BC Regional Innovation Chair in Sustainable Horticulture - Competition ID: 3576

BC Regional Innovation Chair in Sustainable Horticulture, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU)

POSITION START: January 2, 2025

KPU proudly offers all learners opportunities to achieve success in a diverse range of programs that blend theory and practice, critical understanding, and social and ethical awareness necessary for good citizenship and rewarding careers. 

FACULTY OVERVIEW

KPU serves communities in the South Fraser region and beyond. A leader in innovative education with a teaching-focused mandate, KPU offers all learners opportunities to achieve the highest standards of academic performance.

Within KPU, the Faculty of Science has over 1,500 full-time students and more than 200 faculty members and instructors from across the natural and applied sciences. The Faculty of Science includes the School of Horticulture, and eight other departments offering over 30 programs at the undergraduate level, at four KPU campuses. The Faculty is also home to several active researchers across multiple campuses.

The Faculty of Science offers experiential learning through hands-on curriculum, co-ops and research collaboration opportunities with KPU’s Institute for Sustainable Horticulture, Institute for Sustainable Food Systems, and the Applied Genomics Centre. The Faculty is home to over a hectare of horticulture field lab with research and teaching greenhouses in Langley, a state-of-the art teaching brewery in Langley, and a working farm in Richmond.

For more information about the Faculty of Science, please visit our website at: kpu.ca/science.

INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINBLE HORTICULTURE OVERVIEW

The Institute for Sustainable Horticulture (ISH) was created in 2004 to be a partnership between academia, B.C.'s horticultural industries and the community to improve ecosystem resilience by providing tools and strategies for agriculture and landscapes through applied research, innovation, knowledge sharing, and collaborations. We envision a future in which the agriculture and landscape sectors provide exemplary leadership in building and sustaining healthy ecosystems.

The main research program at the Institute is the development of microbial biological pest and disease management products as well as other bio-products used in horticulture. Other research themes include soil microbial health, new growing systems, clean energy for greenhouse operations, and agri-tech innovations related to new food production systems.  

For more information about the Institute for Sustainable Horticulture, visit https://www.kpu.ca/ish

School of Horticulture Overview

The School of Horticulture has served the horticultural and landscape industry in British Columbia by providing excellence in horticulture education since 1992 at the Langley campus. The School offers a full range of programs, including a Canada-wide certified Horticulture apprenticeship, four Horticulture Diplomas, and a Bachelor of Horticulture Science in Plant Health. Evolving over more than thirty years, student and industry demand continue to provide the inspiration for the School to deliver educational programs that are responsive to current environmental, community and industry needs.

POSITION OVERVIEW

This is a full-time regular instructional position that resides in the School of Horticulture within the Faculty of Science. 

The successful application for this position will be required to sign a release to have their application submitted for review by Innovate BC for assessment purposes. 

The applicant’s hire is contingent on them being accepted by Innovate BC for this Chair. The Chairholder will receive a 75% time release from teaching, dedicated to applied research associated with this Chair and ISH.

As required by Innovate BC for a BC Regional Innovation Chair, we are seeking candidates with expertise in one or more areas of sustainable horticulture (e.g., microbial biocontrol product development, bioproducts in agriculture, soil microbial health, agri-tech and/or high-tech greenhouse food production) who: 

• are outstanding and innovative world-class researchers whose accomplishments have made a major impact in their field;
• are recognized internationally as leader in their field;
• have a superior record of attracting and supervising, undergraduate, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows;
• are expected to attract, develop and retain excellent trainees, students and future researchers;
• are proposing an original, innovative research program of the highest quality.

The successful applicant will also teach and supervise upper-level courses, including capstone, research or thesis projects for undergraduate or graduate students. 

The protected time for research (up to 75%) is subject to maintaining or growing the endowment that covers the costs of their release from instructional duties in addition to securing external research grants to support their research program. 

DUTIES

The successful candidate will:

• integrate with the teaching, scholarship, and service activities of the School of Horticulture and the Faculty of Science at KPU;
• teach assigned courses in their area of expertise or other areas that might include: upper-level  Entomology;  Biological Control in Pest Management; Pest/Disease Surveys and Scouting,  Pest Management; National and Global Plant Protection Regulations; Applied Research Projects involve KPU students in research inside and outside the curriculum;
• bring and develop applied research and innovation partnerships and funding to KPU;
• provide sound scientific and technical oversight of all research and innovation projects;
• collaborate with other ISH employees to keep the Institute in good financial health;
• engage with various boards and committee(s) to further their work;
• prepare and present timely periodic reports to funders, donors, and other stakeholders; and
• meet current and future requirements to maintain status as a BC Regional Innovation Chair.  

More information concerning the working conditions for a faculty member are outlined in Article 12 of the Kwantlen Faculty Association (KFA) Collective Agreement

QUALIFICATIONS

• An earned doctorate in one or more relevant areas such as microbial biocontrol product development, bioproducts in agriculture, soil microbial health, agri-tech, or high-tech greenhouse food production.
• Post-secondary teaching experience at the undergraduate or graduate level
• At least 4 years of research and development experience in an applied setting
• Demonstrated ability to work with industry, especially the agricultural sector, to write applied research proposals and secure grants, and to participate in knowledge transfer events.
• Demonstrated ability to build a network of industry and other partners

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Candidates are asked to submit:

• Cover letter explaining how they meet the expertise and qualifications for this position
• A research statement of up to five pages, outlining their vision for a research program they would execute as BC Regional Innovation Chair in Sustainable Horticulture showing alignment with research areas at ISH and School of Horticulture as well as the broader Faculty of Science, and illustrating collaboration opportunities inside and outside KPU.
• Current CV including relevant educational, research and teaching experience.

SALARY INFORMATION

Placement on the faculty salary scale will be dependent on level of education and relevant research and teaching experience. Advancement up the pay scale is based on FTE and employment status.

NOTE TO APPLICANTS

Kwantlen Polytechnic University welcomes and encourages applications from equity deserving groups and diverse experiences including, but not limited to, Indigenous people, racialized people, people with disabilities, and members of the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community.
If there are any barriers that you are experiencing or an accommodation that we can provide to support you through the application process, please reach out to us at humanresources@kpu.ca.

We thank all applicants for their interest in employment with KPU. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. 
Kwantlen Polytechnic University is committed to protecting the safety and welfare of employees, students, and the public, and upholding the reputation and integrity of the University. For this reason, final applicants will be asked to undergo a background check.