Director General, Aquatic and Crop Resource Development

National Research Council of Canada; Halifax; On-site; CAD 140,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension plan

Health and dental coverage

Disability and life insurance

Office closure at year end

Job summary

National Research Council of Canada seeks a Director General for Aquatic and Crop Resource Development to lead a multisite, multidisciplinary team across NRC's research and technology development agenda. The role focuses on advancing Canada's food system productivity through sustainable bioresource innovations.

The DG will guide strategic partnerships with industry, academia and government, champion scientific excellence, and drive growth initiatives in marine and agricultural biotechnologies.

Qualifications

• An advanced post secondary degree such as Ph.D. and/or MSc/MBA with significant experience leading research teams in a relevant field.
• Significant experience supervising staff in multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary R&D programs and partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a diverse multisite and multidisciplinary team to excel in advanced scientific research and technology development.
• Provide strategic leadership across NRC’s Aquatic and Crop Resource Development (ACRD) portfolio.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with industry, academia, and government.
• Oversee priorities to transform agricultural and marine bioresources into food, feed and ingredients.

Education

Ph.D./MSc/MBA with leadership

Job description

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Director General, Aquatic and Crop Resource Development

Priority may be given to the following designated employment equity groups: women, Indigenous Peoples* (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), persons with disabilities and racialized persons*.

* The Employment Equity Act, which is under review, uses the terminology Aboriginal peoples and visible minorities.

Candidates are asked to self-declare when applying to this hiring process.

OrganizationalUnit:Aquatic and Crop Resource Development

Classification:MGT-4

Tenure:Continuing

Work arrangements:

• Due to the nature of the work and operational requirements, this position will require full-time physical presence at the NRC work location identified.
  At the NRC, we recognize that Indigenous candidates may have important connections to their communities and you may be eligible for an exception to this work arrangement. Alternative work arrangements may also be considered to accommodate candidates as required. To learn more about these options, please contact the NRC Hiring team using the contact information below.

Discover the possible

The role

The NRC is seeking a senior research executive to fulfil the role of Director General (DG), to lead the Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Centre and make up the ranks of its senior management team.

The incoming DG’s goal will be to lead and inspire a diverse multisite and multidisciplinary team to excel in performing advanced scientific research and technology development supporting Canada’s food system productivity, primarily through sustainable transformation of Canadian agricultural and marine bioresources.

ACRD’s largest site is in Saskatoon and it is focused on application of innovative technology and data-driven approaches to design crops that are resilient to environmental stressors and can be cultivated in northern and remote locations. ACRD’s research interests include integrating engineering, intelligent systems, data analytics, and plant biotechnology to optimize crop production in controlled indoor environments. Strategic collaborations with industry, plant breeders and other regional stakeholders, including the provincial government and academic institutions, are critical. In addition, ACRD is investing in modernizing its R&D infrastructure, including a digital transformation, to fulfil the ambition of being a globally-relevant crop design technology accelerator.

ACRD also contributes to Canada’s blue bioeconomy through applied research that advances marine bioresource valorization, sustainable aquatic production systems, and the scale-up of marine bioproducts, while promoting environmental stewardship and community and stakeholder partnerships. This work is enabled by ACRD’s Marine Research Station in Ketch Harbour, NS, where microalgae, seaweeds, and other marine and freshwater organisms are cultivated, as well as by analytical and bioproduct-development laboratories in Halifax.

The role, Continued

Complementing these areas of focus is ACRD’s Atypical Fermentation Facility (AFF), as well as associated analytical and downstream processing capacity in Charlottetown. It anchors an industrial biomanufacturing innovation hub in the burgeoning PEI biotech ecosystem, to support the commercialization of bio‑based products.

Reporting to the Vice‑President, Research (Life Sciences), the Director General, Aquatic and Crop Resource Development (DG, ACRD) provides strategic leadership on matters relating to agricultural and biomarine research across the NRC and works closely with internal and external stakeholders in advancing its research agenda. The DG strategically positions on‑going and new projects while spearheading growth initiatives and research collaborations with industry, academia, and government partners to develop and transform agricultural and marine bioresources into food, feed and ingredients, and other high‑value bioproducts.

As a well‑qualified candidate, you are a seasoned research leader and come with a high level of scientific credibility in one or more of the centre’s disciplines. You are skilled in inspiring research groups and collaborating across the innovation landscape in achieving outcomes. You bring significant experience in developing, maintaining, and leveraging strategic partnerships, research collaborations and client relationships that include academia, SME’s, and governmental research bodies. You are experienced in developing and leading research strategies designed to keep groups at the forefront of scientific and technical fields. As an outstanding communicator you easily navigate large, complex organizations with many stakeholders, and are skilled in developing high performing teams that pivot to seize emerging opportunities and adapt to change. As an ideal candidate, you possess a master’s or PhD in a relevant field.

Screening criteria

Applicants must demonstrate within the content of their application that they meet the following screening criteria in order to be given further consideration as candidates:

Education

An advanced post secondary degree such as Ph.D. and/or MSc/MBA with significant experience leading research teams in a relevant field. Preference may be given to candidates with a combination of science and business education.

• Significant experience conducting original research in a field related to the position and ideally recognition as a global leader in their domain of expertise.
• Significant experience supervising and developing staff in multidisciplinary teams, ideally in a matrix environment of projects and programs.
• Significant and recently demonstrated experience in applying the principles, tools and practices of leadership, administrative, financial, and human resource management.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary R&D programs.
• Significant and demonstrated scientific or engineering and technical leadership.
• Significant experience in building partnerships with national and international organizations.
• Experience developing and maintaining strategic projects with senior government officials, academic and industry leaders.
• Senior executive experience including a demonstrated ability to lead change, build superior teams, motivate a diverse group of individuals, and direct large‑scale initiatives.

Condition of employment

A thorough security clearance process will be applied.

For a Secret Clearance, verification of background information over a period of 10 years is required. Individuals must have lived in Canada for a sufficient period of time to enable the security screening process.

Language requirements

Note: In the event that no qualified bilingual candidates are identified, NRC may consider unilingual candidates who will be required to commit to achieving these levels within two years.

Candidates will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

• Strong knowledge of the national and international Aquatic and Crop Resource Development’s research community.
• Knowledge of the Canadian innovation process, the structure of the Canadian research and innovation systems, and the Canadian research community.
• Ability to effectively lead and manage a multi‑faceted organization in an R&D environment with a style and approach that supports NRC’s commitment to scientific excellence and its participative management and entrepreneurship values. Demonstrated ability to successfully leverage, government, industry or other partnerships to generate and deliver on ideas that would lead to recognition of NRC’s role in world‑wide research and technology innovation.
• Strong knowledge of Aquatic and Crop Resource Development’s initiatives, programs and activities and their potential for impact nationally and internationally.
• Recognized leadership in the field of aquatic and crop resource development.
• Ability to analyze complex information, make timely decisions and communicate clearly with all internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to manage in a scientific environment with in depth knowledge of the different models of research operations while enhancing a collaborative approach.
• Knowledge of the National Research Council, its mandate and strategic objectives.
• Management Competencies (MG) - Self‑Awareness (3)
• Management Competencies (MG) - Strategic Outlook and Alignment (Level 4)
• Management Competencies (MG) - Drive for Results and Efficiency (Level 4)
• Management Competencies (MG) - Client Relationship Management (Level 4)

NRC employees enjoy a wide‑range of competitive benefits including a robust pension plan, comprehensive health and dental coverage, disability and life insurance, office closure at the end of December, and additional supports to enhance your well‑being throughout your career and beyond.

Notes

• In 2026, the NRC was chosen as one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People, a National Capital Region Top Employer and Forbes Canada’s Best Employer.
• Relocation assistance will be determined in accordance with the NRC's directives.
• A pre‑qualified list may be established for similar positions for a one‑year period.
• Preference will be given to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada. Please include citizenship information in your application.
• The incumbent must adhere to safe workplace practices at all times.
• We thank all those who apply, however only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Please direct your questions, with therequisition number (26052) to:

Closing Date: 15 October 2026 - 23:59 Eastern Time