Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Cybersecurity

The University of Ottawa invites applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Cybersecurity. The selected candidate will hold a tenure-track faculty position in the Faculty of Engineering and will be expected to establish a strong, externally funded, and collaborative research program, in the broadly defined area of cybersecurity that will complement the existing expertise of the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. 

The candidate will be a member of the School and will contribute to teaching and supporting the university community. The candidate will work in either hardware or software areas of cybersecurity with potential emphasis on issues such as tamper-resistant hardware, side-channel resistant algorithms, secure storage devices, power analysis, secure algorithms and software-based techniques for Cybersecurity. Shaping the Digital World is one of the four pillars of the University’s Strategic Research Plan. Cybersecurity is a key component of the Faculty of Engineering’s Technology for the Digital Transformation of Society research axis. This position will participate in the establishment of a Cyber Hub at the University of Ottawa with the goal of becoming a globally recognized university in cybersecurity and cybersafety research and education by 2025.  

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.   

The University of Ottawa is committed to ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion in the scholarly and leadership environments of our students, staff, and faculty. Accordingly, we strongly encourage all applications including from members of the four designated groups such as Indigenous persons, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, women and gender minorities as defined in the CRC Program method for establishing equity targets and the Employment Equity Act, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with equitable, diverse and inclusive communities. All applicants must fill the confidential self-identification form (go to My profile / Employment Equity section) during the application process online. Internal candidates are not eligible. 

Education: A PhD. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science or equivalent. Postdoctoral experience is considered an asset. Should the position be awarded to an individual in Electrical, Computer or Software Engineering, the candidate will be required to register for licensure in a professional engineering association.

Required qualifications: superior research achievements in the CRC’s identified area(s), proof of interdisciplinary collaborations and commitment to industrial collaboration. A solid record with respect to teaching and training of students at the graduate level, the ability to obtain external research funds. The candidate must have excellent oral and written communication skills in either English or French. A passive knowledge of the other official language in Canada is a requirement for tenure. English-French bilingualism is an asset. 

Regular tenure-track academic appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Engineering. Applications for higher ranks will also be considered. The Assistant Professor salary scale is between $89,622 and $123,951, and the Associate Professor salary scale is between $98,999 and $171,917 (as of May 1, 2023). Salaries are competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience. 

The University of Ottawa provides a complete benefits package which includes long term disability, basic group life insurance, supplementary health insurance, University of Ottawa Pension Plan and optional life insurance, as well as relocation expenses.

Faculty of Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5

• 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 detailed research plan demonstrating a strong commitment to research excellence (5 pages maximum);  
• A statement on equity, diversity, and inclusion philosophy and practice (1 page);  
• A statement of teaching interests (1 to 2 pages); and  
• 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 Ph.D. or postdoctoral supervisor);  
• Self-Identification Form (to complete on the portal during the application process).  

Application deadline: August 8, 2023  

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

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. Sylvain Charbonneau, Vice-President, Research and Innovation  
University of Ottawa
550 Cumberland St., room 246
Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 CANADA 

For questions, please email: [email protected]  

Ad posted on June 8, 2023 

The University of Ottawa is committed to ensuring equity, diversity, and inclusion in the scholarly and leadership environments of our students, staff, and faculty. Accordingly, we strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples in Canada, visible minorities members (racialized persons), persons with disabilities, women, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with equitable, diverse, and inclusive communities. Candidates who wish to be considered as a member of one or more designated groups are asked to complete the confidential Self-Identification Questionnaire, to be completed at the time of application.

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.

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.