Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Population Health Data Science

The Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa invites applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Population Health Data Science. The selected candidate will be offered a tenure-track position at the Assistant or Associate Professor level within the Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences. The interdisciplinary nature of the School's research and teaching programs encourages inter-faculty collaboration, enabling the recruitment of students from diverse backgrounds (epidemiology, medicine, social sciences, management, etc.). The ideal candidate should demonstrate an outstanding research dossier in developing and / or applying data science methodologies to generate data-driven solutions, incorporating the differential and interactive social determinants of health. Preference will be given to candidates proposing innovative analytically-driven approaches that aim to achieve impact, sustainability, and health equity. The proposed methodologies may include data analytics, data mining, or machine learning, utilizing both public and other sources of population-level data to inform interventions and policies and to promote health equity. The successful candidate will be asked to teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels, on content related to basic programming, artificial intelligence, and data analytics.

Located on the unceded territory of Anishinaabe Algonquin people, in the heart of downtown Ottawa and in close proximity to multiple national agencies such as Health Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and Statistics Canada, the University of Ottawa is recognized as the first and largest bilingual university in North America. It offers its 47,000 students and 5,500 employees a dynamic and stimulating environment where research and knowledge are fundamental to all aspects of university life. The Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences provides French and English education in Health Sciences, challenging students to understand biological, environmental, and psychosocial factors as interactive health determinants across the lifespan. The Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences is home to researchers who investigate health, longevity, and disease using interdisciplinary methodologies, approaches, and perspectives. Research areas of interest include integrative health biosciences, population health, and health technologies. The nominated candidate will benefit from established collaborations between researchers from the School and the Faculty of Engineering, Ottawa Hospitals and affiliated Institutes.

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 members. In accordance with the University’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan, the selection will be limited to members of the four designated groups such as Indigenous peoples, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, women and gender equity-seeking groups as defined in the CRC Program method for establishing equity targets and the Employment Equity Act. Candidates from these groups who wish to be considered for this position must complete the confidential self-identification form during the application process online (fill the Employment equity questionnaire on the web portal). 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.

• Education: D. or equivalent and Postdoctoral experience in Population Health Data Science;
• 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 the other official language in Canada is a requirement for tenure. English-French bilingualism is an asset.

Regular tenure-track academic appointment in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Salary scale for an Assistant Professor starts at $89,622 (as of May 1, 2023). Salary scale for an Associate Professor starts at $98,999 (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.

Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, 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 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);
• 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. at least 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); and
• 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: November 15, 2023

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

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 September 15, 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.