Social Sciences - Canada Excellence Research Chairs (Multiple Disciplines)

The Faculty of Social Sciences at McMaster University is seeking outstanding researchers in social science or related disciplines for consideration as Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) nominees.

The CERC program offers eligible Canadian, degree-granting institutions an opportunity to establish research chairs with award values of $1 million per year or $500 thousand per year for eight years in areas that align with the Government of Canada’s science, technology and innovation priorities. 

CERC nominations are only available to individuals who are not currently appointed as McMaster faculty members. Successful nominees must be eligible for appointment at the rank of Professor. In exceptional circumstances, applicants may be appointed at the rank of Associate Professor if it can be reasonably expected that they will be promoted to the rank of Professor within two years of the nomination. Candidates not currently in academic positions must possess the qualifications necessary to be appointed at these ranks.

Researchers who hold a full-time academic appointment at a Canadian institution are eligible to be nominated; however, they may not be nominated by the institution at which they currently hold their appointment. If an institution nominates a researcher who is currently at a Canadian institution, the institution must demonstrate the net benefit to the country in moving the researcher from one Canadian institution to another. Please consult the Canada Excellence Research Program website for full program information, including further details on eligibility criteria. 

About the Institution:
McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations, and within the lands protected by the “Dish With One Spoon” wampum agreement. 

McMaster's main campus, located in the Westdale neighbourhood of Hamilton, Ontario, is comprised of 300 acres of scenic property at the western end of Lake Ontario, between Toronto and Niagara Falls. Our 30-acre central core is designated for pedestrians and bicyclists. Nearby attractions include Cootes Paradise, the Bruce Trail, the Waterfront Trail, the Royal Botanical Gardens, and the Niagara Escarpment - a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.  

Founded in 1887, McMaster University is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 2025). Home to 70 research centres and institutes, the University is comprised of six faculties: the DeGroote School of Business, and the Faculties of Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Science, and Social Sciences. Ranked second in Canada for both graduate student and faculty research intensity (Research Infosource, 2024), we are dedicated to fostering an equitable, diverse and inclusive environment where innovation and creativity thrive. With a diverse student population of more than 37,000, McMaster aims to serve the social, cultural and economic needs of our community and society at large by inspiring critical thinking, personal growth, and a passion for lifelong learning.  

McMaster has a vision to use our collective skills, knowledge, and understanding to improve the world and to make an impact in addressing the big issues we face. In committing to that vision, we are also focused on the promotion of inclusive excellence, recognizing the critical role that diversity of identity, background and perspective play in harnessing creativity and innovation, and the importance of building inclusive and collegial teams within our community.

About the Faculty:
The Faculty of Social Sciences comprises nine departments and schools and three stand-alone interdisciplinary educational programs and multiple research centres, institutes, and platforms. It has a strong research culture and is committed to providing excellent research support to its faculty. Departments and schools include Anthropology; Economics; Health, Aging & Society; Indigenous Studies; Labour Studies; Political Science; Religious Studies, Sociology and the School of Social Work. The Faculty also has stand-alone programs in Social Psychology (BA), Globalization (MA) and a Master of Public Policy Program (MPP) with streams in Digital Society and Housing Policy.

Priority Areas of Focus:
The Faculty of Social Sciences welcomes applications from all Social Science scholars who can contribute to an existing Department, School or Program in the Faculty. We particularly welcome applications of those with active research programs in one or more of the following priority areas:

Digital Social Sciences: we seek applicants who can contribute to the wide variety of research on digital social sciences in FSS. Topics may include digital technology adoption, service delivery and impact; artificial intelligence (development, adoption, regulation and use in the private and (non-)government sectors); digital privacy (rights, standards, enforcement and administration), digital technologies disinformation and misinformation, including the impact on trust in democratic institutions and processes, election integrity, polarization and extremism.

Health and Social Sciences: McMaster is home to a rich, interdisciplinary health research environment. FSS is interested in applications from scholars focused on a wide variety of health issues, including the adoption of new health technologies and potential for shifting care models from a digital and technology perspective; health equity, which includes the health of vulnerable and socially disadvantaged populations across all dimensions of disadvantage. Specific foci may include how equity is conceptualisation, measured, and the ethical and related policy implications.; We also welcome applicants who take a disciplinary approach to health, which may include applied economics and health; work/labour and health or any other disciplinary approach to health that is represented in FSS.

Archaeology and heritage studies: we seek applicants who can enhance our strengths in archaeological research and heritage studies, especially scholars who can contribute to Indigenous Ways of Knowing the past and reconciliation. Our expertise and interests include research on resiliency in human-environmental landscapes, cultural practices, and health and disease; perspectives on ancient food systems, including Indigenous histories; sustainable environmental stewardship, including Indigenous heritage, human-impacts on landscape across the world; and cultural landscapes and climate change.

Housing Policy and Social Sciences: applicants should have a focus on applied research in comparative housing policy evaluation, and specifically the evaluation of the social and economic aspects of housing policy. A successful nominee would contribute to the newly established Master of Public Policy in Housing Policy at McMaster. Research foci could include housing and macro-prudential policy, housing and economic productivity, housing and immigration, housing and labour force policies, housing and social welfare policies (e.g., income assistance, health, disability).

Selection Criteria
McMaster’s nominees for the Canada Excellence Research Chairs program will be selected in accordance with the following criteria:

1. Research/academic merit and leadership skills of the candidate
   • The candidate is a top-tier researcher whose accomplishments have made a major societal impact (as appropriate based on career stage) and who is recognized internationally as a leader. In cases where the candidate is a Canadian Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) researcher based in Canada, the impact can be at the international level and/or at the community, regional or national level. Quality and impact of the candidate’s research track record, including their record of service to the research community (e.g., service on peer review committees, faculty recruitment committees, advisory committees).
   • The candidate’s record of attracting and mentoring a diverse group of students, trainees and research personnel, and establishing an equitable and inclusive research environment.
   • The candidate’s plan for establishing and maintaining a diverse core team (at the student, trainee, personnel and early-career researcher levels), and an environment that is safe and inclusive and allows all team members to reach their full research potential (e.g., through the recruitment and outreach strategy, equitable training opportunities, professional development and mentoring).
2. Quality of the research program
   • Extent to which the proposed research program aligns with one or more of the Government of Canada’s science, technology and innovation priority areas for the CERC program.
   • Extent to which the proposed research program promises to be world-leading in the field.
   • Extent to which the proposed research program enhances knowledge mobilization and translation so that all sectors of society (industry, government, academia, not-for-profit, etc.) benefit from the research and data generated.
   • Quality of the proposed research program in terms of how it has embedded Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) considerations (i.e., GBA+ or SGBA+) at each stage of the research process (research questions, design, methodology, data collection, analysis and interpretation, and dissemination of results), as applicable.
   • Quality of the proposed research program in terms of how research is co-created and co-led by and with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, as investigators, trainees, partners and collaborators, and its recognition of Indigenous ways of knowing (as applicable).
3. Potential contribution to the excellence of the Canadian and international research ecosystem
   • Likelihood that the work associated with the proposed research program will be recognized as globally relevant and will advance the frontiers of research in the field on a global scale.
   • Opportunities for collaboration with other researchers working in the same or related areas at the nominating institution, in the same region, within Canada and abroad.
   • Likelihood that the work of the proposed Chair will advance Canada’s reputation as a global centre for science, research and innovation excellence.
   • Plan of the Chair and core team members to communicate the research results and their impacts to the world and a variety of audiences.
   • Potential to apply the research results from the Chair to advance public policy and/or the potential to commercialize research discoveries from the Chair in order to create social and economic advantages for Canada

In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster University strives to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity, and has a strong commitment to employment equity. The diversity of our workforce is at the core of our innovation and creativity and strengthens our research and teaching excellence. The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. While all qualified candidates are invited to apply, we particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented, equity-seeking, rights-seeking populations, including racialized individuals, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, women, and individuals from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. 

How To Apply
Complete applications must be submitted via the University’s electronic portal by June 12, 2025, to ensure full consideration: https://hr.mcmaster.ca/careers/current-opportunities/ (Faculty Postings, Job Opening ID: 68986)

Interested applicants should submit the following to the attention of Dr. Jim Dunn, Associate Dean, Research,, Faculty of Social Sciences: 

• letter of application demonstrating how the candidate meets the selection criteria outlined above (2 pages); 
• curriculum vitae (3-5 pages) with key information that addresses the requirements of the CERC program described in this document;
• research statement (2-3 pages), describing the candidate’s current and proposed CERC research program;
• teaching statement (2 pages), outlining the candidate’s teaching philosophy, approach and methods, and how they will apply as a CERC at McMaster;
• statement on equity, diversity and inclusion (2-3 pages) describing how the candidate has or will advance the University’s commitment to building an inclusive community and to fostering a culture which embraces and promotes the rich diversity of the campus community (activities may include but are not limited to diversity-related programming, committee work and/or mentoring women and/or other groups that have been historically marginalized or disadvantaged.);
• a selection of research publications; and
• the names and contact information of at least three referees (with postal and email addresses) who are established authorities in the field, who are not in a conflict of interest, and at least one of the which is from a recognized international authority in the candidate’s field who does not reside in the country in which the candidate is currently working. In cases where the applicant is a Canadian Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) researcher based in Canada, the name and contact information of an international referee is not required. 

The Canada Excellence Research Chair program requires institutions to collect self-identification data from all applicants, in accordance with best practices. As part of McMaster’s efforts to fulfill our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusivity, all applicants will be required to submit a brief online survey as part of the application process. While completion and submission of the survey is mandatory, applicants may decline to answer any of the questions. Applicant self-identification information is confidential, and access is limited and restricted to designated individuals. For more information, please refer to the Applicant Diversity Survey – Statement of Collection. Should you have any further questions about the survey, please contact [email protected]. 

McMaster University recognizes that life circumstances such as illness, disability, family and community responsibilities (e.g., maternity leave, parental leave, leaves due to illness, leaves due to caring for family members, slowdowns due to chronic illness or disability, or COVID 19 impacts) are often an expected part of life and are likely to have an impact on a candidate’s record of research achievement. We encourage candidates to explain in their applications the impact that career interruptions or other issues may have had, as described under “Career Interruptions” in the CRC program’s Guidelines for ensuring a fair and transparent recruitment and nomination process. Further detail may be found under Guidelines for Assessing the Productivity of Nominees. These impacts will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process. 

Please note, a research security review of candidates being considered for nomination to the Canada Excellence Research Chairs program will be undertaken by McMaster University. Applicants are encouraged to refer to the Government of Canada’s safeguarding your research website for further information on the identification and mitigation of security risks. Moreover, candidates selected for nomination to the Canada Excellence Research Chairs program will be required to attest to their compliance with the Government of Canada’s policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern. 

Inquiries regarding this position may be directed to: Dr. James Dunn, Associate Dean Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, McMaster University, [email protected].  

 As noted in our Accessibility Policy, McMaster University is committed to fostering a culture of accessibility, eliminating barriers, and providing reasonable accommodations to ensure equal opportunities and access for individuals with disabilities. Applicants requiring accommodation to participate in the selection process are encouraged to contact Marie Davy at [email protected] and/or the Human Resources Service Centre at [email protected] or 905-525-9140 ext. 222-HR (22247) to communicate accommodation needs.