Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Experimental Molecular, Cellular or Systems Biological Physics

Job Type:

Academic Regular

Faculty/Department:

Department of Physics_FT

The University of Ottawa is seeking applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Experimental Molecular, Cellular or Systems Biological Physics. The successful candidate will conduct experimental research in quantitative molecular, cellular, and/or systems-level biophysics, seeking insight into the physical mechanisms underpinning the complex nature of biological systems. The ideal candidate will develop an internationally recognized, competitive research program.

The scope of this search is broad, and all candidates with plans to develop a research program in experimental biophysics will be considered. We particularly welcome applications from individuals who are developing novel tools and techniques (incl. single-molecule approaches), as well as those advancing our fundamental mechanistic understanding of biological systems. Targeted fields include but are not limited to:

• Cellular mechanics and molecular dynamics.
• Excitability and energy transduction in single cells, circuits, and tissues.
• Biophysical interactions between organoids and their associated regulatory mechanisms.
• The design and application of cutting-edge biophysical tools to probe complex biological phenomena.

To facilitate highly interdisciplinary research in high-priority areas for uOttawa, the successful chairholder is expected to be an active member of the well-funded Brain-Heart Interconnectome (BHI) initiative at uOttawa. BHI is a groundbreaking, interdisciplinary research program designed to accelerate the prevention, detection, treatment, and care of interconnected brain and heart health conditions supported through the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF). Therefore, candidates with research interests that intersect with neural and cardiac cellular systems will be prioritized.

Department and Collaborative Ecosystem

The Department of Physics possesses a strong critical mass of researchers and state-of-the-art infrastructure in biological physics, spanning fields such as biomaterials, micro/nanofluidics, biosensing, soft matter, molecular biophysics, biophotonics, and nonlinear microscopy. Furthermore, outstanding opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration exist within the uOttawa Faculties of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Key collaborative partners include:

• The Brain and Mind Research Institute (uBMRI)
• The University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI)
• The Centre for Neural Dynamics

The Department has a rich history of supporting entrepreneurship and translational science. Individuals interested in taking their technologies out of the lab and into the market, as well as those looking to partner with industry, will find a highly welcoming environment. The Faculty of Science and uOttawa institutional support and dedicated resources to assist researchers in their commercialization and partnership endeavors.

Located on the unceded territory of the Anishinaabe-Algonquin people, in the heart of the capital near multiple national agencies, the University of Ottawa is one of Canada's top ten research-intensive universities. It is recognised as the first and largest bilingual university in North America and offers strong connections to organisational, government and policy interest holders.

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 Canada Research Chairs (CRC) Program allocates to institutions $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. Tier 2 Chairs are intended for exceptional emerging researchers whose first independent academic research-related appointment was fewer than 10 years ago at the time of nomination. Candidates who are more than 10 years from their first independent academic research-related appointment must contact the University of Ottawa directly with questions about 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 first independent academic research-related appointment at the time of nomination and has experienced career interruptions and/or other eligible circumstances that may be considered through the CRC Program’s Tier 2 justification process (see acceptable justifications). In such cases, the institution must submit to the CRC Program a formal Tier 2 justification explaining why the candidate continues to meet the expectations for a Tier 2 Chair as an emerging researcher. The University recognizes the legitimate impact that career interruptions and personal circumstances, such as parental leave or leave due to illness, can have on a candidate’s record of research achievement, and these 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.

Preferential 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. Accordingly, we strongly encourage applications from skilled and experienced 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, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively implement equity measures that ensure and retain diverse teams and promote inclusive practices for research team members. As part of this preferential hiring process, applications from members of the four designated groups will be prioritized and assessed first for the vacancy. The purpose of this measure is to increase the representation and contribution of members of the four designated groups in the allocation of Canada Research Chair positions. All candidates are asked to complete the confidential self-identification questionnaire during the application process online. Internal candidates, including faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, and students, are not eligible. Candidates who are also employed by affiliated research institutes (OHRI, uOttawa Heart Institute Research Corporation, Bruyère Health Research Institute, CHEO Research Institute, Institut du Savoir Montfort, and the Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research) are not eligible.

Skills requirements:

• Education: Ph.D. in Physics or closely related field, or MD-PhD
• Required Qualifications: superior research achievements in the CRC’s identified area(s) and proof of interdisciplinary collaborations, a promising record of 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 (or active) knowledge of one’s second official language (French or English) is a requirement for tenure. English-French bilingualism is an asset.

Duties: Academic staff functions include, in varying proportions:

• teaching

• scholarly activities such as research, artistic or literary creation, or professional work

• academic service

• graduate student supervision

Rank and salary: New tenure-track academic appointment in the Faculty of Science. Salary scale for an Assistant Professor starts at $99,377 and $109,776 for an Associate Professor (scale of the collective agreement as of May 1, 2025). Salaries are competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Benefits package: The University of Ottawa provides a complete benefits package, which includes long-term disability insurance, basic group life insurance, health insurance, the University of Ottawa pension plan, optional life insurance, as well as reimbursement of eligible relocation expenses.

Location of work: Department of Physics, STEM Building, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5

Application Package:

• 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. Tier 2: 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 online 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: December 8, 2026

Note: The deadline was extended from November 8 to December 8, 2026.

More information regarding Academic Careers can be found online.

To apply, we invite you to merge the various sections of your application into a single PDF file, which you can then upload to the Careers website. However, if you encounter any problems submitting your application, you can send it to the following email address: [email protected].

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. Julie-St-Pierre, 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 October 6, 2026

The University of Ottawa is committed to ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion in the scholarly and leadership environments of our students, staff and faculty. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples in Canada, visible minority members (racialized persons), persons with disabilities, women and all qualified applicants with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with equitable, diverse and inclusive communities. Applicants who wish to be considered as a member of one or more designated groups should complete the confidential Self-Identification Questionnaire when they apply.

In accordance with 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 emailing the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty Relations, at [email protected]. Any information you send us will be handled respectfully and in complete confidence.

The University of Ottawa is proud of its more than 175-year tradition of bilingualism. Through its Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute, the University provides second-language training to staff members and their spouses.