Assistant Professor - Contractually Limited Term Appointment - Rehabilitation Science

Date Posted: 04/10/2025
Closing Date: 05/22/2025, 11:59PM ET
Req ID: 42070
Job Category: Faculty - Contractually Limited Term Appointment
Faculty/Division: Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Department: Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

The Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, invites applications for a three-year full-time contractually limited term appointment (CLTA) in Rehabilitation Science at the rank of Assistant Professor. The successful candidate will hold the March of Dimes Canada Paul J.J. Martin Early Career Professorship and may be renewed for an additional two years following a successful review.  The anticipated start date is January 1, 2026.

This position will support a researcher with innovative approaches to community integration and participation related to achieving wellbeing through occupational engagement. We are seeking candidates with programs of research with innovative community-based interventions, knowledge translation and mobilization methods that focus on community integration and/or participation. This may include, but is not limited to, transitions to home, work, school or volunteerism, adaptive technologies, caregiving, self-management, communication, care integration, or accessibility for individuals with disability.  The program of research should reflect values and principles of inclusiveness. The applicant should have strong collaboration and user engagement skills. The professorship will provide research evidence to enhance existing March of Dimes Canada programs, which serves more than 60,000 Canadians annually. The March of Dimes Canada Paul J. J. Martin Early Career Professorship is intended to strengthen the relationship between March of Dimes Canada and the University; therefore, evidence of the candidate’s success in building collaborative research partnerships will be an asset.

Candidates must have a PhD in occupational science, occupational therapy, rehabilitation science, or a related field at the time of the appointment and will have completed a post-doctoral fellowship or equivalent (such as a junior scientist role at a university or research institute) for a minimum of one year. Research and scholarship that is focused on Indigenous perspectives in research design and knowledge dissemination and implementation is preferred. Applicants with a degree in occupational therapy will be required to register with the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario.

The successful candidate will have a program of research and teaching experiences with a focus on critical current issues relating to occupational science or occupational therapy. The successful candidate's scholarship will situate occupation as a key determinant of health and well-being across their program of research and creative professional activities. We seek candidates whose research and teaching interests complement and strengthen our existing departmental strengths. The successful candidate will be expected to establish and pursue an innovative, independent and competitively funded program of research.

The successful candidate will demonstrate evidence of excellence in research, innovative scholarship and teaching. Excellence in research will be demonstrated through a trajectory of peer-reviewed publications as primary author in high impact journals in the field and/or demonstrated excellence in creative professional activities indicating reach of research nationally; have a demonstrated commitment to pursue grants and secure a self-funded research program; invited and peer reviewed presentations at significant national and international conferences consistent with career stage; awards and accolades; the submitted research statement; and strong endorsements by referees of high standing in the academic community. Excellence in teaching will be demonstrated through teaching accomplishments, the teaching dossier including a strong statement of teaching philosophy, sample syllabi or other teaching materials, and teaching evaluations or other evidence of superior performance in teaching-related activities submitted as part of the application, and strong letters of reference. Other teaching-related activities can include performance as a teaching assistant, experience leading successful workshops or seminars, or student mentorship. Teaching accomplishments in a professional entry-to-practice graduate program and doctoral stream supervision are an asset.

Teaching and research supervision will be in both the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy’s MScOT program and in the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute’s doctoral stream program.

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The latest Times Higher Education ranks the University of Toronto among the top 10 universities in the world for medical and health sciences. Spanning the basic, clinical, and rehabilitation sciences, the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and its affiliated hospitals and research institutes form one of the largest research enterprises in North America. The Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN) is one of the top five clusters of academic medicine in North America.

The University of Toronto provides the opportunity to teach, conduct research and live in one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world. The University is fully affiliated with nine teaching hospitals and is affiliated with 28 community hospitals, research institutes and health care institutions, and enjoys partnerships with many cognate departments and community organizations. For further information about the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, please visit our website.

All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking the link below. Applications must include a cover letter; a current curriculum vitae; a research statement outlining current and future research interests related to the Early Career Professorship described above; one recent article-length publication; and a teaching dossier including statement of teaching philosophy, sample course syllabi or other teaching materials, and teaching evaluations or evidence of superior performance in other teaching-related activities as listed above. All application materials must be submitted online.

Applicants must provide the name and contact information of three references. The University of Toronto's recruiting tool will automatically solicit and collect letters of reference from each referee the day after an application is submitted. Applicants remain responsible for ensuring that references submit letters, on letterhead, dated, signed, and addressed to Department Chair Dr. Mary Forhan by the closing date. More details on the automatic reference letter collection, including timelines, are available in the candidate FAQ.

All application materials, including recent reference letters, must be received by 11:59pm ET on May 22, 2025. Incomplete applications will not be processed. Submission guidelines can be found at http://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 contact ot.chair@utoronto.ca.

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 a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening 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 see http://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 contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.