Associate Professor/Professor - Lawson Chair in Sustainable Food Systems

UofT - St. George; Toronto; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Toronto is seeking an Associate Professor or Professor for the Lawson Chair in Sustainable Food Systems. The ideal candidate will have a PhD, a strong record of research and teaching excellence, and a commitment to equity and inclusivity. This full-time position is expected to drive innovation and research in sustainable food systems, starting July 1, 2026.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated high-impact contributions and publications in relevant journals.
• Evidence of innovative teaching practices.
• Established international reputation in the field.

Responsibilities

• Lead and conduct independent research on sustainable food systems.
• Collaborate with industry and government for community outcomes.
• Teach courses and mentor students in relevant areas.

Skills

Research excellence

Teaching excellence

Collaboration

Policy innovation

Education

PhD in Sustainable Food Systems or related field

Job description

Job Title:Associate Professor/Professor - Lawson Chair in Sustainable Food Systems

Date Posted:07/10/2025
Closing Date:10/22/2025, 11:59PM ET
Req ID:42959
Job Category:Faculty - Tenure Stream (continuing)
Faculty/Division:Faculty of Arts & Science
Department:Faculty of Arts & Science
Campus:St. George (Downtown Toronto)

The Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto invites applications for a full-time tenure stream position in Sustainable Food Systems. The appointment will be at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor, with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2026. The successful candidate will be appointed to one or more Departments in the Faculty of Arts & Science, depending on their area of specialization.

The successful candidate, upon formally accepting the offer of a full-time faculty position, may be eligible to be named the Lawson Chair in Sustainable Food Systems for a five-year term, which will be renewable following a favourable review. The successful candidate will allow the university to build expertise in policy innovation, sustainable energy and sustainable food systems. As an internationallyrecognized chair in Sustainable Food Systems, the candidate will play a critical role in the Lawson Climate Institute, workingwith the institute leadership to generate impactful, practicalapproaches, and make breakthroughs in sustainablefood systems.

Candidates must hold a PhD in an area related to sustainable food systems, and have aclearly demonstratedrecord of excellence in research and teaching. The Chair will be solution-focused and responsible for innovating and driving solutions that transform food systems.

We seek candidates whose research and teaching interests complement and enhance our existing strengths. As the Lawson Chair in Sustainable Food Systems the candidate will:

• Collaborate with, and build, the community of LCI Scholars and Chairs
• Seek academia-industry-government coordination
• Grow the research capacity across the university in the area of sustainable food systems
• Enable measurable outcomes for communities, industry, academia and government.

Candidates will have an established international reputation and will be expected to sustain and lead innovative and independent research, and to maintain an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program.

Candidates must provide evidence of research excellence which can be demonstrated by a record of sustained high-impact contributions and publications in top-ranked and field relevant journals, the submitted research statement, presentations at significant conferences, awards and accolades, and other noteworthy activities that contribute to the visibility and prominence of the discipline, as well as strong endorsements from referees. Candidates must also provide evidence of their research impact via policy, industry and/or civil society. The research statement should indicate how the work will result in food systems transformation.

Evidence of excellence in teaching will be provided through teaching accomplishments, the teaching dossier submitted as part of the application (with required materials outlined below), as well as strong letters of reference.

Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

For more information about the Faculty of Arts & Science, please visit the website atwww.artsci.utoronto.ca.

All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking the link below. Applicants must submit a cover letter; a current curriculum vitae; a research statement outlining current and future research interests; one recent publication; and a teaching dossier which includes a teaching statement, sample course materials, and teaching evaluations.

Equity, diversity and inclusion are essential to academic excellence as articulated in University of Toronto’sStatement on Equity, Diversity and Excellence. Weseek candidates who share these values and who demonstrate throughout the application materials their commitment and efforts to advance equity, diversity, inclusion, and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment.

Applicants must provide the name and contact information of three references.The Department will request letters of recommendation from references at a later stage of the search process.

Submission guidelines can be found athttp://uoft.me/how-to-apply. 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. If you have any questions about this position, please [e-mail].

All application materials, including names and contact information of references, must be received byOctober 22, 2025.

The University of Toronto has adopted theAAU Principles on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Academia, including the requirement that applicants release personnel information from prior employers regarding sexual misconduct. Full details and requirements can be foundhere.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building aculture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectivelyaddress and serve the interests of our global community. Westrongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples,Black and racialized persons, women, persons withdisabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities.We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment toequity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverseperspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential tostrengthening 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 seehttp://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 [e-mail].