Assistant Professor in Transportation Engineering

The transportation engineering team is focused on transportation’s environmental, social, and economic aspects to cultivate sustainable and inclusive solutions for a greener future. We aim to develop comprehensive solutions for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. We are seeking professionals with expertise in a range of transportation engineering areas: transportation engineering modeling, including optimization, networks, logistics, and operations; transportation engineering infrastructure design, including sustainable and equitable design; and the intersection between geomatics and transportation, including digitization, remote sensing applications, big data, GIS, and cyber-physical systems.

This role will be in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and School of Mining & Petroleum Engineering. Applicants who value working across disciplinary boundaries, within and outside engineering, as well as with communities and industry are strongly encouraged to apply. If you are looking to join a Faculty with a growing focus on Transportation Engineering, we welcome your application!

The Role and Responsibilities

The Assistant Professor role is the starting point on the academic faculty member career pathway at the University of Alberta. Faculty members are full members of the department and play an active role in democratic processes and governance. The responsibilities of the role include active participation in teaching, research, and service:

Teaching (40%):

• Participation in teaching programs, including classroom teaching, supervision of students conducting research, and personal interactions with and advising students.
• An Academic Faculty member may decide on specific course content and instructional methodology, recognizing the approved course description, and academic policy approved by the Department, the Faculty, and the University. Teaching is year-round with most courses in the Fall (September to December) and Winter (January to April) semesters.
• Teaching assignments are decided in discussion with the Department Chair.
• As the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board accredits the undergraduate degree programs, licensure as a Professional Engineer in Alberta is required. Licensure must be obtained within five years of the hire date.

Research (40%):

• Participation in research, including the preparation or performance of creative works and reflective inquiry, and disseminating research results by means appropriate to the discipline.
• Academic Faculty members are encouraged to seek financial support for research from granting agencies or other sources.

Service (20%):

• An Academic Faculty member shall be actively engaged in service to the University and participate in the collegial responsibilities of departmental, Faculty, and University governance.
• Provision of service to the discipline of the Academic Faculty member; participation in the governance of the University, the Faculty, and the Department, and dissemination of knowledge to the general public by making available the Academic Faculty member’s expertise and knowledge of the discipline.

The Department Chair supervises Faculty Members. Annually, Faculty Members prepare and submit a report of their university responsibilities to the Department Chair and the Dean. We offer a competitive market salary. For information about the responsibilities, salary, benefits, leaves, and related details, see the most recent collective agreement for academic faculty members.

About the Faculty of Engineering and the University of Alberta

The Faculty of Engineering aims to maintain its position among the top schools in North America. We will do this through innovation and excellence from faculty members and staff who value collaboration, interdisciplinary work, and an engaging and positive work culture. We are dedicated to solving the world’s greatest challenges and building a better future for society by:

• Building the future through people in a collaborative, cross-functional environment.
• Developing minds and hands with heart by taking a holistic approach to provide an exceptional student experience through education and enrichment that strives to develop the highest-calibre engineers: Those who process both technical acumen and emotional intelligence, expanding the traditional definition of “engineering.”
• Demonstrating the ever-expanding value of our contributions through community engagement, research impact, and value to society.
• Solving the world’s greatest challenges by uniquely positioning the engineering field to help uplift the whole of humanity.

The University of Alberta exists to inspire and ignite the human spirit in pursuit of a better tomorrow. Its work is rooted in its commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion while honouring Indigenous identities, languages, cultures, and world views. As one of the world’s top 100 teaching and research universities, the U of A ranks among the top 5 in Canada, providing a $19.4 billion annual economic impact in Alberta alone. The U of A seeks to challenge, to change, and to always be Leading with Purpose. More than 44,000 students and 13,000 staff shape the U of A, with outstanding achievements in learning, research, creativity, innovation, and engagement across five campuses — including one rural and one francophone. The U of A attracts top talent in rigorous undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in 17 faculties across three colleges and more than $550 million in sponsored research revenue. The U of A has more than 300,000 alumni worldwide.

Working and Living in Edmonton

Benefits, Health, & Wellness

We offer a health and wellness benefits package that includes a health spending account, parental leave, and pension benefits. For Faculty members, some moving and relocation expenses may be reimbursed. Spouses/partners are offered employment services through the University’s Spousal/Partner Employment Program. In the Faculty of Engineering for spouses eligible to be academic faculty members, we encourage discussing with the Department Chair at the offer stage or during employment as we value minimizing long-distance separation of families whenever possible with consideration to budgets and staffing needs. The campus offers a medical clinic, and multiple childcare and housing options within steps of campus. Academic faculty members are offered parental and medical leave, retirement benefits, and healthcare benefits. The Faculty of Engineering values families and aims to minimize long-distance separation when possible through our spouse/partner hiring practices.

Living in Edmonton

Edmonton is home to over one million people and Alberta’s capital. Edmonton offers a vibrant transportation ecosystem, including a robust start-up and technology sector focused on transportation innovations. It hosts federal, provincial, and municipal government offices involved in transportation policy and infrastructure development. Notable companies and organizations in this sector include Alberta Transportation, Edmonton International Airport, EPCOR (utilities and transportation services), and Edmonton Transit Service (ETS), which operates the city’s public transportation network. The city offers the amenities of a large urban centre while maintaining a friendly atmosphere. Several faculty members live in nearby neighborhoods with a range of multi-family and single-family housing options within walking and biking distance of the University. Alberta is among Canada’s top provincial school systems with several primary and secondary schools near campus. Edmonton is known internationally for its thriving arts and festival scene with one of North America’s largest stretches of urban parkland, and top-ranked health care services.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Ph.D. in Transportation Engineering or a related field. Appointment is contingent upon the appointee completing all requirements for and being awarded a PhD degree in the noted field no later than the start date of the appointment.
2. Experience effectively communicating the results of research within and outside of the academy, including publications in reputable, peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings.
3. Ability to effectively develop, instruct, and engage learners in engineering curriculum.
4. Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Considered an Asset

1. Teaching experience and training in teaching, lesson planning, and curriculum design.
2. Teaching, research, service, and volunteer work related to the role as well as community boards and organizations and outreach to and helping in underserved and underrepresented communities.
3. Expected to be or become a licensed Professional Engineer through the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA); licensure must be obtained within five years from date of hire.
4. Grant application and financial management experience and/or training.
5. Industry experience in engineering, trades, sciences, and technology industries.
6. Experience with interdisciplinary and collaborative research projects as well as with managing large, multi-year research projects.
7. Experience working with industry and community partners for research projects.
8. Team, lab, and facility management experience, including but not limited to safety, supervision, and procurement.

How to Apply

Please ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria above. To apply, please select the Apply Online icon below and submit the following:

1. Cover letter
2. Curriculum vitae including your research, teaching, and service experience related to the role and responsibilities as well as the qualifications above.
3. Research Plan that outlines main areas of current research and short- and long-term research goals (maximum 2 pages) and up to 3 recent peer-reviewed research publications.
4. Equity, diversity, and inclusivity statement that outlines the candidate’s philosophy, experience, training, and future interests and goals in these areas related to research, teaching, and service. The future interest and goals section should be aligned with institutional and disciplinary strategies, including the University of Alberta’s Strategic Plan for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity: https://www.ualberta.ca/equity-diversity-inclusivity/about/strategic-plan-for-edi/index.html; and Engineers Canada’s Strategy: https://engineerscanada.ca/diversity/about-diversity-inengineering; (2 pages maximum).
5. Teaching Dossier (Please submit under “Interests”) including:
   1. Maximum 2-page teaching philosophy, and
   2. Evidence and potential for teaching effectiveness, such as related training, teaching assistantships, courses instructed, recent course evaluations, and example course outlines for courses you delivered as an instructor.
6. Members of selection committees will be aware of the principles of employment equity, fair selection, and the risks of bias. If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result.

Next Steps

• Applicants will be accepted until Saturday, October 5th, 2024, at 11:59 pm.
• University representatives will review application packages, and should the Hiring Committee advance your application, you will be contacted for an online pre-interview.
• Please note that applications with missing information or components will not be considered.
• For applicants selected for interviews, three letters of reference will be requested. Applicants will be expected to contact the three referees and arrange to have them submit their letters of reference via email attachment. Details will be provided to those candidates selected for interviews.