Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Supporting Indigenous Health and Well-being

The Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa invites applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Supporting Indigenous Health and Well-being. The selected candidate will be offered a tenure-track position at the Assistant or Associate Professor level at one of the Faculty’s Schools that is most aligned with their research expertise. The ideal candidate is an emerging Indigenous Scholar proposing a research program based on meaningful collaboration with Indigenous communities, increasing the recognition of Indigenous ways of knowing to promote health and well-being. Examples of the sought-after expertise include facilitating healthy lifestyles, improving health care access, and reducing social inequalities and health inequities. The research program should align with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, particularly under the Health and Sports and Reconciliation themes. The Chairholder will be expected to cultivate existing collaborations with Indigenous communities to influence approaches that support health and well-being within and beyond their communities.

Located on the unceded territory of the Anishinaabe-Algonquin people, in the heart of the nation`s capital and in close proximity to multiple national agencies, the University of Ottawa is one of Canada's top ten research-intensive universities. It is recognised as the first and largest bilingual university in North America and offers strong connections to organisational, government and policy interest holders.
The Chair would join a group of excellent researchers within the Faculty of Health Sciences, already engaging with Indigenous communities. The selected candidate will be encouraged to participate in the Research Institute for Indigenous Studies and be well-positioned to collaborate with members of other Faculties, affiliated hospital-based research institutes, and the LIFE Research Institute and / or the Centre for Research in Health and Nursing.

Tier 2 Chairs, tenable for five years and renewable once, are for exceptional emerging researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field. For each Tier 2 Chair, the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) Program allocates to institutions $100,000 annually for five years, with an additional $20,000 annual research stipend for first-term Tier 2 Chairs. Candidates should, at a minimum, be assistant or associate professors, or possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed to these levels. Candidates who are more than 10 years from their highest degree must contact the University of Ottawa directly for questions related to their potential eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair. The institution may nominate a professor or a researcher who is more than 10 years from their highest degree at the time of nomination and has experienced legitimate career interruptions (see acceptable justifications). In such cases, the institution must submit to the Secretariat a formal justification (using the Tier 2 Justification Screening Form), explaining why the nominee is still considered to be an emerging scholar. The University recognizes the legitimate impact that leaves (e.g., parental leave, leave due to illness) can have on a candidate’s record of research achievement and that these leaves will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process. New CRC nominees are also eligible for infrastructure support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to help acquire state-of-the-art equipment essential to their work.  

Selective hiring: The University of Ottawa is committed to ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion in the scholarly and leadership environments of our students, staff, and faculty members. In accordance with the University’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan and equity targets, the selection will be limited to Indigenous peoples as defined in the CRC Program method for establishing equity targets and the Employment Equity Act. Candidates from this group who wish to be considered for this position must complete the confidential self-identification questionnaire during the application process online. The objective of this measure is to increase the representation of the four designated groups in the allocation of Canada Research Chair positions. Internal candidates are not eligible.

Skills requirements: 

• Education: Ph.D. in a field related to the position.
• Required Qualifications: superior research achievements in the CRC’s identified area(s), and proof of interdisciplinary collaborations, a solid record with respect to teaching and training of students at the graduate level, the ability to obtain external research funds. Excellent communication skills in either English or French.  Passive knowledge of one’s second official language (French or English) is a requirement for tenure.

Duties: Academic staff functions include, in varying proportions: 

• teaching 
• scholarly activities such as research, artistic or literary creation, or professional work 
• academic service 
• graduate student supervision 

Rank and salary: New tenure-track academic appointment in the Faculty of Health Sciences. The salary starts for an Assistant Professor at $99,377 and for an Associate Professor at $109,776 (scale of the collective agreement between APUO and the University of Ottawa as of May 1, 2025). Salaries are competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Benefits package: The University of Ottawa provides a complete benefits package which includes long term disability, basic group life insurance, health insurance, University of Ottawa Pension Plan and optional life insurance, as well as reimbursement of eligible relocation expenses.
Location of work:  Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5

Application package:

• A cover letter;
• An up-to-date curriculum vitae (Please include any personal circumstances and/or career interruptions such as parental or sick leaves that may have impacted your research trajectory. These will be taken into consideration in the selection process);
• A research plan (2 to 3 pages);
• A statement of teaching interests (1 to 2 pages); 
• A statement on equity, diversity, and inclusion philosophy and concrete practices (1 page);
• A letter of recommendation from a traditional knowledge keeper or community leader/member with whom the candidate has worked attesting the candidate’s experience of teaching and researching in partnership with the community. The letter can be sent directly to the University at rccacrcp@uottawa.ca;
• The names of three people who may be contacted by the University for letters of reference which will follow the Canada Research Chairs guidelines. For Tier 2 CRC, one arm’s length and two who are not affiliated to the University of Ottawa unless they are the candidate’s PhD or postdoctoral supervisor, are required.
• Self-identification: Complete the confidential Employment equity questionnaire on the web portal during the application process. The Canada Research Chairs Program requires institutions to collect self-identification data from all applicants, following the program’s best practices.

Deadline: May 27, 2025

More information regarding Academic Careers can be found online. Apply online through the University of Ottawa Careers portal.
The selection process will begin immediately after the closing date and will continue until the position is filled. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. 

Please address your cover letter to the following person:
Dr. Julie St-Pierre, Interim Vice-President, Research and Innovation
University of Ottawa
550 Cumberland St., room 246
Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 CANADA
For questions, please email: rccacrcp@uottawa.ca 

Ad posted on March 27, 2025

The University of Ottawa is committed to ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion in the scholarly and leadership environments of our students, staff, and faculty. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples in Canada, visible minority members (racialized persons), persons with disabilities, women and all qualified applicants with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with equitable, diverse, and inclusive communities. Applicants who wish to be considered as a member of one or more designated groups should complete the confidential Self-Identification Questionnaire when they apply.
In accordance with government policy, all qualified candidates are invited to apply; however, preference will be given to Canadians and permanent residents. When submitting your application, please indicate if you are legally entitled to work in Canada.
The University of Ottawa provides accommodations for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you are invited to proceed in the selection process, please notify us of any accommodations that you require by contacting the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty Relations by email at vra.affairesprofessorales@uottawa.ca. Any information you send us will be handled respectfully and in complete confidence.
The University of Ottawa is proud of its more than 175-year tradition of bilingualism. Through its Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute, the University provides second-language training to staff members and to their spouses.