Indigenous Health Research and Education - Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Indigenous Health

The University of Ottawa stands on unceded Algonquin Territory. As we launch our Centre for Indigenous
Health Research and Education (CIHRE, formal name pending), the University of Ottawa invites applications
for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Indigenous Health.

Overview

The successful candidate will hold a clinical non-tenure track position with the Faculty of Medicine, one of its affiliated hospitals (e.g., The Ottawa Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Hôpital Montfort, The Royal Ottawa, Bruyère Continuing Care), and its respective affiliated research institute (The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI); Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute (CHEO-RI); University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI); Bruyère Research Institute (BRI); Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR); or The Institut du Savoir Montfort). The incumbent will be supported by their host institutions as well as the CIHRE, which has a mandate to support Indigenous research and researchers.

We are interested in attracting early career candidates with demonstrated strengths in Indigenous health research. In addition to clinical training, it is expected that the incumbent researcher will have formal training and/or expertise in a health-research related discipline including medical education, community engagement research, clinical research, health policy or public health research. We expect the incumbent’s research program will integrate Indigenous ethics and values, Indigenous approaches to study design, and community oriented knowledge translation with an explicit emphasis on addressing the health priorities of and reducing health inequities among First Nations, Métis and Inuit people in Canada. We are interested in researchers with demonstrated strengths in areas that may include but are not limited to:

  • Addressing current and future health challenges of Indigenous communities through effective interventions to mitigate disparities arising from colonization;
  • Implementing and evaluating strategies that will increase the number and experience of Indigenous health professionals;
  • Developing innovative approaches to research engagement with Indigenous communities;
  • Employing mechanisms for capacity-building for Indigenous Health research among Indigenous communities and/or among non-Indigenous scholars to promote understanding, embracing and operationalizing Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP) and related principles;
  • Advancing health policy related to Indigenous health.

The University of Ottawa provides researchers with opportunities to develop partnerships with members of Indigenous communities and with a range of institutions, community organizations, and federal agencies. The research program undertaken by the Chair will contribute to our commitment to appropriately integrate Indigenous knowledge, values and culture into research and education at the University in ways that enrich the training and practice. Rooted in local, regional, and/or national research partnerships with Indigenous communities and the organizations that serve them, this CRC will produce practical and theoretical knowledge about the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples that is both disciplinary and interdisciplinary in nature. As Chairholder, the researcher will also directly contribute to capacity-building of social accountability across the Faculty of Medicine.

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 institution receives $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. In accordance with the University’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, the selection will be limited to First Nations, Inuit and Métis scholars. Candidates from this group who wish to be considered for this position must complete the selfdeclaration form during the application process (go to My profile / Employment Equity section). The objective of this measure is to increase the representation of the four designated groups (women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples and members of visible minorities as defined in the Employment Equity Act) in the allocation of Canada Research Chair positions.

Skills requirements

  • Education : An MD or an MD/PhD;
  • The Chairholder will hold, or will be eligible to hold a licence to practice medicine with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).
  • Required Qualifications: an in-depth knowledge of traditional and contemporary Indigenous research approaches, 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. English-French bilingualism is an asset.

Rank and salary

Clinical non-tenure track appointment within the relevant affiliated research institute (dependent on area of expertise and partnership agreements) with an academic appointment in the Faculty of Medicine. Academic rank will be at the Assistant or Associate Professor level and commensurate with the career stage and track record of the successful candidate.

Location of work

Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5

Application package

  • A cover letter;
  • An up-to-date curriculum vitae (please include career interruptions such as parental or sick leaves that may have impacted your record of research. 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 an Elder, a Knowledge Keeper, or a leader/member of an officially recognized Indigenous community, which attests to the candidate’s commitment to Indigenous knowledge and episteme in their research;
  • The names of three people who may be contacted by the University for letters of reference which will follow the Canada Research Chairs guidelines (i.e.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);
  • Self-identification: Complete the confidential Employment Equity section online (go to My profile / Employment Equity section) during the application process online.

Submission process

Deadline: December 22, 2021

Applications should be submitted electronically through the University of Ottawa Academic Careers website.

The selection process will begin in December 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. Sylvain Charbonneau, Vice-President, Research
University of Ottawa
550 Cumberland St., room 246
Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 CANADA

For questions, please email: [email protected]

According to 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 [email protected]. Any information you send us will be handled respectfully and in complete confidence.

The University of Ottawa is proud of its 160-year tradition of bilingualism. Through its Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute, the University provides training to staff members and to their spouses in their second official language.

Ad posted on October 25, 2021