Research Chair - Forestry

at  Saskatchewan Polytechnic

JOB DUTIES/QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND ABILITIES(QSA)

Job Duties

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (QSA)

1. A graduate degree in a relevant field (such as forestry, ecology, or resource management) or suitable combination of technical/academic training combined with professional experience related to forestry and forest-related research.
2. Minimum five years professional experience in industry and/or applied research with evidence of career progression to a leadership level.
3. Demonstrated subject matter expertise in a field relevant to sustainable forest management.
4. Experience managing projects including project budgets, scheduling, and risks.
5. Effective and creative problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
6. Effective oral and written communication skills and demonstrated skills in grant-writing.
7. Effective organizational and time management skills.
8. Appropriate safety training (e.g. WHMIS, laboratory safety, first aid) or willingness to obtain this training.
9. Experience supervising students and/or direct reports in a professional setting.
10. Demonstrates valuing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
    Candidates must have a valid driver’s license and willingness to travel on occasion (mostly within Saskatchewan).

JOB DUTIES

Sustainability-Led Integrated Centres of Excellence (SLICE) is a solution-oriented applied research centre at Saskatchewan Polytechnic — advancing sustainable resource management with a full life-cycle lens on economic activities in Saskatchewan’s energy and resources, manufacturing, agriculture and forestry sectors. By working with SLICE, industry and community partners can capture new opportunities, solve everyday problems and realize economic, social and environmental benefits. SLICE’s collaborative approach brings together the expertise needed to address complex issues related to sustainability.
SLICE is seeking a Research Chair in Forestry, to be based at the Prince Albert campus of Sask Polytech. The area of focus within Forestry is open to allow applicants to bring their strengths to the role and could include, for example, specialization in forestry management including forest regeneration, disease management, fire ecology, Indigenous environmental knowledge, value added forest products, and climate smart forestry emphasizing green construction through wood and carbon sequestration. The Research Chair will have access to a suite of remotely-piloted aircraft systems and sensors, as well as boreal forest field station facilities at the award-winning Hannin Creek Applied Research and Education Centre (operated in partnership with the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation). The Prince Albert campus has an exceptional track record in applied research through the Natural Resources Technology team in SLICE, and a talented pool of students in programs based at Prince Albert campus such as Integrated Resource Management and Geographic Information Sciences.
Reporting to the Director of SLICE, the Research Chair will provide leadership in applied research to support the development of innovative forestry practices and products in Saskatchewan. The Research Chair will be expected to obtain external funding for research projects and ensure that appropriate research personnel and project management staff are in place to deliver results. Saskatchewan Polytechnic, as part of the college and polytechnic post-secondary sector, engages in applied research, which means finding solutions to challenges that are brought to us by industry and community partners. Success in this position requires strong grant-writing, networking, and project management skills. Working within the supportive and distributed SLICE team environment, we are seeking someone with a penchant for innovation with the ability to generate enthusiasm among colleagues and mentor students in applied research. The full-time commitment of the position is focused on engaging industry and community with applied research projects and defining and realizing significant research goals for forestry in Saskatchewan.
SLICE values diversity and welcomes applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds, identities, experiences and perspectives.