Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) – Maternal and/or Child Health and Well-Being

This posting is open to current Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry tenured or tenure-track full professors or associate professors who are expected to be promoted to the full professor level within one or two years of the nomination and who are WCHRI academic members. Please indicate your internal status using the “Advertisement” drop down menu when applying.

The University of Alberta is committed to working for equity, diversity, inclusion, and access and to deepening and living out commitments to Indigenization and decolonization. The University of Alberta thus strives to remove barriers that some people in Canadian society and in postsecondary environments continue to experience and to build an accessible, equitable, and inclusive culture in support of the full participation of its diverse workforce. The CRC Program has identified four designated groups (FDGs): women and gender minorities; Indigenous Peoples; members of racialized minorities; and persons with disabilities. To support its commitments, the University of Alberta welcomes applications from all qualified persons who self-identify as a member of one of the following group: women and gender minorities. Additional information about the specific actions set out by the University of Alberta for the CRC program can be found in the University of Alberta CRC EDI Action Plan .

This Tier 1 CRC is open to researchers working in the area of maternal and/or child health, leading an internationally recognized and innovative research program that is aligned with one or more of the following thematic areas:

• Early beginnings: Optimizing maternal and infant health outcomes through early intervention and prevention strategies to support life-long health and well-being;
• Precision child health: Developing targeted prevention, diagnostic, therapeutic and social interventions to optimize health and wellness outcomes of children with chronic illnesses and medical complexity;
• Child and/or youth mental health: Improving neurodevelopmental outcomes and/or mental well-being in children and youth.

Duties and Expectations

The CRC will be an outstanding researcher acknowledged by their peers as a world leader in their field. The successful candidate will be expected to lead an innovative and productive research program that is supported by peer-reviewed funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) or other such prominent organizations. This CRC is expected to align with and contribute to the One Child Every Child program as part of the University of Alberta’s partnership commitments.  The successful candidate will be expected to provide academic leadership within WCHRI and establish collaborative research initiatives that benefit WCHRI members.

The successful candidate will hold a PhD, MD, MD/MSc, MD/PhD or equivalent in health research.

CRC Requirements

The Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) were established by the Canadian Government to foster research excellence. Tier 1 Chairs, tenable for seven years and renewable once, are for outstanding researchers acknowledged by their peers as world leaders in their fields. Nominees for Tier 1 Chair positions must be full professors or associate professors who are expected to be promoted to full professor within one or two years of the nomination date. 

To meet the criteria of the program, nominees must:

• be outstanding and innovative world-class researchers whose accomplishments have made a major impact in their fields;
• be recognized internationally as leaders in their fields;
• have superior records of attracting and supervising graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (taking into account different practices in the relevant field or discipline) and, as chairholders, be expected to attract, develop and retain excellent trainees, students and future researchers; and
• be proposing an original, innovative research program of the highest quality.

For information about the CRC Program, please consult the University of Alberta CRC Coordinator, Glen Thomas ([email protected]) for more information. Full program information, including details on eligibility criteria and acceptable leaves, can be found on the Canada Research Chairs website .

The University of Alberta 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.

The successful applicant will be nominated for a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair. Nominations are subject to review by the CRC Secretariat, and appointment as a Canada Research Chair is conditional upon their approval.

To Apply

1. All applicants to this job posting are required to self-identify. Applicants will receive a questionnaire link from [email protected] within 2-3 weeks of submitting their job applications. The survey will be sent to the email address that is listed on the application. Please be sure to check your spam box for receipt of this email. Please do not forward the link as it is unique to the email address. For any questions or concerns, please contact [email protected].

NB: The University of Alberta must collect self-identification data from all applicants as part of its participation in the CRC Program. This data is used to ensure that the institution is progressing towards meeting its EDI targets as set by Ottawa.

2. Submit application by clicking the “Apply Online” button below by February 2, 2024, the application should consist of a single PDF file including the following:

• a current and comprehensive CV
• a two-page description of your recent, current and anticipated research activities for the next seven (7) years
• a one-page description of the proposed leadership and research collaboration role, including how you anticipate engaging in a leadership role with the One Child Every Child program and how your program of research will support capacity development within WCHRI.

3. Questions about this competition should be sent electronically to the FoMD Vice Dean, Research [email protected].

Applicants who require an accessibility arrangement for their application, interview, and/or subsequent recruitment meetings can contact Human Resources ([email protected]) to arrange appropriate accommodations. 

Posted on: January 2, 2024

Note: Online applications are accepted until midnight Mountain Standard Time of the closing date.