Early Career Researcher Award

Hold a full-time academic position in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Have obtained their doctorate (or equivalent) within the past ten years or have accumulated a maximum of seven years since obtaining their first full-time academic position. The eligibility period may be extended to account for circumstances such as illness or parental leave.

Contribute to the research priorities of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

We encourage members of underrepresented groups in research to apply and self-identify (women, Indigenous, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTQi2S+ community). As an equity measure, in the case of equally qualified candidates, priority will be given to members of an underrepresented group.

• Excellence, originality and impact of the research
• Scientific productivity
• Funding obtained from the Tri-Council
• Research collaborations and partnerships (or potential for collaborations and partnerships)
• Outreach and knowledge mobilization activities
• Supervision and training of students
• Commitment towards bilingualism and towards equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in research activities.

Each nomination package must include the following elements:

1. A presentation document written by the candidate (maximum 4 pages) describing their research contributions, including their commitment to bilingualism and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). As per the guidelines of the three granting councils, EDI should be considered during the planning and execution of research, such as in the recruitment process, team composition, methodology, and in the way data is analyzed and results are shared. Where relevant, the commitment to bilingualism and/or EDI can also be reflected in the research themes.
2. A curriculum vitae in OCGS format including awards and distinctions, publications, invited lectures, grants and contracts, the number of current and past supervised students (undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, others), media presence, and participation in outreach and knowledge mobilization activities. Please clearly indicate any career breaks or interruptions in the CV.
3. An external recommendation letter (maximum 2 pages) supporting the proposed nomination, accompanied by a short biography of the respondent. This letter must come from an expert in the nominee’s field, from an institution other than the University of Ottawa or institutions to which the nominee has been affiliated. To adequately support the nomination, the content must:

• Emphasize the quality of the candidate’s publications relative to their career stage, as well as their contributions to their field or discipline.
• Indicate the absence of a conflict of interest and specify any personal relationship with the candidate, detailing the circumstances and duration of this relationship. To avoid any conflict of interest, the author of the external letter should not be affiliated with the candidate’s institution, should not have a personal relationship with the candidate (such as friendship, kinship, or having been their thesis director or postdoctoral supervisor), nor have collaborated with the candidate (as co-researcher or co-author in publications) in the past seven years.
• Clearly explain the author’s ability to provide an impartial and objective assessment of the candidate’s achievements. The letter should be addressed to the Vice-Dean of Research and Professional Development, signed, and printed on official letterhead.

4. A letter from the school or department head (maximum 2 pages) describing the candidate’s contributions to the intellectual life and development of their unit and the Faculty.

The letter should be addressed to the Vice-Dean of Research and Professional Development, signed, and printed on official letterhead.

The presentation document, curriculum vitae, and the two letters must be assembled into a single PDF document and emailed to [email protected]. In the absence of nominations, the Dean and Vice-Deans will propose candidates.