Description Tier II Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Networked Infrastructure: Complexity, Resilience, and Micro-to-Macro EmergenceDepartment of Civil Engineering Schulich School of Engineering
The
Department of Civil Engineering, in the
Schulich School of Engineering (SSE) at the University of Calgary, invite applications for a tenure-track appointment at the
Assistant Professor or
Associate Professor level in Networked Infrastructure.
Appointment to the rank of
Assistant Professor normally requires completion of the highest rank of academic training in a discipline or field along with evidence or promise of original high-quality research and scholarship and future development as a scholar. Appointment at the rank of
Associate Professor normally requires evidence of high-quality research and scholarly activities, evidence of teaching effectiveness and an appropriate record of service.
The selected candidate will be nominated for a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Networked Infrastructure: Complexity, Resilience, and Micro-to-Macro Emergence. Further information about the Canada Research Chairs Program, including eligibility criteria, can be found on the Government of Canada's CRC website
The Research ProgramAs Canadian cities grow and their physical and digital networks become more complex, they face increasing risk from aging assets, climate change, electrification, disruption, and constrained budgets, much of it driven by the everyday decisions and interactions of countless users, policy makers and service providers operating within interconnected urban infrastructure systems. This Chair will address a central challenge in urban infrastructure: understanding how everyday decisions made under uncertainty scale up to citywide infrastructure patterns and outcomes. Most engineering programs still treat infrastructure as separate, controllable parts, which misses the interaction between physical, digital, and social systems. To close this gap, a system level cross-disciplinary approach is needed. The successful candidate's research program is expected to be at the intersection of two or more of the following areas: agent-based modelling, network science, network reliability and resilience analysis, scaling laws, decision theory, policy analysis, data analytics, and complexity theory.
QualificationsCandidates must hold a BSc. in engineering and a Ph.D. in engineering or a related discipline. The preferred candidate will show a demonstrated track record in complex systems, network science, and/or infrastructure resilience research, as evidenced by external awards, and a track record of high impact scientific publications. The ability to lead an independent, externally funded research program, and to secure national and international funding, is essential for this hire. The successful candidate will also be expected to participate in formal undergraduate/graduate teaching and to supervise graduate students.
Tier II EligibilityTier II Chairs are intended for exceptional emerging scholars who, at the time of nomination, have been active researchers in their field for fewer than 10 years. In accordance with the Canada Research Chairs Program's eligibility criteria, candidates are expected to be within 10 years of holding their first independent academic research-related appointment. An independent academic research-related appointment is a university faculty appointment that engages in research that is not under the direction of another individual and authorizes the researcher to supervise or co-supervise the research of students and/or postdoctoral fellows.
Candidates who exceed the 10-year eligibility window but have experienced eligible career interruptions, such as maternity, parental, or extended sick leave, clinical training, or other recognized delays, may have their eligibility assessed through the program's Tier II justification process. Research interruptions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., laboratory or institutional closures) are recognized as eligible delays and may be credited at twice the amount of time beginning March 1, 2020. For more information, please contact UCalgary's Office of Research Services at [email protected] . Additional details about the Canada Research Chairs Program, including eligibility criteria, are available on the Government of Canada's Canada Research Chairs website .
The Research EnvironmentThe University of Calgary fosters a highly transdisciplinary environment, and the successful candidate will join the growing collaborative research community spanning Civil, Geomatics, and Electrical and Software Engineering, with strong existing ties to Computer Science, Mathematics, Geography, Physics, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Environmental Science, and Public Policy. The Chair will have access to UCalgary's Advanced Research Computing (ARC) resources and Digital Research Alliance of Canada for large-scale network simulation and data-intensive modelling.
MentoringMentorship will be coordinated jointly by the Department and the SSE Associate Dean EDIA, including new-faculty outreach, workshops, and networking opportunities, as well as participation in a central mentoring framework developed specifically for CRC holders. Trainees of the Chair will work in a transdisciplinary environment with co-supervision opportunities across departments, and will have access to scholarships, international conference travel, collaborative research opportunities, and work-integrated learning.
Research AssessmentThe University of Calgary adheres to the principles of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and strives to evaluate research impact responsibly and inclusively by explicitly considering discipline-appropriate methods for demonstrating the quality, significance, and societal impact of a broad range of research contributions.
The University of Calgary recognizes that candidates have varying career paths and that career interruptions can be part of an excellent academic record. Candidates are encouraged, but not required, to provide relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions to allow for a fair assessment of their application. Selection committees have been instructed to give careful consideration to, and be sensitive to the impact of, career interruptions when assessing a candidate's research productivity.
How to ApplyInterested individuals are encouraged to submit an application online using the Apply Now link on the University of Calgary Careers webpage ( careers.ucalgary.ca ). The application process allows a maximum of four attachments; applicants are encouraged to merge documents to reduce the number of attachments. Applications should include:
- Cover letter
- Curriculum vitae
- Research interest statement (not to exceed 2 pages)
- Leadership statement, including equity, diversity and inclusion considerations (not to exceed 2 pages)
- The names and contact information for three (3) referees. Reference letters will not be requested unless the applicant is short-listed for an interview.
Deadline for application: January 8, 2027Start Date: July 1, 2027ContactQuestions about this position may be directed to:
Dr. Gopal Achari , Head, Department of Civil Engineering
