Assistant Professor - Genotype-to-Phenotype Biology (Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders Award)

Date Posted: 10/30/2026
Closing Date: 01/08/2027, 11:59PM ET
Req ID: 50843
Job Category: Faculty - Tenure Stream (continuing)
Faculty/Division: Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Department: Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Existing Vacancy: Yes

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders program is a one-time initiative designed to support institutions in attracting internationally based Early Career Researchers to Canada. Emerging Leaders will receive research funding and institutional supports to advance transformative research in Canada’s strategic priority areas, build partnerships across sectors and borders, and translate their research into applications and impacts that benefit Canadians and the world.

The Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research (Donnelly Centre) and the Department of Biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, St. George Campus invite applications for a full-time tenure stream position to advance transformational research projects that support the growth of the Canadian economy in the strategic priority area of Health, including biotechnology.

The nominee’s research area must demonstrably align with the study of genotype-to-phenotype relationships. Awards are valued at $100K per year over six years, with the possibility of extension for another six years.

This will be a joint appointment between the Donnelly Centre (51%) and the Department of Biochemistry (49%) at the rank of Assistant Professor, with an anticipated start date of September 1st, 2027.

Emerging Leaders Awards are intended for exceptional emerging scholars. Candidates must be within five years (minus eligible delays) of the start date of their first research-related appointment, defined as an appointment where the individual has the autonomy to conduct research independently. All eligible delays in research (e.g., maternity, parental, medical, bereavement) are credited as twice the amount of time taken. Professional leaves (e.g., training, sabbatical, administrative) are not credited as eligible leaves.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

The University of Toronto requires that candidates must have a Ph.D in a relevant field (an institutional requirement, not a requirement of the program), with a demonstrated record of excellence in research and teaching. The successful candidate will have established an independent program of research, with potential for impact through collaborations with, but not limited to, the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Epigenetic Inheritance and Cellular Adaptation and to generate translation and impacts.

Candidates must provide evidence of research excellence of an internationally competitive caliber, commensurate with their career stage, as demonstrated by a record of contributions or publications in leading journals in the field or a research pipeline that is at high international levels, presentations at significant conferences, accolades or awards, and strong endorsements by referees of high standing.

Evidence of excellence in teaching is required and is demonstrated by the teaching dossier, including a statement of teaching philosophy, teaching evaluations and sample course material, teaching accomplishments and strong endorsements from referees.

We seek candidates whose research and teaching interests complement and enhance our existing departmental strengths. Although not limiting, we welcome applicants leveraging chemical biology, functional genomics or synthetic biology. Applicants are encouraged to review the research and teaching profiles of current faculty members. Please visit our home pages: Donnelly Centre, https://thedonnellycentre.utoronto.ca, and Biochemistry, https://biochemistry.utoronto.ca/faculty-directory.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The successful candidate will be expected to mount an innovative, competitive and independently funded research program that is transformational, translational and garners partners.

The successful candidate will undertake undergraduate and graduate teaching responsibilities in the Department of Biochemistry.

ABOUT US

The successful candidate will join a vibrant intellectual community of world-class scholars at Canada’s leading university. The University of Toronto offers a wide range of opportunities for collaborative and interdisciplinary research and teaching, the excitement of working with a highly diverse student population and actively encourages innovative scholarship. The Greater Toronto Area offers amazing cultural and demographic diversity and one of the highest standards of living in the world.

HIRING SALARY RANGE

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The expected salary range is $155,000 to $166,000 CAD per annum, depending on experience. Negotiations beyond this salary range will be considered for exceptionally qualified candidates.

APPLICATION PROCESS

All application materials, including recent reference letters, must be received byJanuary 8th, 2027. Only complete applications will be considered.

To be considered for this position, all application materials must be submitted online at the link below. Your CV and cover letter should be uploaded into the dedicated fields. Please combine additional application materials into one or two files in PDF/MS Word format. Applicants must submit the following materials:

• a cover letter describing their research agenda and identifying the specific stream(s) to which their research relates;
• a current curriculum vitae;
• a detailed research statement (three to five pages);
• a teaching dossier, including
  • a teaching statement,
  • sample course materials, and
  • teaching evaluations; and
• the name and contact information of three references.

The University of Toronto’s recruiting tool will automatically solicit and collect letters of reference from each referee within 48 hours of an application being submitted. Applicants remain responsible for ensuring that referees submit recent letters (on letterhead, dated and signed) by the closing date. Submission guidelines and details on the automatic reference letter collection, including timelines, are available in the candidate FAQ.

Expatriate Canadians wishing to relocate to Canada are welcome to apply.

If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact [email protected]. All application materials must be submitted through the University of Toronto’s online application system. Submission guidelines can be found at http://U of T.me/how-to-apply.

The University recognizes that scholars have varying career paths and that career interruptions due to personal circumstances can be part of an excellent academic record. Search committee members have been instructed to give careful consideration to, and be sensitive to the impact of, career interruptions in their assessments.

Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement
The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact [email protected].