Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader. Assistant Professor in Functional Genomics & Generative Biology for Plant Adaptation

Posting Date: October 23, 2026

Closing Date: November 30, 2026

The Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta invites applications for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor in an area broadly related to functional genomics and generative biology, with the focus on plant adaptation and the resilience of managed and natural ecosystems under a changing climate. This Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader position is associated with Dr. Charles Chen’s Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair in Adaptive Genomics for Climate-Resilient Forestry and Agriculture in the Department of Renewable Resources 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.

We seek an emerging scholar to lead an innovative, externally funded research program integrating functional genomics, biological synthesis and design, and experimental approaches to understand how adaptive biological functions emerge and interact across scales, and how they can be harnessed to enhance resilience in agricultural, forest, and natural-resource systems.

The successful candidate will hold an academic appointment in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, with an academic home in the Department of Renewable Resources.

Priority Areas of Research

Applications are invited from emerging scholars whose research will advance our understanding of adaptive biological function and develop innovative approaches to enhance the resilience of plants, forests, crops, and natural-resource systems. Areas of interest include functional genomics, genetics, plant and forest breeding, recombination, genome and epigenome engineering, synthetic biology, and AI-guided biological design; advanced genomic approaches, including single-cell and spatial genomics, high-throughput perturbation, and experimental validation of computationally generated hypotheses; and the mechanisms underlying plant adaptation, stress responses, plant health, biotic interactions, and regeneration.

Research may span multiple levels of biological organization, from genes, cells, and regulatory networks to tissues, organs, whole plants, populations, and ecosystems, integrating computational, experimental, and design-based approaches to understand, predict, generate, and test biological variation and function.

We particularly welcome research that bridges disciplinary and biological scales and translates fundamental discoveries into applications supporting resilient forests and/or crops, sustainable natural-resource management, and the conservation of biological resources. The successful candidate will establish an independent, externally funded research program, contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching and student mentorship, and foster interdisciplinary collaborations within the University of Alberta, in addition to Dr.

Chen’s Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair. Engagement with external partners and stakeholders, including government, industry, Indigenous communities and organizations, forestry and natural-resource professionals, conservation organizations, and tree improvement programs, is encouraged, as are knowledge mobilization, extension, and collegial service.

Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders Program Eligibility and Appointment

Applicants must be

Internationally based (working and residing outside Canada) at the time the Emerging Leader position is accepted.

An early career researcher, defined as being within five (5) years of the start date of their first research-related appointment (minus eligible leaves of absence, such as parental, medical, community, or bereavement leave) as of the posting date.

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

Assistant 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 and located at the University of Alberta.

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 Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada and Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders 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 their department and participate actively in academic governance and collegial decision-making. The responsibilities of the role include teaching, research, and service:

Teaching : Contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching in the Department of Renewable Resources, including classroom instruction, student advising, and the supervision and mentorship of undergraduate and graduate students. Teaching responsibilities will be determined in consultation with the Department Chair and according to the candidate’s expertise and departmental needs.

Relevant teaching areas may include plant science and genetics, molecular genetics and biotechnology, conservation biology, land reclamation, natural-resource management, forest management, quantitative methods, and related disciplines. The successful candidate is expected to contribute to inclusive and engaging learning environments and support the development of the next generation of researchers and natural-resource professionals.

Research : Establish and sustain an innovative, independent, and externally funded research program in functional genomics/genetics, generative biology, and related areas, with an emphasis on plant adaptation and the resilience of managed and natural ecosystems. The successful candidate will conduct and disseminate high-quality research, develop interdisciplinary collaborations, and translate fundamental discoveries into applications relevant to forests, agriculture, and renewable resources.

The position encourages collaboration with the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair and the broader interdisciplinary research community at the University of Alberta.

Service and Collaboration : Contribute to the intellectual and academic life of the Department, Faculty, and University through collegial service, academic governance, mentorship, and collaborative initiatives. The successful candidate is also encouraged to engage with external partners and stakeholders, including government agencies, industry, Indigenous communities and organizations, forestry and natural-resource professionals, conservation organizations, and tree improvement programs, and to support knowledge mobilization and the application of research findings beyond academia.

The Department Chair supervises faculty members. Faculty members participate in departmental, Faculty, and University activities and contribute to the University's academic mission through research, teaching, mentorship, and service.

Role and Expectations

The successful candidate will

Establish an innovative, independent, and externally funded research program in functional genomics, genetics, or generative biology.

Integrate experimental, computational, and genomic approach