Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Cybersecurity

APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 1, 2023

Located in downtown Toronto, the largest and most culturally diverse city in Canada, situated on the territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Mississaugas of the Credit and the Wendat Peoples, the Departments of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, and Mathematics in the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science (FEAS) and the Faculty of Science (FoS) at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) invite applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Cybersecurity. Upon successful nomination to the CRC program, the candidate will be appointed to a tenure stream position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, subject to final budgetary approval. The tenure stream appointment may be contingent upon a successful CRC application.

In collaboration with TMU, the successful candidate will develop the CRC nomination for the October 17, 2023 deadline. The CRC Tier 2 appointment is tenable for five years and renewable once. All nominations are subject to review and final approval by the CRC Secretariat. Further details on the CRC eligibility criteria can be found here.

The successful candidate will engage in a combination of research, teaching and service duties, and maintain an inclusive, equitable, and collegial work environment across all activities. The incumbent will be expected to develop and maintain a strong, independent, externally funded research program that will be internationally recognized in five to ten years, to mentor and support diverse trainees, students, future researchers and colleagues in forms such as organizing workshops, co-authoring papers, obtaining patents, and contributing to public policy and professional practice. The incumbent will also effectively teach undergraduate and graduate courses, and engage in collegial service.

Qualifications

Candidates must have a Ph.D. or a terminal degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mathematics, or a related discipline. Nominees for Tier 2 Chair positions should, at a minimum, be Assistant or Associate Professors, or possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed to these levels. Candidates must also:

be excellent emerging world-class researchers who have demonstrated particular research creativity, in accordance with the CRC Program guidelines;
have demonstrated the potential to achieve international recognition in their field(s) in the next five to ten years, in accordance with the CRC Program guidelines;
have the potential to attract, develop and retain excellent trainees, students and future researchers, in accordance with the CRC Program guidelines;
propose an original, innovative, high quality research program utilizing diverse, creative, and innovative research techniques and methods, in accordance with the CRC Program guidelines;
demonstrate sound expertise in cybersecurity in any future oriented research area, addressing emerging technologies and threats;
have established a strong emerging research profile that demonstrates evidence of impact, such as peer reviewed publications/contributions, patents, special papers, reviews, conference/ symposia proceedings and abstracts, government publications and policy contributions, book reviews by the nominee or published reviews of their work, papers presented at scholarly meetings or conferences, and other forms of scholarly expression, including participation in public discourse and debate and non-peer reviewed publications, which constitute a contribution to research;
demonstrate the ability to establish and maintain an independent, externally funded research program, including Tri-Council funding, as well as participation in research collaborations, group grants and/or ability to attract multi-center grants;
have the potential to attract diverse world-class collaborators;
have a record of demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion in leadership, teaching and research, including recommended practices of recruiting, mentoring and supporting diverse students and research trainees from underrepresented groups, such as women, racialized people, persons with disabilities, Indigenous people, and 2SLGBTQ+ people; demonstrate the ability to effectively teach students with diverse backgrounds and experiences in courses offered in the undergraduate and graduate programs at the host department, and have the potential to contribute to inclusive and accessible learning, course development and pedagogy;
demonstrate the ability to participate in leadership activities in collegial internal and external service; and
depending on the department, provide evidence of existing, or potential for, P.Eng licensure.

The Tier 2 CRC is intended for exceptional emerging scholars, i.e. candidates must have been active researchers in their field for fewer than 10 years at the time of nomination. The Canada Research Chairs program is a federally-funded program that seeks to achieve excellence by attracting and retaining the most accomplished and promising researchers. Applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree (and where career breaks exist, such as pregnancy, parental or extended sick leave, clinical training, etc.) may have their eligibility for a Tier 2 chair assessed through the program’s Tier 2 justification process.

All eligible leaves (e.g., pregnancy, parental, medical, bereavement) are credited at twice the amount of time taken; part-time leaves will be taken into consideration, calculated according to the percentage of leave taken, and credited at twice the amount of time taken; professional leaves (e.g., sabbatical) are not credited, but certain training or administrative leaves may be considered. Other leaves that have had an impact on the nominee’s research career may be taken into account (e.g., mandatory military service, non-research-related positions, unemployment and training unrelated to the research career). This information must be supported by the information contained in the nominee’s CV. Research interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., closures) are recognized and may be counted as an eligible delay (credited at twice the amount of time) beginning March 1, 2020. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions to allow for a fair assessment of their application. To inquire about CRC eligibility, please contact Dayle Levine, Manager Institutional Projects, Office of Vice-President, Research and Innovation by sending an email to dayle.levine@torontomu.ca with "Tier 2 Justification" in the subject line. This position falls under the jurisdiction of the Toronto Metropolitan Faculty Association (TFA) (www.tfanet.ca). The TFA collective agreement can be viewed here and a summary of TFA benefits can be found here.

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)

Serving a highly diverse student population of over 45,000, with 100+ undergraduate and graduate programs built on the integration of theoretical and practical learning and distinguished by a professionally focussed curriculum with a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research and creative activities, TMU is a vibrant, urban university known for its culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement and city-building through its award-winning architecture.

Cybersecurity at TMU

TMU is one of Canada’s leading institutions with a comprehensive research and education program in Cybersecurity. The university has a broad and inclusive view of cybersecurity ranging from the harms of misinformation to every single citizen to a range of cyberthreats jeopardizing our critical infrastructures including our information networks, communication networks, distribution channels, and the smart grid to name a few. TMU is a founding member of the National Cybersecurity Consortium (NCC) and is instrumental in Canada’s new Cyber Security Innovation Network (CSIN), worth over $80 million over the next four years. TMU is also the home of Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst (RCC), a national centre to promote training, certification, applied research, development, and commercial innovation that empowers individuals and organizations to seize opportunities, and tackle the challenges of cybersecurity. The Catalyst, a $30-million investment supported by government, industry, and academia, delivers numerous programs to instigate collaborations on research and development partnerships with the private sector, enable the development of public policy, and promote public education in the field of cybersecurity. TMU has made significant internal investment in cybersecurity and already boasts Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) in areas such as Privacy-Preserving Digital Technologies, Quality of Security Framework for Internet-of-Things, Physical Asset Management, and Smart Grid Cyber-Physical Security, to name a few. The university hosts a number of externally-funded research labs led by CRC awardees, such as the Cybersecurity Research Lab (CRL), the Smart Grid Resilience (GridSecLab), and the Social Media Lab, as well as numerous other world-class research labs.

Departments of Computer Science or Mathematics, Faculty of Science; or Departments of Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering or Industrial and Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science

The successful candidate will be hired by one of the following Departments: Mathematics (FoS); Computer Science (FoS); Electrical, Computer, and Biomedical Engineering (FEAS); or Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (FEAS).

Working at Toronto Metropolitan University

At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. At TMU and within our department/school, we firmly believe that equity, diversity and inclusion are integral to this path; our current academic plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.

Dedicated to a people first culture, TMU is proud to have been selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and a Greater Toronto’s Top Employer. We invite you to explore the range of benefits and supports available to faculty and their family, including access to our diverse faculty and staff networks.

Visit us on Twitter: @torontomet, @VPFAtorontomet and @TorontoMetHR, and our LinkedIn page.

TMU is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. To find out more about legal and policy obligations please visit the accessibility and Human Rights websites.

Toronto Metropolitan University welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada, we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, Black-identified persons, other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit their application online via the Faculty Recruitment Portal [https://hr.cf.torontomu.ca/ams/faculty/preview.cfm?posting_id=547544] by selecting, “Start Application Process”. Applications containing the following components must be received by May 1, 2023:

letter of application that includes your interest in the position; what you would bring to the department and faculty; the impact on the field of cybersecurity that you foresee for your research (your 3-page research statement can elaborate on this); and what makes you a strong candidate overall as a researcher, educator, and community member;
current curriculum vitae providing a clear sense of your scholarly and professional development via your education and your research activities and outcomes; your contributions to making cybersecurity a more equitable and inclusive discipline through committee work, community engagement, social media, and advocacy;
research statement discussing the significance, originality, and potential impacts of your current and developing research program (up to 3 pages);
recent examples of research activities and outcomes, including, but not limited to, peer-reviewed and non-peer reviewed publications, conference presentations, public talks, articles reaching specialist and non-specialist audiences, and effective use of social media for research impact and networking;
teaching statement (up to 3 pages) and a dossier of syllabi and other evidence, if available. These must demonstrate how you engage, encourage, and develop the learning capacity of students entering higher education from a diverse array of backgrounds, and how you embed practices and principles of equity, diversity and inclusion in your classroom, your assignments, and your classroom style;
EDI statement that includes your record of attracting and mentoring a diverse group of students, trainees, and research personnel, and establishing an equitable and inclusive research environment. This should include a plan for establishing and maintaining a diverse core team (at the student, trainee, personnel and early-career researcher levels), and an environment that is safe and inclusive and allows all team members to reach their full research potential (e.g., through the recruitment and outreach strategy, equitable training opportunities, and professional development and mentoring); and,
the names and email contact information of three academic referees who know you and your research well.

Indigenous candidates are encouraged to provide aspects of their lived experience and cultural imperatives in their application, such as mindfulness to outcomes in respective communities.

Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority, in accordance with Canadian immigration regulations. Candidates must therefore indicate in their application if they are a permanent resident or citizen of Canada.

Contacts

Inquiries about the opportunity can be directed to the Academic Chair Hiring Committee (ACHC) Chair Dimitri Androutsos at dimitri@torontomu.ca.

Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about working at Toronto Metropolitan University are welcome to contact Tracey King, Miigis Kwe Indigenous Human Resources Lead and the Founding Co-Chair of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Community Group at t26king@torontomu.ca.

Black identified candidates who wish to learn more about working at Toronto Metropolitan University are welcome to contact Shurla Charles-Forbes, Black Faculty & Staff Community Network at shurla.charlesforbes@torontomu.ca.

Disabled persons who would like to learn more about working at Toronto Metropolitan University are welcome to contact Heather Willis, Accessibility Coordinator at hwillis@torontomu.ca.

For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process and/or inquiries regarding accessing the Faculty Recruitment Portal, please contact vpfa@torontomu.ca.