Director of MERC and Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Economic Geology

Université Laurentienne

DIRECTOR OF THE MINERAL EXPLORATION RESEARCH CENTRE AND
TENURE-TRACK FACULTY POSITION IN ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

The Harquail School of Earth Sciences at Laurentian University invites applications for a tenure-track Associate Professor, or tenured Full Professor position in Economic Geology, with an initial 5-year appointment (renewable) as Director of the Mineral Exploration Research Centre (MERC) to start preferably on July 1st, 2026.

Applicants for this position will have achieved international prominence in mineral exploration or ore systems research, will have demonstrated leadership in managing large, multidisciplinary, collaborative geoscience projects, and will have a strong understanding of the system and mechanics of publicly funded research within and outside Canada.

We seek an innovative individual that will provide leadership for national and international research programs that target ore systems through the integration of multiscale geoscience (tectonic, structural, geophysical, mineralogical, geochemical, isotopic, surficial) data, and that will contribute the growth of our programs. Teaching responsibilities will primarily be at the graduate level and will relate to ore deposit geology and processes. The individual will work closely with the school director to continue to increase student enrolment at the graduate level, and to advance the graduate programs, including collaboration on the development and delivery of industry short-courses. This will be a tenure-track position at the Associate Professor level. Outstanding candidates may also be considered at the Full Professor level.

The successful candidate will have the following essential qualifications:
• An earned PhD degree in Earth Sciences or related field. Candidates must have completed a PhD degree by the start date of the appointment.
• Evidence of high-quality research and scholarship with the potential to work with colleagues and industry, secure independent funding, and build internal and external collaborations.
• A drive to raise awareness of the importance of mineral exploration research for regional and national economic development, and train geoscientists in mineral exploration research techniques.
• A commitment to promoting a diverse, inclusive and vibrant academic and work environment.

In addition to active engagement and participation in teaching and research, the successful candidate will also be expected to contribute through service to the School, Faculty, University, and broader community. Passive bilingualism (French/English) is a condition for tenure, with English as the language of instruction.

The Harquail School of Earth Sciences (HES.laurentian.ca) is home to the Mineral Exploration Research Center (MERC.laurentian.ca), the lead organization for the Metal Earth project. MERC was founded in 1996 and was formally approved by the Laurentian University Senate in January 1998. It exists as a semi-autonomous research center within the Harquail School of Earth Sciences. Laurentian University, Canada’s Mining University, is also home of the Goodman School of Mines.

The successful applicant will have access to a wide range of analytical equipment, including a LA-ICP-MS facility, µXRF, LIBS, fluid inclusion lab, X-ray diffractometers, SEM-EDS, Raman microscope, and complete sample preparation facilities. Additional facilities are available in the Perdue Central Analytical Facility and the Geoscience Laboratories of the Ontario Geological Survey, which are both located on the university campus.

Laurentian University, located on Atikameksheng Anishnawbek territory in Sudbury, Ontario, serves over 8000 students and is one of two bilingual universities in the province of Ontario. Committed to its bilingual, tri cultural mandate, Laurentian University offers an outstanding university experience in English and French with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education. Laurentian’s beautiful, forested campus is surrounded by fresh-water lakes, conservation lands and hundreds of kilometres of cross-country and hiking trails while situated in the geographic centre of Greater Sudbury, northern Ontario’s major urban centre (population 170,000). Laurentian University has close and productive ties to Science North, SNOLAB, Health Sciences North and multiple post-secondary institutions.

Application Requirements
A complete application package should be sent as a single PDF file to the Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic at academic-careers@laurentian.ca with the following subject line: Application for Faculty Position in Economic Geology

A complete application includes the following:

● A cover letter (including one of the two statements about citizenship/resident status specified below)
● An up-to-date Curriculum Vitae
● A summary of current research or mineral exploration achievements
● A summary of the applicants view on collaborative applied research directions in Economic Geology
● The names and contact information for two academic references and two industry references.

Applicants should also arrange to have four letters of reference, two academic and two industry, sent to the email address above. Review of applications will begin on January 5, 2026. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Laurentian University is an inclusive and welcoming community committed to employment equity. Applications are encouraged from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions. Laurentian University's bilingualism policy (Section 7.3.b) provides a provision regarding the language requirement for persons self-identifying as First Nations, Métis or Inuit (https://laurentian.ca/bilingualism). The successful candidate will be part of the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA). Candidates are encouraged to consult the Collective Agreement at www.lufappul.ca.

Laurentian University is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier free experience to applicants with accessibility needs. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact the Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic for more information (pvpa@laurentian.ca).

All qualified persons 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 as to 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 applicants 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” in their cover letter. Applications that do not include this information will be deemed incomplete.