Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC)

The Université de Montréal is seeking outstanding candidates for the current Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) competition. The CERC program , Canada's most prestigious Research Chair program, is designed to attract world‑renowned researchers and their teams to launch ambitious research programs at Canadian universities. Through this program, Chairholders will be awarded up to $1 million per year for a period of 8 years.

High-profile candidates are invited to express their interest no later than May 20, 2025. At this stage, applications will be treated confidentially. Eligible candidates could eventually be invited to apply for a position of professor in strict compliance with the hiring procedures in place at the Université de Montréal. The results of the Canadian competition for the allocation of Chairs of Excellence will be known in January 2027 and academic appointment at the Université de Montréal must be in effect within the following 12 months.

Areas of excellence for CERC positions

The Canada excellence research chair program has to address one of the Canadian governmental priorities. Chairs of Excellence at the Université de Montréal are possible in a number of areas, ranging from humanities to basic sciences, including but not limited to, social, clinical, and applied research. Details and instructions for applications can be found using the following links.

Bio-innovation and Digital Health

Brain, Mind, Perception

Digital, Human and Artificial Intelligence

Environment, Biodiversity, and Society

Innovative Materials and Processes

One Health

Social Relations, Democracy, and Responsibility

Acquisition and Transmission of Knowledge

Creation, Culture and Imaginaries

Fundamental Explorations of Reality

Applicant Profile

The Canada Excellence Research Chairs program is open to researchers at the rank of associate professor, eligible for tenure in the near future, or at the rank of full professor, from academia, government or industry. The Chairholder is expected to initiate and develop new avenues of research, and to enhance further the visibility and impact of the Université de Montréal as a hub of excellence in collaborative and innovative interdisciplinary research. The successful candidates will integrate a vibrant community, lead a trailblazing interdisciplinary team and actively contribute to knowledge mobilization within and beyond the academic community.

Instructions for expressing interest

Interested candidates can send their application to the following e-mail address cerc@brdv.umontreal.ca , no later than May 20, 2025.

The application must include :

• A motivation letter (2 pages max.);
• A detailed curriculum vitae;
• A brief statement of the current and future research program as it relates to the chosen area (s) of excellence (2 pages max.).

For more information

For more information and any questions, please contact: cerc@brdv.umontreal.ca

About Université de Montréal

The Université de Montréal is the world’s leading research French-language university, according to major international rankings. With its affiliated schools, HEC Montréal and Polytechnique Montréal, it ranks 3rd in Canada in terms of research activities. It is also the largest university in Montréal, a city recognized as one of the best in the world for its quality of life and the size of its university sector. The Université de Montréal offers competitive salaries and a full range of benefits.

The Université de Montréal, a French-language university, recruits the best specialists worldwide. It ensures, in accordance with the Université de Montréal's language policies, that newly recruited professors who are not fluent in French benefit from an institutional program to support them in acquiring French language skills over a number of years.

Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity

The Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program aims to achieve excellence in research and research training while strengthening the promotion of best practices in equity, diversity and inclusion. The Université de Montréal fully subscribes to these objectives and, through its Equal Access Employment Program, invites applications from women, visible minorities, ethnic minorities, Aboriginal people, and persons with disabilities. It also invites applications from people of all sexual orientations and identities. At the applicant’s discretion, identification to one or more than one of the abovementioned groups can be indicated in the motivation letter.

The Université de Montréal recognizes that career interruptions can have an impact on an individual’s record of achievement, without diminishing its excellence. If applicable, candidates are encouraged to explain the circumstances of any interruption and its impact on their career path and record