Professor and Director - Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport
About the role
The Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto invites applications for a full-time tenure stream position at the rank of Professor and will serve as Director of the Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport, with an anticipated start date of May 1, 2026. The appointment as Director will be for an initial 5-year term, which may be renewable following a favourable review.
This search aligns with the University’s commitment to strategically and proactively promote diversity among our community members (Statement on Equity, Diversity & Excellence). Recognizing that Black, Indigenous, and other Racialized communities have experienced inequities that have developed historically and are ongoing, we strongly welcome and encourage candidates from those communities to apply.
Preference will be given to candidates who self-identify as Indigenous. Recognizing that there are a variety of terms that potential candidates may use to self-identify, the University uses the term “Indigenous” in this search, which forms part of the U of T Response to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to encompass the people of Turtle Island, including those who identify as First Nations, Métis, Inuk (Inuit), Alaska Native, Native American, and Native Hawaiian people.
Applicants must have earned a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in kinesiology, sport sciences or a related health-focused field with a strong emphasis on the application of science to high performance sport. A clearly demonstrated exceptional record of excellence in research and teaching is required. Candidates will have an established international reputation with executive experience in creating, leading, and managing human sciences research and development in high-performance sport, sport science, and sport medicine. The successful candidate will be expected to sustain and lead innovative and independent research, and to maintain an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program. We seek exceptional candidates who would complement our existing strengths (for KPE Faculty Members/Research Areas, please see Faculty Listing | UofT - Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education) and expand upon collaborations with colleagues in the Faculty, university and related research community. Applicants will be assessed based on these criteria, as they relate to each candidate’s area of inquiry.
Evidence of ongoing excellent research productivity and research excellence will be demonstrated through a sustained record of publications in top-ranked and field relevant journals meeting high international standards, presentations at significant conferences, external research funding, distinguished awards and accolades, transformations in practice or policy, and other noteworthy activities that contribute to the visibility and prominence of the discipline, as well as the submitted research statement and strong endorsements from referees.
Excellence in teaching and student mentorship in the undergraduate and graduate programs is required, as evidenced by strong letters of reference, teaching accomplishments, the teaching dossier submitted as part of the application (with required materials outlined below), and an excellent training record demonstrated by student mentorship in undergraduate and graduate programs.
The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to undergraduate and graduate kinesiology program teaching and student mentorship and to increase opportunities for kinesiology students to conduct research in associated areas of scholarship. Contributions to service through engagement on Department or Faculty committees will also be expected.
The Director of the Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport (TISS) will lead the Institute in realizing its mission and vision, providing expert leadership, management, and administration. Working closely with the External and Scientific Advisory Committees, the Director will refine and implement the Institute's research foci and foster collaboration among TISS, the University of Toronto, the University of Toronto Sports Medicine Program, Sinai Health, the Toronto Academic Health Science Network, and sports science leaders across Canada and beyond.
The Director will also stimulate and promote the Institute's research, including collaborative seed projects that will span the Institute's three partners, with support from the Research Accelerator Fund. The Director will also be expected to play a leadership role in solidifying the financial sustainability of the TISS and its various research, research training, knowledge mobilization and public engagement vehicles. Such leadership will include interactions with those with relevant interests and financial resources, including potential donors in collaboration with U of T and/or Sinai Health advancement staff, high performance sports organizations including professional and national level sport governing bodies, industrial and other commercial sectors.
Salary Will Be Commensurate With Qualifications And Experience. The Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE) at the University of Toronto has made major contributions to its mission of developing, advancing and disseminating knowledge about physical activity and health and its interactions through, education, research, leadership and the provision of opportunity. With a culturally diverse student body of more than 1000 undergraduate students and 140 graduate students, as well as 35 faculty members from diverse disciplinary backgrounds, ours is an intellectually rich and supportive community, guided by the highest standards of scholarship with a commitment to equity and social justice. The successful candidate will join an internationally recognized faculty whose commitments to equity and access are reflected in our research, education, policy and practice. In keeping with this commitment, particular attention will be given to candidates from under-represented groups.
All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking HERE . Applicants must submit a cover letter; a current curriculum vitae; a research statement outlining current and future research interests; a recent writing sample; and a teaching dossier including a teaching statement, sample course materials, and teaching evaluations.
Applicants must provide the name and contact information of three references. The Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education will request letters of recommendation from references at a later stage of the search process.
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 Professor Gretchen Kerr at dean.kpe@utoronto.ca.
All application materials, including names and contact information of references, must be received by December 1st, 2025.
The University of Toronto has adopted the AAU Principles on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Academia, including the requirement that applicants release personnel information from prior employers regarding sexual misconduct. Full details and requirements can be found here.
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.
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 .
About The University of Toronto Engineering Society
The University of Toronto Engineering Society, also known as EngSoc, is the student government for students at Skule™ — the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto. EngSoc manages Skule™ services and provides club funding, professional development, and extracurricular opportunities to over 4800 full-time members, proudly continuing the traditions and storied history of Canada’s oldest and largest engineering school. Founded in 1885, it is the oldest Engineering Society of students in Canada.
Professor and Director - Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport
About the role
The Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of Toronto invites applications for a full-time tenure stream position at the rank of Professor and will serve as Director of the Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport, with an anticipated start date of May 1, 2026. The appointment as Director will be for an initial 5-year term, which may be renewable following a favourable review.
This search aligns with the University’s commitment to strategically and proactively promote diversity among our community members (Statement on Equity, Diversity & Excellence). Recognizing that Black, Indigenous, and other Racialized communities have experienced inequities that have developed historically and are ongoing, we strongly welcome and encourage candidates from those communities to apply.
Preference will be given to candidates who self-identify as Indigenous. Recognizing that there are a variety of terms that potential candidates may use to self-identify, the University uses the term “Indigenous” in this search, which forms part of the U of T Response to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to encompass the people of Turtle Island, including those who identify as First Nations, Métis, Inuk (Inuit), Alaska Native, Native American, and Native Hawaiian people.
Applicants must have earned a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in kinesiology, sport sciences or a related health-focused field with a strong emphasis on the application of science to high performance sport. A clearly demonstrated exceptional record of excellence in research and teaching is required. Candidates will have an established international reputation with executive experience in creating, leading, and managing human sciences research and development in high-performance sport, sport science, and sport medicine. The successful candidate will be expected to sustain and lead innovative and independent research, and to maintain an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program. We seek exceptional candidates who would complement our existing strengths (for KPE Faculty Members/Research Areas, please see Faculty Listing | UofT - Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education) and expand upon collaborations with colleagues in the Faculty, university and related research community. Applicants will be assessed based on these criteria, as they relate to each candidate’s area of inquiry.
Evidence of ongoing excellent research productivity and research excellence will be demonstrated through a sustained record of publications in top-ranked and field relevant journals meeting high international standards, presentations at significant conferences, external research funding, distinguished awards and accolades, transformations in practice or policy, and other noteworthy activities that contribute to the visibility and prominence of the discipline, as well as the submitted research statement and strong endorsements from referees.
Excellence in teaching and student mentorship in the undergraduate and graduate programs is required, as evidenced by strong letters of reference, teaching accomplishments, the teaching dossier submitted as part of the application (with required materials outlined below), and an excellent training record demonstrated by student mentorship in undergraduate and graduate programs.
The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to undergraduate and graduate kinesiology program teaching and student mentorship and to increase opportunities for kinesiology students to conduct research in associated areas of scholarship. Contributions to service through engagement on Department or Faculty committees will also be expected.
The Director of the Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport (TISS) will lead the Institute in realizing its mission and vision, providing expert leadership, management, and administration. Working closely with the External and Scientific Advisory Committees, the Director will refine and implement the Institute's research foci and foster collaboration among TISS, the University of Toronto, the University of Toronto Sports Medicine Program, Sinai Health, the Toronto Academic Health Science Network, and sports science leaders across Canada and beyond.
The Director will also stimulate and promote the Institute's research, including collaborative seed projects that will span the Institute's three partners, with support from the Research Accelerator Fund. The Director will also be expected to play a leadership role in solidifying the financial sustainability of the TISS and its various research, research training, knowledge mobilization and public engagement vehicles. Such leadership will include interactions with those with relevant interests and financial resources, including potential donors in collaboration with U of T and/or Sinai Health advancement staff, high performance sports organizations including professional and national level sport governing bodies, industrial and other commercial sectors.
Salary Will Be Commensurate With Qualifications And Experience. The Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE) at the University of Toronto has made major contributions to its mission of developing, advancing and disseminating knowledge about physical activity and health and its interactions through, education, research, leadership and the provision of opportunity. With a culturally diverse student body of more than 1000 undergraduate students and 140 graduate students, as well as 35 faculty members from diverse disciplinary backgrounds, ours is an intellectually rich and supportive community, guided by the highest standards of scholarship with a commitment to equity and social justice. The successful candidate will join an internationally recognized faculty whose commitments to equity and access are reflected in our research, education, policy and practice. In keeping with this commitment, particular attention will be given to candidates from under-represented groups.
All qualified candidates are invited to apply online by clicking HERE . Applicants must submit a cover letter; a current curriculum vitae; a research statement outlining current and future research interests; a recent writing sample; and a teaching dossier including a teaching statement, sample course materials, and teaching evaluations.
Applicants must provide the name and contact information of three references. The Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education will request letters of recommendation from references at a later stage of the search process.
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 Professor Gretchen Kerr at dean.kpe@utoronto.ca.
All application materials, including names and contact information of references, must be received by December 1st, 2025.
The University of Toronto has adopted the AAU Principles on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Academia, including the requirement that applicants release personnel information from prior employers regarding sexual misconduct. Full details and requirements can be found here.
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.
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 .
About The University of Toronto Engineering Society
The University of Toronto Engineering Society, also known as EngSoc, is the student government for students at Skule™ — the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto. EngSoc manages Skule™ services and provides club funding, professional development, and extracurricular opportunities to over 4800 full-time members, proudly continuing the traditions and storied history of Canada’s oldest and largest engineering school. Founded in 1885, it is the oldest Engineering Society of students in Canada.