Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences
Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Protein Foods Transformations
Associate Professor or Professor
Position #s: 36573 & 36574

The University of Manitoba invites applications from outstanding researchers to the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) Program in Protein Foods Transformations. Successful nominees to the CERC Program (https://www.cerc.gc.ca/program-programme/competitions-concours/2026/index-eng.aspx) will be appointed at the Full Professor or Associate Professor level at the University of Manitoba and the salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Following a highly competitive selection process that will involve rigorous peer review, the CERC in Protein Foods Transformations will be appointed for a single period of eight years ($500,000 per year, for a total value of $4 million over eight years, available to support the CERC program). The tenured professor position will continue after the completion of the CERC without it being designated as a Chair. The CERC program will be aligned with the Government of Canada’s ST&I priority areas (https://www.cerc.gc.ca/program-programme/priority_areas-domaines_prioritaires-eng.aspx). CERC funds will be used to support the Chair salary, benefits, and relocation costs, student stipends and personnel salaries, research and training expenses, and knowledge mobilization and dissemination activities.

The CERC program seeks to attract the best global talent to Canada and support the next generation of leaders in Canada’s science, technology and innovation priority areas. The objectives of the CERC program are to: (1) strengthen Canada’s ability to attract the world’s top researchers, in order to be at the leading edge of breakthroughs in ST&I priority areas expected to generate social and economic benefits for Canadians; (2) help Canada build a critical mass of expertise in ST&I priority areas identified by the Government of Canada; (3) create a competitive environment to help Canadian institutions, in their pursuit of excellence in their research, attract a cadre of world-leading researchers; and (4) contribute to branding Canada as a location of choice for world-leading research, science and technology development, alongside other federal programs with similar objectives.

The CERC Program in Protein Foods Transformations will be housed in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences (FAFS). The CERC program will examine fundamental approaches to the science of transforming protein structures during processing will drive more effective utilization of Canada’s rich array of protein sources.  The program is also expected to lead to novel process technologies that can create protein ingredients with specific functional attributes that govern food quality and specific modifications to protein structure that will drive nutrition-based wellness outcomes.  Specific objectives centre around using basic physical understanding of how protein molecules interact at various length scales (from molecular to macroscopic) to guide better utilization of proteins in conventional products and inform process strategies that can be deployed for the development of novel proteinaceous foods.

The UM is investing heavily in the research and development of new food products, with a particular interest in those enriched with plant and/or animal proteins. Manitoba is one of the largest producers of pulses and oilseeds and is home to a growing animal protein industry (amongst the leaders for hog, cattle, and poultry production in Canada). The Manitoba Protein Advantage Strategy enables significant research and innovation resources to be dedicated to protein production and processing innovation. Prior UM investments in the CERC program area include four externally funded Research Chairs: a Tier 1 CRC in Grain-Based Functional Foods (established in 2018); a Tier 1 CRC in Bioactive Peptides (established in 2021); a Tier 2 CRC in Food Protein Processing and Bioproducts (established in 2020); and the Manitoba Strategic Research Chair in Sustainable Protein (established in 2023). The UM is home to the Richardson Centre for Food Technology and Research (RCFTR) and the CFIA-certified UM Dairy Pilot Plant and is partnered with the Canadian Centre for Agri-food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM) and Manitoba Agriculture’s Food Development Centre. New investments in protein processing and research infrastructure were made in 2023-25. UM is recognized as a global leader in protein foods innovation, through established world-class research expertise, cutting-edge facilities, significant external funding, and extensive industry partnerships. UM produces high-impact research outcomes and future leaders in this critical area for Canada. In the latest Shanghai University Rankings (2024), UM placed 2^nd in Canada and 45^th globally in the subject area of Food Science and Technology.

Responsibilities:
The successful candidate will be a global academic leader who delivers excellence in scholarship, innovation and knowledge translation in the field of protein foods transformation. The CERC program will serve as a high-impact research hub that will establish Canada as a global reference point in the design and transformation of protein-based ingredients for health, food quality and sustainability. The CERC program will strengthen collaboration within Canada’s robust protein research ecosystem and foster synergies between industry, academia, government and non-profits. The CERC program will also serve as a Canadian node in international knowledge ecosystems and will position Canada as a valued contributor and scientific leader in cross-continental initiatives focused on food, health, and sustainability. The CERC program will reflect Canada’s ambition to be global leader in protein production, and a scientific leader in transforming those resources into sustainable novel protein-rich foods and ingredients.

Qualifications:
Nominees to the CERC program must be full professors or associate professors expected to be promoted to full professor within two years of the nomination. Alternatively, nominees from outside the academic sector must possess qualifications necessary to be appointed at these levels. The nominee must hold a full-time academic appointment at the University of Manitoba as of the start date of the Chair award. Awardees will have up to 12 months to take up the award after the notice of award and acceptance has been signed by all parties.

The successful candidate must be a recognized leader in their field with a Ph.D. in the basic sciences, engineering, food science or nutritional sciences, and a proven track record demonstrating their capacity to lead an externally-funded research program in food protein innovation with a strong knowledge-translation component. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of protein industry and stakeholder consultation and engagement, and have provided inspirational training of highly qualified personnel, undergraduate and graduate students on subject matters related to sustainable protein research and innovation.

The Chair will be expected to demonstrate commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) as it applies to high quality research output, student recruitment and training, and collegiality.

Successful candidates will be required to work with the University of Manitoba to submit a registration (due January 21, 2026) and prepare the full nomination package (due March 18, 2026) for submission to the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS). Nominations are subject to review by TIPS, and appointment as a Canada Excellence Research Chair is conditional upon their approval. Expected start date for the position is July 01, 2027.

The University of Manitoba is committed to the principles of equity, diversity & inclusion and to promoting opportunities in hiring, promotion and tenure (where applicable) for systemically marginalized groups who have been excluded from full participation at the University and the larger community including Indigenous Peoples, women, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, intersex, asexual and other diverse sexual identities). All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. The University acknowledges the potential impact that Career Interruptions and Personal Circumstances can have on an applicant's record of research achievement. Measures will be taken to ensure that associated leaves will be taken into careful consideration during the evaluation process. 

If you require accommodation supports during the recruitment process, please contact Janique Philippe [email protected] or +1-204-474-7195. Please note this contact information is for accommodation reasons only.

Application materials should include:

• maximum two-page signed letter of application expressing interest in being nominated for the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Protein Foods Transformations and describing how the University of Manitoba provides an ideal research environment.
• a curriculum vitae (including names and contact information of three referees).
• maximum three-page statement of contributions to research and leadership in the area that also includes strengths in advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).
• maximum three-page summary of the proposed research program, including description of potential contribution to knowledge in the field, the potential contributions to the government's ST&I priority areas, and integration of EDI considerations in the research program.
• maximum two-page statement outlining past protein food industry and stakeholder consultation and engagement activities

Candidate’s assessment will be based on published CERC program criteria (https://www.cerc.gc.ca/program-programme/competitions-concours/2026/definition_ratings-definition_cotes-eng.aspx)

In Canada, both the Government of Canada and Universities have introduced research security policies and guidelines to protect Canada’s world-class research. To ensure candidates are able to meet the federal and provincial research security requirements for external research funding, research security will be considered as part of the adjudication process. University of Manitoba encourages all applicants to review the federal Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (https://science.gc.ca/site/science/en/safeguarding-your-research/guidelines-and-tools-implement-research-security/sensitive-technology-research-and-affiliations-concern/policy-sensitive-technology-research-and-affiliations-concern), and the federal National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (https://science.gc.ca/site/science/en/safeguarding-your-research/guidelines-and-tools-implement-research-security/national-security-guidelines-research-partnerships).

About the University of Manitoba and Winnipeg, MB

The University of Manitoba is a driving force of innovation, discovery and advancement. Our momentum is propelled by our campus community – UM faculty, staff and students whose determination and curiosity shape our world for the better. Our teaching, research, learning and work environment is uniquely strengthened and enriched by Indigenous perspectives. With two main campuses in Winnipeg, satellite campuses throughout Manitoba, and world-wide research, UM’s impact is global.

Discover outstanding employee benefits, experience world-class facilities and join a dynamic community that values reconciliation, sustainability, diversity, and inclusion. We are one of Manitoba’s Top Employers and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers. At the University of Manitoba, what inspires you can change everything.

The City of Winnipeg (www.tourismwinnipeg.com), located where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet, is recognized for its vibrant, multicultural community and diverse culture. The city, with a growing population of more than 766,000, is home to internationally renowned festivals, galleries and museums, the historic Exchange District and The Forks, and ever-expanding research, education, and business sectors. From the Hudson Bay waters, across the farmland fields, to the pulse of the cities and towns, The Province of Manitoba’s (www.travelmanitoba.com) people and places – its 100,000 lakes, 92 provincial parks, winding river valleys and storied prairie skies – inspire.

Please send application package to:

Dr. Nazim Cicek
Search Committee Chair, University of Manitoba
Email: [email protected]
Please refer to Position #s: 36573 & 36574

Review of applications will commence on August 15, 2025 until a suitable candidate is found.

Application materials, including letters of reference, will be handled in accordance with the protection of privacy provision of The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Manitoba). Please note that curriculum vitae may be provided to participating members of the search process.