The Bruce H. Mitchell Endowed Chair - Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Bruce H. Mitchell Endowed Chair Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Centre for Human-Machine Collaboration

Queen’s University at Kingston

October 2017

The newly formed Centre for Human-Machine Collaboration at Queen’s University is an interdisciplinary initiative within the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science (FEAS), with a core focus on Cyber Human Systems. The Centre will span a continuum from machine learning and artificial intelligence, through to the computational and electronic interactions with mechanical devices and chemical and biological systems, and the sensing and control of the human environment, leveraging  the significant existing strengths and synergies within FEAS disciplines, ranging from smart vehicles for the road and for the mine, through to assistive biomechanical devices, biosensors and responsive materials, forging new directions and advances in the fields of intelligent systems and mechatronics and related fields.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is seeking an outstanding individual to join this collaborative group as an endowed chair. The ideal candidate will have an internationally recognized program of research, with a strong track record of securing external research funding in the field of computational intelligence with an emphasis on machine learning as related to human-interactive mechatronics and collaborative robotics, and a record of providing leadership in their research field. The successful candidate will also have a record of excellence in teaching. This is an exceptional opportunity for the right individual to support the growth of a major new initiative at Queen’s which draws on strengths across FEAS. This search is oriented toward a Tenure-track appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor; however, in the case of a truly exceptional candidate, a Tenured appointment at a rank that is commensurate with the candidate’s academic qualifications will be considered.

The position is well-supported by a recent $16M donation to FEAS. A new dedicated laboratory facility is under construction for the Human-Machine Collaboration which will house up to 10 faculty and 60 graduate students, with significant space for leading-edge mechatronics and robotic equipment. The chair will be provided with $1M of research funding to establish excellence in the new Centre, with opportunities to leverage and multiply this funding. The preferred starting date for the appointment is July 1, 2018.

Candidates must hold a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering or a related discipline. Industrial and interdisciplinary experience will be considered an asset. The successful candidate will be expected to establish a leading-edge research program of international reputation, provide leadership in an interdisciplinary collaborative environment, supervise graduate students, actively engage with industry, provide effective teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and make administrative contributions through service to the University, Faculty, Department and profession. Registration as a Professional Engineer in Canada, or eligibility to acquire licensure in Canada, is an essential requirement. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Queen’s University is one of Canada’s leading research-intensive universities with a global reputation, and is a recognized leader in Canadian higher education. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is medium-sized with 25 full-time and 7 cross-appointed faculty, 565 undergraduate students, and 181 graduate students. The department offers undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral programs in Electrical and Computer Engineering and has recently launched a unique entrepreneurial engineering program referred to as the ECE Innovation Stream, ECEi.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is home to Queen’s Centre for Energy and Power Electronics Research (ePOWER) and has connections to a number of multi-disciplinary centres including Canadian Microelectronics Corporation (CMC), the Human Mobility Research Centre, Green Centre Canada, Innovation Park, and the Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre.

Queen’s University is located in the heart of the vibrant Kingston community in the core of the Thousand Islands region of south-eastern Ontario. The Kingston region boasts a rich arts and cultural community including the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts (http://www.theisabel.ca/performances). In addition to Queen’s University, the Kingston area is home to the DuPont Canada Research and Development Centre, Bombardier Transportation Transit Systems unit, St. Lawrence College, and the Royal Military College of Canada. Queen’s is positioned centrally with respect to three major metropolitan areas: Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa. Additional information about Queen’s University, which may be of interest to prospective faculty members, can be found at http://www.queensu.ca/facultyrecruitment.

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen’s is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, visible minorities, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ persons. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada will be given priority.

To comply with Federal laws, the University is obliged to gather statistical information about how many applicants for each job vacancy are Canadian citizens/permanent residents of Canada. Applicants need not identify their country of origin or citizenship; however, all applications must include one of the following statements: “I am a Canadian citizen/permanent resident of Canada” OR, “I am not a Canadian citizen/permanent resident of Canada”. Applications that do not include this information will be deemed incomplete.

A complete application consists of:

• a cover letter (including one of the two statements regarding Canadian citizenship/permanent resident status specified in the previous paragraph);

• a current Curriculum Vitae;

• a statement of research interests;

• a statement of teaching interests and experience (including teaching outlines and evaluations if available);

• three sample publications; and,

• the names and contact information of three referees.

Applicants are requested to send their application package electronically as a single PDF file to the Department Head, Prof. Michael Greenspan at ece-search@queensu.ca  with the following subject line: Application for Faculty Position. The deadline for applications is December 15, 2017; however, the competition will remain open until a suitable candidate has been identified and the position has been filled.

The University will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation during the interview process, please contact Ms. Cheryl Wright in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at cheryl.wright@queensu.ca.

Additional information about Queen’s University, which may be of interest to prospective faculty members, can be found at www.queensu.ca/facultyrecruitment.

Academic staff at Queen’s University are governed by a Collective Agreement between Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA) and the University, which is posted at http://queensu.ca/facultyrelations/faculty-librarians-and-archivists/collective-agreement and at www.qufa.ca.