Job Description
The chair position has an appointment length of 5 years, with the possibility of renewal. The concurrent Associate/Full professor position is a continuing appointment with no end date.
Location - This role is in-person at North Campus Edmonton.
Position Summary
The Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta invites applications for the position of Chair, Department of Occupational Therapy (OT). The successful candidate will be hired as a full-time tenured Associate Professor or Professor in the department commensurate with experience. The U of A is committed to fostering equitable, diverse, and inclusive work and learning spaces and encourages interest from candidates who can contribute to the further diversification of ideas in the Department of Occupational Therapy.
The University of Alberta's Department of Occupational Therapy is one of three departments in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, College of Health Sciences. The department offers a 26 month entry-level, course-based Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MScOT) program designed to develop leaders in occupational therapy through excellence in research, education and citizenship. Using a distributed educational model, the department offers the MScOT program simultaneously on three campuses in Alberta: Edmonton (80 students), Calgary (28 students) and Camrose (16 students) - facilitating and fostering innovation, responsiveness, and accountability in education to 124 students annually. Students meet the 1,000 hour clinical practicum requirement to complete the program through fieldwork opportunities in a variety of settings.
The successful Chair will lead a dynamic department recognized for excellence in research, teaching, scholarship, service, and professional leadership, with strong clinical partnerships in education and research. The Chair works closely with the Associate Chair to further the professional program and support students. The department currently consists of 19 full- time faculty members, (10 in research-intensive, tenure-track positions; 9 in academic teaching-intensive positions), and is supported by staff at the department and Faculty level. Faculty members have diverse research programs in areas such as prevention and management of chronic conditions, mental health and neuroscience, military and veterans' health, childhood disability, health equity and literacy, assistive technology, and sexuality and disability. Faculty members also supervise and mentor MSc and PhD students from the thesis-based programs in Rehabilitation Science, offered through the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. The department has formal affiliations with numerous clinical sites throughout the province. Faculty members also have close connections with research and clinical institutes such as the Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, the Women and Children's Health Research Institute and other Faculties within the College of Health Sciences.
Responsibilities
The successful candidate will have a record of academic leadership, with the ability to align their goals and vision to strengthen the department's outstanding educational programs, research endeavors, and community partnerships guided by departmental, faculty and institutional strategic plans. In addition, the successful candidate must be able to engage and inspire faculty, staff, and students, communicate and make decisions in a transparent, inclusive and collaborative manner, and be highly knowledgeable about the discipline of occupational therapy.
Qualifications
The successful candidate must have a PhD in a relevant discipline and a strong scholarly record in teaching, research and service. They must be eligible for licensure by the professional college, the Alberta College of Occupational Therapists (ACOT), within 1 year of the position start date.
Application Instructions
Candidates are requested to prepare a letter of interest, a CV, and a Statement on Indigenous Initiatives and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (1-2 pages in length).
The Committee will begin considering candidates on November 15, 2026, with the new Chair to take office in the summer of 2027. This position will remain open until filled. This position will be located at the University of Alberta, Corbett Hall, 8205-114 Street NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2G4.
The successful candidate will be offered a tenured appointment at the rank of Associate or Full Professor, including a comprehensive benefits package.
The terms and conditions of this appointment are governed by Schedule A of the collective agreement between the Board of Governors of the University of Alberta and the Association of Academic Staff of the University of Alberta.
About the Team
The Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine is Canada's only free-standing faculty dedicated to rehabilitation. It offers accredited professional programs in Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech-Language Pathology, along with a substantial research and continuing education portfolio. With campuses in Edmonton, Calgary, and Camrose, the faculty serves approximately 1,000 graduate students and is a national leader in advancing rehabilitation practice and outcomes.
