Curator of Plants & Sustainability

Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is Canadas premier museum featuring a comprehensive collection of Art Culture and Nature. Among the top 10 cultural institutions in North America ROM has a world-class collection of 18 million artworks cultural objects and natural history specimens featured in 40 gallery and exhibition mission is to transform lives by helping people to understand the past make sense of the present and come together to shape a shared future. The museum is known globally for expanding the boundaries of knowledge and presenting that knowledge in new and innovative ways within the intersecting worlds of art culture and nature.

ROMs vision is to become a distinctly twenty-first century museum one that is globally recognized for expanding the boundaries of knowledge fostering innovation in presenting that knowledge and increasing public relevance within the intersecting worlds of art culture and nature.

Evolving for the 21st Century

To realize this vision ROM has embarked on a new strategic direction that builds on its strengths and capabilities while evolving in step with a rapidly changing world. The Museum is becoming an ever more outward-facing institution focused on playing a central role in community and cultural life while increasing artistic cultural and scientific impact both nationally and internationally. ROMs extensive exhibition schedule and public programs attract approximately 190000 students and a total average attendance of more than one million visitors annually. As the countrys preeminent field research institution and an international leader in collections-based scientific discoveries ROM builds and shares global collections creates knowledge inspires learning encourages gathering and sparks exchange on topics that matter to people and communities.

Situated in the most diverse major city in the world Toronto within a province and country known for pluralism openness and global perspectives ROM is well positioned for the future and for an even larger role on the world stage encouraging greater engagement through inclusion and transdisciplinary thinking. Learn more about ROMs Strategic Direction.

Curator of Plants & Sustainability Overview

Plants are essential to life on Earth providing the oxygen and food on which all life depends. Plants are the foundation of the worlds biodiversityand form a Kingdom of more than 250000 species that define and sustain ecosystems and regulate the planets climate. Plants serve as indicators of the effects of global change on Earths ecosystems and are essential to life sustainability. Plants and plant-derived products have been fundamental to the development of human societies and cultures providing housing clothing food and medicine as well as aesthetic pleasure and inspiration to all peoples.

Developing human understanding of plant diversity ecology evolution and function is critical to addressing the complex challenges facing society today including rapid biodiversity loss agricultural sustainability land use human health and climate change. As Canadas largest museum and most highly visited cultural institution ROM is ambitious in its unique capacity to facilitate discovery and awareness of the fundamental role of plants in global ecosystems and human culture. The Museums botanical collection is world-class and global in scope comprising more than 1.1 million specimens within ROMs Green Plant Herbarium including the largest and most representative collection of Ontario flora available. This diverse trove of specimens of flowering plants conifers ferns mosses algae seeds and pollen from varied habitats and geographic regions is an invaluable resource used regularly by local and international researchers naturalists and biologists seeking to document and understand plant diversity. This unparalleled resource supports ROM public programs exhibitions and galleries by bridging the realms of art culture and nature.

The Position: Curator of Plants & Sustainability

ROM seeks an innovative and collaborative Curator to build research interpret and share the Museums plants collection and to be an engaging spokesperson for the importance of green plants including vascular plants pteridophytes bryophytes and algae. The Curator of Plants will initiate and develop transdisciplinary exhibitions and public programs build a strong museum-based research program collaborate with academic institutions (such as the University of Toronto) community groups and stakeholders and demonstrate exceptional leadership listening and communication skills. Recognizing multiple voices and types of authority the position will encourage and educate the public at all levels of interest as well as train the next generation of plant biologists. The Curator will conduct conceptually driven collection-based research in botanical systematics ecology and evolution in the context of plant conservation and plants role in sustainability and human society. Candidates collection-based research program will integrate into the highly collaborative and interdisciplinary research of ROMs Department of Natural History and complement the Museums art and cultural disciplines.

The successful candidate will be an accomplished practicing scientist who has embarked on a successful career has a high level of academic achievement for their career stage and who is deeply interested in having a strong public-facing role. An equivalent in relevant experience research exhibitions and/or publications will be considered.

There may be opportunities for university cross-appointment (including at the University of Toronto) as well as eligibility for Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) funding in support of research.

Exceptional early-career and mid-career scientists are encouraged to apply.

• Passionately engage the public fostering understanding and dialogue on the importance of plants as fundamental to the well-being and long-term sustainability of humankind.
• Promote and facilitate scientific and public access to ROMs extraordinary Green Plant Collection
• Establish a vision and 10-year plan for continuing to develop ROMs Green Plant Collection.
• Create impactful programs panels and publications that engage both experts and broad audiences and enhance recognition of the central role plants play in ecosystems and human society.
• Conduct conceptually driven collection-aligned original research on the systematics and evolution of green plants with a breadth of interests that may include plant ecology ethnobotany conservation biology global environmental and climate change pollinator interactions and sustainability; develop a program of externally funded scholarly research and publications that is accessible and relevant on multiple levels including to a broad public audience.
• Lead collaboratively within transdisciplinary exhibition teams and with educators programmers and designers to integrate plant sciences into current and future development interpretation and installation of special exhibitions and permanent galleries involving the intersection of art culture and nature.
• Partner with Indigenous and other communities to develop exhibitions and programs recognizing multiple voices and sources of authority; integrate Indigenous perspectives foster collaborative relationships and projects in close collaboration with stakeholders across disciplines and departments as well as external partners.
• Be a dynamic and effective communicator and strong spokesperson for the importance of plants and sustainability.
• Participate in fundraising activities to support the growth and development of ROMs strategic initiatives programming and research.
• May engage in university teaching and/or supervision of graduate students and interns; be qualified for university cross-appointment demonstrate potential for teaching undergraduate and graduate students and be eligible for NSERC funding in support of their research (i.e. record of successful grant applications or strong potential).
• Supervise train and monitor contract or part-time staff volunteers interns and students working in the collections and in the laboratory (onsite) and in the field (offsite).
• Maintain professional affiliations in scholarly scientific and museum curatorial organizations and professional societies.

Education & Experience:

• A PhD or equivalent in plant systematics plant ecology or plant conservation biology and well versed in plant taxonomy and phylogenetics. Knowledge of methods for analyzing DNA morphological datasets phylogenomics comparative genomics palaeobotany evolutionary biology and historical biogeography are considered assets.
• At least one year of postdoctoral or equivalent experience within a large transdisciplinary museum university NGO or government department or a related environment including working with internal and external stakeholders and partners.
• Experience proposing and developing museum exhibitions and public programs or a strong interest in doing so.
• Interest in science communication and outreach and eager to engage with the public; a strong public speaker.
• Experience collaborating with Indigenous communities lived Indigenous experience international experience and cross-cultural experience are assets.
• A record of original research and peer-reviewed publications or catalogues and eligibility for university cross-appointment.

• Knowledge of museum ethics standards
• Experience in plant conservation and sustainability
• Herbarium curation
• Digitization of botanical collections
• Bioinformatics
• Image collections and image banks
• Contemporary floristics and phytogeography
• Botanical history
• Cultural uses of plants
• A proven record of successful grant applications and/or philanthropy

• Salary range is $78047 - $122654 CAD in accordance with the union collective agreement and based on years of experience. ROM is open to considering a range of candidates from an Associate Curator level to Curator level consistent with the candidates experience and the strategic goals of the museum. The salary increases according to rank and experience and is governed by a Collective Agreement.
• Benefits include:
  • Medical and dental plan life insurance long-term disability insurance
  • Health Spending Account and fitness facility discounts
  • Pension plan
  • 22-days of vacation entitlement and personal days
  • Employee Assistance Program
• NOTE: This is a unionized position and the Curator of Plants & Sustainability will be a member of the ROM Curatorial Association (ROMCA).

Applicants are encouraged to apply electronically by submitting a single PDF file containing the following documents:

1. A cover letter expressing interest in the position including brief examples of past experience in exhibitions programs and collections as well as proposed research areas and projects and salary requirement
2. A curriculum vitae.
3. Names and contact information for three references and your professional relationship. References will not be contacted without prior permission of the applicant.