Canada Research Chair, Tier 1 in Health Economics (Associate or Full Professor)

The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) and the University of Ottawa (uOttawa) invite applications for a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Health Economics. The successful candidate will be a Scientist or Senior Scientist in the OHRI’s Methodological and Implementation Research program and hold an academic appointment with the uOttawa Faculty of Medicine’s School of Epidemiology and Public Health. The OHRI is among Canada’s top centres and a global leader in interdisciplinary, methodologically innovative, patient-oriented, and implementation and impact focused research. The OHRI is home to research expertise in >100 diseases, conditions, and populations. Application of OHRI’s bench to bedside to practice and policy approach across these areas makes it an ideal setting for conducting impactful health economic research and health technology assessment. The OHRI provides opportunities to access large scale health administrative data including through ICES uOttawa and The Ottawa Hospital Epic Systems and Cosmos^©. Its location, on the unceded territory of the Anishinaabe-Algonquin people, in Canada’s capital also enables strong connections to organisational, government and policy interest holders. The Faculty of Medicine is the first and largest bilingual medical faculty in Canada, consisting of over 2,400 faculty members, including clinicians and researchers. The successful candidate will become an integral member of uOttawa’s School of Epidemiology and Public Health, a vibrant research and teaching environment comprised of over 150 core, adjunct, and cross-appointed interdisciplinary faculty members.

The successful candidate will be joining the OHRI/uOttawa at an exciting time when several collaborative initiatives and large-scale infrastructure projects are underway to significantly expand support for applied health research. These include the innovative uOttawa Brain-Heart Interconnectome, 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, as well as The Ottawa Hospital’s state-of-the-art new campus, which will be the most advanced hospital in Canada and a major centre for research and innovation.

We are interested in attracting an established health economist who is an internationally recognized leader in health economics. The Chair’s mandate will be aligned with the OHRI/uOttawa goal of redefining health care systems, with the expectation that their focus will include areas and conditions linking the brain and heart. They will contribute to OHRI’s strategic vision for practice-changing research, which includes evaluating the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, value, and efficiency of existing and emerging therapies and health care delivery models to support practice and policy decisions and change. The Chair will have the opportunity to be embedded within the Ottawa Methods Centre, a trial unit and methodological hub of expertise, providing an avenue for further developing their research in collaboration with clinical investigators across the OHRI and The Ottawa Hospital for impactful health economic evaluation. The Chair will be a member of the Brain-Heart Interconnectome and will contribute to a novel transdisciplinary approach to science and improved health and care for those living with and at risk of brain-heart conditions.

The selected candidate will have a track record of scientific leadership demonstrated by acquiring large-scale grants and catalyzing collaboration among scientists, trainees, clinicians, and regulatory experts.

Tier 1 Chairs, tenable for seven years and renewable once, are for outstanding researchers acknowledged by their peers as world leaders in their fields. For each Tier 1 Chair, the institution receives $200,000 annually for seven years. In addition to the government’s contribution, the uOttawa/OHRI will also provide the successful candidate with a competitive start-up package. Nominees for Tier 1 Chair positions must be full professors or associate professors who are expected to be promoted to the full professor level within one or two years of the nomination. Alternatively, if they come from outside the academic sector, nominees must possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed at these levels. 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 OHRI/uOttawa are committed to ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion in the scholarly and leadership environments of our institutions. Accordingly, we strongly encourage applications from skilled and experienced members of the four designated groups such as Indigenous peoples, individuals who are racialized, persons living 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 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. Candidates who wish to be considered as a member of one or more designated groups are asked to complete the confidential self-identification questionnaire during the application process online.

Skills requirements: 

• Education: PhD in a relevant field.
• 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. Bilingualism an asset.

Rank and salary: Appointment as a Scientist or Senior Scientist at the OHRI, commensurate with the career stage and track record of the successful candidate. Academic appointment in the Faculty of Medicine’s School of Epidemiology and Public Health’s academic ranks will be at the Associate or Full Professor level and also commensurate with the career stage and track record of the successful candidate. A competitive start-up package will be provided.
Benefits package: The OHRI provides a complete benefits package which includes health and dental benefits, long term disability, life insurance, participation in the Hospitals of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP), as well as relocation expenses.
Location of work:  The Ottawa Hospital General Campus, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6

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, or potential relevance, to the BHI and commitment to a research co-production approach (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 Hiring Committee for letters of reference which will follow the Canada Research Chairs guidelines (i.e., all must be arm’s length and one must be from a referee not residing in the country where the nominee is currently working ); and
• Self-identification: Complete the confidential Employment Equity questionnaire online during the application process.

Deadline: March 6, 2025

Applications should be submitted electronically through the University of Ottawa Academic Careers website at the following link:  https://uottawa.wd3.myworkdayjobs.com/uOttawa_External_Career_Site/job/Ottawa-ON/Tier-1-Canada-Research-Chair-in-Health-Economics_JR20437

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, Interim 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 February 6, 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. 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 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 more than 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.