Job Board

Job Description

Department of Botany – Tenure-Track Assistant Professor in Non-Seed Plant Diversity

The Department of Botany seeks candidates for a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the area of Non-Seed Plant Diversity with an expected start date of July 1, 2026. This is a full-time position with an expected starting salary range of $120,000 to $135,000 per annum.

Applicants conducting innovative research in the area of bryophyte, fern, or lycophyte diversity are encouraged to apply, including those who employ systematics, phylogenetics, evolution, paleobotany, ecology, cell biology, developmental biology, physiology, molecular biology, genomics, or related techniques, and whose research ideally includes the collection and use of field samples and/or museum collections to address fundamental questions on the biodiversity and comparative biology of non-seed plants.

The position requires a Ph.D. degree to be awarded before the start of the position. The successful candidate will also be expected to have postdoctoral experience and an exceptional research track record.

Responsibilities include:

• Establishing and conducting an internationally competitive and externally funded research program
• Commitment to excellence in teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
• Supervising graduate students
• Participating in service roles that contribute to the department, university, and academic/scientific community
• Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion to create a welcoming community for all, particularly those who are historically, persistently or systemically marginalized

In evaluating candidates, we will also consider evidence of leadership within the candidate’s community, and potential for developing and implementing evidence-based teaching approaches.

The position includes opportunities for strong interactions with UBC’s Biodiversity Research Centre, Michael Smith Laboratories, Beaty Biodiversity Museum, UBC Botanical Garden, the Faculty of Land & Food Systems, and the Faculty of Forestry.

About the Department

The UBC Department of Botany has 30 research faculty members and is one of the strongest botanical/plant-science-focused departments in North America. We offer a wide range of research and educational programs (https://www.botany.ubc.ca/).

The Department of Botany embraces research, teaching, and learning at the frontiers of plant, algal, fungal, and protist biology. This organismal diversity is studied at all biological levels—from biochemical, molecular, genomic, and cellular levels, to the evolution of species and domains of life, and the ecology of populations, communities, ecosystems, through to the biosphere as a whole.

The department is also home to 15 teaching faculty members who are innovative leaders in science education. The Departments of Botany and Zoology collaborate to teach the UBC Biology undergraduate program.

Research is supported by the UBC Herbarium, Bioimaging Facility (BIF), Sequencing+Bioinformatics Consortium, and departmental plant growth facilities. Botany faculty members occupy research labs located primarily in the Biosciences Building, Michael Smith Laboratories, and the Biodiversity Research Centre.

UBC’s campuses are located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Syilx (Okanagan) Peoples and of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Stó:lō and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil Waututh) Nations.

Application Instructions

Applicants must submit via Academic Jobs Online:
https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31140

Required Documents

1. Cover letter (1 page maximum) summarizing:
   • Research vision and accomplishments
   • How your expertise, scholarship, and planned research will integrate with the Department of Botany
   • Leadership displayed through research, teaching, service, mentoring, community engagement, outreach, EDI contributions, or other relevant activities
2. Curriculum vitae, including a list of publications
3. Research statement (up to 3 pages) describing current and proposed research program
4. Teaching statement (1 page) describing teaching philosophy/interests, accomplishments, and how you will teach core UBC Biology undergraduate courses and mentor students
5. Diversity statement (1 page) describing lived background (optional), past experiences, and future plans to work with a diverse student body and contribute to equity and inclusion. Applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with UBC EDI mandates (https://equity.ubc.ca/).
6. Up to three representative publications (PDF)
7. Names and contact information of three referees

Applications must be addressed to Botany Head Shawn Mansfield and submitted via Academic Jobs Online:
https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31140

Closing date: December 19, 2025 at 5pm PST

Additional Information

UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged.

We encourage applications from members of groups marginalized under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Métis, Inuk, or Indigenous person.

UBC acknowledges that certain circumstances may cause career interruptions. Applicants may indicate such circumstances (e.g., health, family) for fair assessment.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority, and members of historically marginalized groups will be given special consideration.

If you have needs or questions regarding accommodations or accessibility during the application or hiring process, visit:
https://hr.ubc.ca/health-and-wellbeing/working-injury-illness-or-disability/centre-workplace-accessibility

Or contact the Centre at [email protected].

Confidential accommodations are available on request by contacting Jenifer D’souza, Faculty HR Manager, at [email protected].