 2026 and will continue until the position is filled. All applicants will receive an on-line, system-generated confirmation of receipt of their application; however, only short-listed applicants will be contacted for interviews. The starting salary will not be less than $99,981, and will be determined based on rank, discipline, experience, and qualifications. Salaries for faculty members progress through a Career Progress/Merit Plan; average salaries by rank and Faculty for previous academic years can be found on the University's website.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada's reporting requirements, the University is obliged to gather information about applicants' status as either Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents of Canada. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenship; however, all applications need to include the following statement in their application package: I am/am not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada. Applications that do not include this information will be deemed incomplete.

McMaster and its third-party partners may use AI tools to screen, assess, or select applicants during the hiring process. Please note that currently our recruitment platform does not use AI nor is it part of our current recommended recruitment process.