BC Regional Innovation Chair in Sustainable Horticulture

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Surrey, BC, Canada

BC Regional Innovation Chair in Sustainable Horticulture, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU)Faculty of Science, KPU and affiliated with Institute for Sustainable Horticulture 

Position Type: Regular 100%

Position Start: September 1, 2025

Competition ID: 3887

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. KPU strives to implement initiatives that will attract, support, engage, and retain KPU’s people and create an environment where all employees see themselves as contributing to student learning.

FACULTY OF SCIENCE 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. The vision of ISH is a future in which the agriculture and landscape sectors provide exemplary leadership in building and sustaining healthy ecosystems.

A core research program at the Institute is the development of microbial biological pest and disease management products as well as other bio-products that improve the resilience and sustainability of horticulture. Other research themes include soil microbial health, new plant production systems, clean energy for greenhouse operations, and agri-tech innovations related to sustainability of the agriculture and landscape sectors. Infrastructure at ISH includes a 600M2 laboratory with fungal mass production rooms, insect rearing rooms, a small molecular lab, laboratory work space, growth chambers, -80 freezer, and related equipment. The research greenhouse has four 128M2 individual growing compartments, is partially geothermal and solar heated, and generates some solar electric energy. Staff at ISH includes a Director, a Laboratory Research Coordinator, a Research Greenhouse Coordinator, two PhD researchers, several technicians, students and a Post Doctoral Fellow. The team is cohesive and supportive of each other and is looking forward to welcoming the new BC Regional Innovation Chair.For more information about the Institute for Sustainable Horticulture, visit https://www.kpu.ca/ish

POSITION OVERVIEWWe are seeking candidates for the BC Regional Innovation Chair in Sustainable Horticulture in the Faculty of Science at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. As required by Innovate BC, the successful candidate will have expertise in one or more areas of sustainable horticulture (e.g., microbial biocontrol product development, bioproducts in agriculture, soil microbial health, agri-tech related to crop production, and/or high-tech greenhouse crop 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 teach and supervise courses, including capstone, research or thesis projects for undergraduate or graduate students.

The protected time for research (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.

The applicant’s hire is contingent on 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. The successful applicant for this position will be required to sign a release to have their application submitted for review by Innovate BC for assessment purposes.

DUTIES

The successful candidate will:

  • Integrate with the teaching, scholarship, and service activities in the Faculty of Science at KPU;
  • Teach assigned courses in their area of expertise or other areas, for example: upper-level Integrated Pest Management, Soil Health, Plant Health & Nutrition, Innovative Production Systems, or other relevant courses related to candidate’s expertise;
  • Attract and develop applied research and innovation partnerships and funding to KPU;
  • Provide sound scientific and technical oversight of research and innovation projects;
  • Contribute to the collaborative an inclusive research environment at ISH;
  • Engage with various boards and committee(s), internal and external to KPU;
  • 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 sustainable horticulture or closely related areas (such as, but not limited to, microbial biocontrol product development, bioproducts in agriculture, soil microbial health, agri-tech, high-tech greenhouse crop production).
  • Post-secondary teaching and mentoring experience at the undergraduate or graduate level
  • Evidence of being recognized as an international leader in their field
  • Research experience in an applied setting
  • Demonstrated ability to write applied research proposals and secure extramural funding
  • Demonstrated ability to work with industry, especially the agricultural sector, and to participate in knowledge transfer events.
  • Demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative work environment

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 (this is an acronym that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, Two-Spirit. The plus indicates that this list is not exhaustive as there is a spectrum of gender and sexuality).

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 [email protected]

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.

How to apply

This position will close on March 5, 2025.

Candidates are asked to submit:

  • Cover letter explaining how they meet the expertise and qualifications for this position
  • A teaching philosophy statement of up to 1 page
  • A research statement of up to 3 pages, outlining their vision for a research program they would propose as BC Regional Innovation Chair in Sustainable Horticulture showing alignment with research areas at ISH and the School of Horticulture as well as the broader Faculty of Science, and illustrating collaboration opportunities inside and outside KPU.
  • A statement of up to 1 page describing how of how they will incorporate principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in their teaching, research and service. More information about EDI at KPU can be found here: https://www.kpu.ca/oeic/edi
  • Current CV including relevant educational, research and teaching experience.
  • Names and contact information for 3 references (references will only be requested from shortlisted candidates)

Questions about this posting can be directed to Dr. Erika Eliason, Associate Dean, Faculty of Science: [email protected]

Does this role sound like it was made for you, yet you don’t check every box?

We at KPU understand that experiences and qualifications may look differently for everyone and, if this job description is of interest to you, we encourage you to apply.

Established by the government of British Columbia in 1981, Kwantlen, now Kwantlen Polytechnic University, has four campuses located in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia. Kwantlen offers bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates and citations in more than 120 programs. More than 17,500 students annually attend Kwantlen campuses in Surrey, Richmond, Langley and Cloverdale.