Date Posted: 08/07/2025
Closing Date: 09/30/2025, 11:59PM ET
Req ID: 44596
Job Category: Faculty - Tenure Stream (continuing)
Faculty/Division: Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Department: Department of Physical Therapy
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Description:
Applications are invited for the position of Chair of the Department of Physical Therapyin the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. The successful candidate must be eligible for a tenure-stream appointment in physical therapy at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor at the University of Toronto. The appointment as Chair will be for a 5-year term with an anticipated start date of January 1, 2026, renewable following a favourable review.
The successful candidate must have earned a PhD degree and completed a university-level, entry-level practice degree in physical therapy and be eligible for licensure in Canada. Candidates must have a comprehensive knowledge of the physical therapy profession and bring a vision for innovative interdisciplinary research and education relevant to the future of physical therapy and rehabilitation science. Candidates must have a demonstrated record of excellence in research, graduate-level teaching and mentorship. The candidate’s research and teaching interests should complement and extend the Department’s existing strengths. Candidates will have a record of collaborative leadership and people management skills with demonstrated ability to create and sustain partnerships and engage with leads in other rehabilitation sciences and health care disciplines at the university and across fully-affiliated hospitals, professional, community-based health rehabilitation, provincial and national physical therapy programs, regulatory bodies and other local, national and international organizations.
Strong management, communication and interpersonal skills are necessary. The candidate will be expected to lead and sustain an innovative and independent research program and maintain a competitive externally-funded research program at an international level. The candidate will oversee the promotion and implementation of strategic priorities, process improvement and change management, faculty development and recruitment and education and research programs in the largest physical therapy program in Ontario. They will be expected to bring an inclusive vision that embeds principles of equity and social accountability in teaching, mentorship, research collaborations, faculty development, alumni engagement and in developing a future vision of the Department. Previous experience managing financial, budgetary and human resources would be an asset. Experience in stakeholder engagement, relationship development and successful fundraising would also be an asset. The Chair will take the Department of Physical Therapy to an even higher level of academic achievement and recognition.
In addition to the submitted research statement and strong endorsements by referees of high international standing, the successful candidate must show excellence in research and be an internationally-recognized scholar as evidenced by a record of sustained grant funding, high-impact publications in leading internationally-recognized journals, presentations and leadership at significant conferences, creative professional activity, distinguished awards and accolades for research activity and other noteworthy activities that contribute to the visibility and prominence of the discipline.
The successful candidate must show evidence of excellence in teaching through the submitted teaching dossier (with required materials outlined below), teaching accomplishments and innovations, successful experience teaching in a degree-granting program, providing mentorship and professional development to undergraduate, graduate and health professional students and postdoctoral fellows, as well as strong letters of reference.
Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
The University of Toronto is the birthplace of Canadian physical therapy and home to the country’s first physical therapy program established over a century ago. The Department of Physical Therapy is a key contributor to Canada’s rehabilitation sector and University of Toronto’s vibrant health sciences network, benefitting from a rich clinical and research environment, with most of its professorial faculty cross-appointed to the relevant hospitals from among the 9 academic hospitals fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. Faculty members enjoy strong research collaborations across the University, nationally, and internationally. The Master of Science in Physical Therapy professional program has expanded to a second site at the Scarborough Academy of Medicine & Integrated Health. Its comprehensive Ontario Internationally Educated Physical Therapists Bridging Program provides educational, cultural and workplace programming to facilitate success in the workplace. Faculty supervise thesis-based MSc and PhD students and postdoctoral researchers through the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute and other departments at the University of Toronto. The Department of Physical Therapy comprises 29 faculty and admits 150 students into the MScPT 24-month program each year. Faculty with primary academic appointments currently hold 3 Canada Research Chairs and 1 endowed chair.
Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto is at the centre of North America’s largest biomedical research, education and clinical care networks; spanning the basic, clinical and rehabilitation sciences the Toronto Academic Health Science Network is the 3rd largest hub for biomedical research in North America. The University of Toronto ranks 4th globally and 1st among public universities in North America (National Taiwan University); 9th in medical and health (Times Higher Education); 5th in clinical medicine, tying with Princeton and Cornell Universities and UCSF for the 16th spot globally (U.S. News & World Report, Best Global Universities); and 4th in health sciences research (Nature Index Annual Tables).
Interested individuals must apply online by clicking the link below. Applications must include a (1) letter of interest outlining their relevant experience and vision for the future of the Department of Physical Therapy; (2) current CV; (3) research statement; (4) teaching dossier that includes a teaching philosophy statement, sample course materials and teaching evaluations; and (5) statement on principles and practice of equity and social accountability (maximum 300 words). Examples of the application of principles of equity and social accountability include mentoring of students, administrative staff and/or faculty from diverse groups; faculty and/or leadership development initiatives; development of inclusive pedagogies; research, scholarship and/or teaching with a focus on underrepresented and historically marginalized communities; and public engagement activities that reach out to underserved communities.
Applicants must provide the name and contact information of three referees. The University of Toronto’s recruiting tool will automatically solicit and collect letters of reference from each referee within 48 hours after an application is submitted. Applicants remain responsible for ensuring that referees submit recent letters—on letterhead, dated and signed—by the closing date. More details on the automatic reference letter collection, including timelines, are available in thecandidate FAQ.
Submission guidelines can be found athttp://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.
All application materials, including recent reference letters, must be received by the closing date, Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
For detailed information on the Department of Physical Therapy, visit https://www.physicaltherapy.utoronto.ca. The Department of Physical Therapy is located at 500 University Avenue, 8th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1V7, CANADA.
If you have questions about this position, please contact Academic HR, Temerty Faculty of Medicine at Academic.hr.medicine@utoronto.ca.
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.
As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.
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.
