Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Experimental Cellular and Systems Biophysics

Posting Reason:

New Position

Job Family:

Academic Leadership and Faculty

Union affiliation:

APUO

Faculty/Department:

Department of Physics_FT

Campus:

Main Campus

Date Posted (YYYY/MM/DD):

2025/12/10

Applications must be received BEFORE (YYYY/MM/DD):

The University of Ottawa invites applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Experimental Cellular and Systems Biophysics.

 

The successful candidate will conduct experimental work in quantitative cellular and/or systems level biophysics, seeking insight into the physical mechanisms underpinning the complex nature of biological systems. The ideal candidate has an internationally competitive research program on neural and cardiac cells and their interconnection, with possible links to other cell-types and the cellular connectome. Candidates whose program lies more in one area will also be considered, especially if planning to explore brain and heart interactions through a biophysical lens. The scope of the search spans from cellular mechanics and molecular dynamics, excitability and energy transduction in single cells, circuits, and tissues, to biophysical interactions between organoids and associated regulatory mechanisms.  The Chair will open new in vitro or in vivo avenues for groundbreaking discoveries and act as a focal point for novel collaborations along the brain-heart axis. Insights into intercellular mechanisms (brain/heart; brain/gut microbiome; immune system; etc...) hold immense potential for advances in disease diagnostics, therapeutics and mental health, all key strategic areas at uOttawa.

The successful candidate will join the Department of Physics which has a critical mass of biophysics researchers in areas ranging from nano-fluidics to soft matter, molecular biophysics, bio-photonics and nonlinear microscopy. There is also a strong complement of brain and heart theoretical biophysicists. The successful candidate will be part of the rich ecosystem consisting of the Brain and Mind Research Institute, Heart Institute, Centre for Neural Dynamics and AI, and Nexus for Quantum Technologies (photonics research) that span Science, Medicine, Health Sciences and Engineering.

 

The candidate will also be a member of the Brain-Heart Interconnectome (BHI). The BHI is a ground-breaking interdisciplinary research program designed to accelerate prevention, detection, treatment, and care of health conditions linked to the brain and the heart through research co-produced with patients and other knowledge users.

They can access local facilities for cell culture, confocal microscopy, atomic force and electron microscopy and microfabrication. The University is situated near the laboratories of the National Research Council and other governments laboratories and fosters links with the Kanata North high-tech park.

Located on the unceded territory of the Anishinaabe-Algonquin people, in the heart of the nation’s 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. 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. 

 

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 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 such as professors, postdoctoral fellows, and students 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 in physics;

• 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 for an associate professor at $109,776 (based on the scale of the collective agreement between APUO and the University of Ottawa 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, University of Ottawa pension plan and 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 relevance to the BHI and commitment to a research co-production approach (research carried out in collaboration with community, patients, health professionals, policy makers and other knowledge users) (1 page); 

• 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: February 10, 2026

More information regarding Academic Careers can be found online. Apply online through the University of Ottawa Careers portal.

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: chaires_chairs@uottawa.ca.   

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: chaires_chairs@uottawa.ca.  

Ad posted on December 10, 2025

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 vra.affairesprofessorales@uottawa.ca. 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.