Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader. Assistant or Associate Professor in Sustainable Transportation Futures

Posting Date: October 22, 2026

Closing Date: December 13, 2026

The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta is seeking applications for a full-time tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor position in sustainable transportation futures .

This Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader position is associated with Dr. Susan Shaheen’s Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Sustainable Transportation Futures at the University of Alberta.

Salary and research support will be specified in the appointment offer. The successful candidate will establish an innovative, independent, and externally funded research program, teach undergraduate and graduate courses, supervise students and other highly qualified personnel, and contribute to interdisciplinary collaboration across the Faculty, the University, and with external partners.

Applicants whose work connects transportation technologies with energy, infrastructure, climate resilience, logistics, digital systems, policy, or community needs are particularly encouraged to apply. This is an opportunity to help shape the future of clean, resilient, accessible, and globally competitive transportation through cutting-edge research and education.

The successful candidate will hold an academic appointment in the Faculty of Engineering, with an academic home determined according to the candidate’s expertise and alignment with one of the Faculty’s five departments.

Priority Areas of Research

Applications are invited from candidates whose research advances sustainable, resilient, and inclusive transportation systems. Areas of interest include clean transportation technologies and energy systems involving electrification, hydrogen, sustainable fuels, critical minerals, vehicle-grid integration, and distributed energy resources; the decarbonization of difficult-to-electrify freight, aviation, marine, and long-distance transportation systems; and next-generation aviation and autonomous air systems for passenger transportation, freight, defence, and rural or northern mobility.

Additional areas of interest include climate-resilient transportation and energy infrastructure, smart charging, multimodal logistics, low-emission supply corridors, Arctic and northern supply chains, first- and last-mile transportation, and accessible mobility for rural, remote, underserved, older, and disabled populations. Research may integrate technology development and testing with systems modelling, lifecycle and environmental assessment, infrastructure planning, safety, regulatory and policy analysis, community acceptance, affordability, accessibility, equity, public health, and economic competitiveness.

Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders Program Eligibility and Appointment

Applicants must

Have been both working and residing outside Canada on July 1st, 2026

Be within five years of the start of the first appointment permitting independent research as of that date, with adjustments for eligible career interruptions and part-time appointments under the program’s rules.

Be able to begin full-time employment at the University of Alberta no later than July 1st, 2027.

Successful nominees will be appointed at the University of Alberta as:

Assistant or Associate tenure-track Professor

Successful nominees will be expected to start their position within 12 months of accepting the award.

The award value is $100,000 per year over six years and is renewable up to six additional years at the same amount.

Chairholders will be required to take up their appointment on a full-time basis.

The University of Alberta recognizes the legitimate impact that life circumstances (e.g., maternity leave, parental leave, leaves due to illness, leaves due to caring for family members, slowdowns due to chronic illness or disability, COVID-19 impacts, etc.) can have on a candidate’s record of research achievement and that these circumstances will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process. Please consult the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs website for full program information, including further details on eligibility criteria and application requirements.

The Role and Responsibilities

The Assistant Professor role is the starting point on the academic faculty member career pathway at the University of Alberta. Faculty members are full members of the department and play an active role in democratic processes and governance. The responsibilities of the role include active participation in teaching, research, and service:

Teaching : Participation in teaching programs, including classroom teaching, supervision of students conducting research, and personal interactions with and advising students. An Academic Faculty member may decide on specific course content and instructional methodology, recognizing the approved course description, and academic policies approved by the Department, the Faculty, and the University.

Teaching is year-round with most courses in the Fall (September to December) and Winter (January to April) semesters. Teaching assignments are decided in discussion with the Department Chair. As the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board accredits the undergraduate degree programs in our Faculty, licensure as a Professional Engineer or Licensee in Alberta is required. Licensure must be obtained within five years of the hire date.

Research : Participation in research, including the preparation or performance of creative works and reflective inquiry, and disseminating research results by means appropriate to the discipline. Academic Faculty members are encouraged to seek funding for research from granting agencies or other sources.

Service : An Academic Faculty member shall be actively engaged in service to the University and participate in the collegial responsibilities of departmental, Faculty, and University governance. Provision of service to the discipline of the Academic Faculty member; participation in the governance of the University, the Faculty, and the Department, and dissemination of knowledge to the general public by making available the Academic Faculty member’s expertise and knowledge of the discipline.

The Department Chair supervises Faculty Members. Annually, Faculty Members prepare and submit a report of their university responsibilities to the Department Chair and the Dean.

Applicants whose work connects transportation technologies with energy, infrastructure, climate resilience, logistics, digital systems, policy, or community needs are particularly encouraged to apply. This is an opportunity to help shape the future of clean, resilient, accessible, and globally competitive transportation through cutting-edge research and education.

About the Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders Program

Launched in December 2025, the Impact+ Emerging Leaders program is a one-time national initiative designed to support Canadian institutions in growing and sustaining a critical mass of expertise in priority areas identified by the Government of Canada to address pressing domestic and global challenges. While distinct from the senior research chairs, the successful ECR nominee will be expected to establish an independent program of research that leverages potential synergies and collaborations with incoming institutional Canada Impact+ Research Chairs (CIRC) to accelerate the translation of discoveries into tangible social, environmental, and economic solutions.

About the Faculty of Engineering and the University of Alberta

The Faculty of Engineering aims to maintain its position among the top schools in North America. We will do this through innovation and excellence from faculty members and staff who value collaboration, interdisciplinary work, and an engaging and positive work culture.

We are dedicated to building a better future for society by:

Building the future through people in a collaborative, cross-functional environment

Developing minds and hands with heart by taking a holistic approach to provide an exceptional student experience throu