Canada Research Chair, Tier 2 on Neuromuscular Disease and Related Cardiac Disorders

The University of Ottawa invites applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in neuromuscular disease and related cardiac disorders. The successful candidate will hold a clinical non-tenure track position with the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Medicine, its affiliated hospital The Ottawa Hospital, and its affiliated research institute (The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute ; OHRI with the potential for other cross-appointments). The candidate will be a member of the Brain-Heart Interconnectome (BHI). The BHI is a ground-breaking interdisciplinary research program aimed at accelerating prevention, detection, treatment and care of interconnected brain/neuromuscular and heart disorders through research co-produced with patients and other knowledge users. The Chairholder will hold or will be eligible to hold a license to practice medicine with the College of Physician and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).

The ideal candidate will be an exceptional emerging researcher with expertise in neuromuscular disorders and related cardiovascular disease. This may include associated interventions for disease management, with either a focus on neurology and/or physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Potential areas of research may include (but not limited to):

• Shared neuromuscular and cardiac disease cellular mechanisms;
• Biomarker discovery in neuromuscular disease with cardiac phenotypes;
• Skeletal and cardiac muscle imaging;
• Exercise physiology in neuromuscular disease patients with cardiac involvement;
• Wearable technology, assistive devices and robotics in neuromuscular and cardiac disease;
• Joint models of care in neuromuscular and cardiac disease;
• Regenerative medicine for neuromuscular disease involving cardiac conditions.

The Ottawa Hospital is a 1150 bed tertiary-care hospital serving Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec at four inpatient sites (Civic, General, Heart Institute, and the Rehabilitation Centre) and one ambulatory centre (Riverside).  There are approximately 50,000 inpatient admissions, 160,000 emergency visits and over one million outpatient visits annually. Groundbreaking medical research is conducted through The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. We rank 5th in Canada for competitive, peer-reviewed grants from the prestigious Canadian Institutes of Health Research. There are over 2,300 researchers publishing more than 2,200 studies yearly, with hundreds being high-impact publications (top 10% or citations).

The Department of Medicine is a research-intensive Department. Members currently hold 25 University Research Chairs. The Department receives approximately $60 million per year in external research funding and members publish approximately 1200 peer-reviewed publications annually.

The Faculty of Medicine is a nationally recognized leader, ranked among Canada’s top-tier medical faculties. The Faculty ranks as the 5^th best medical doctoral university in Canada, and 3^rd in medical/science research grants (2025 MacLean’s). The University of Ottawa is the largest bilingual (English-French) university in the world and the first and largest bilingual medical school in Canada. The Faculty of Medicine has a long history of conducting the highest quality basic and clinical research, in close partnership with affiliated hospitals and research institutes. The Faculty is home to the Eric Poulin Centre for Neuromuscular Disease and University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Institute, bringing together basic scientists and clinicians from across the academic environments to focus on clinical, and translational research in neuromuscular conditions.

Located on the unceded territory of the Anishinaabe-Algonquin people, in the heart of the nation`s capital and in close proximity to 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 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 are not eligible to apply.

Skills requirements:

• Education: MD or MD-PhD; minimum one year of fellowship training in neuromuscular disorders.
• Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess significant neuromuscular-focused research experience with a demonstrated record of strong scientific achievement in their field. Evidence of excellence will include publications in leading, peer-reviewed journals, success in securing external funding (e.g., operating grants), presentations at major conferences, recognition through awards or distinctions, and a solid record with respect to teaching and training of students at the graduate level. Candidates must demonstrate the potential to develop an independent and impactful research program within an equitable and inclusive environment, as well as the ability to obtain external research funds. Additional contributions that enhance the visibility and advancement of the Department and University are also highly valued. The University of Ottawa and The Ottawa Hospital are bilingual institutions and therefore in the case of potentially successful candidates of equal ability, a bilingual (French/English) candidate would be preferred.

Rank and salary:  
Clinical non-tenure track appointment in the Faculty of Medicine Department of Medicine. Additional appointment within the relevant affiliated research institute will depend on area of expertise and partnership agreements. Academic rank will be at the Assistant or Associate level and commensurate with the career stage and track record of the successful candidate.

Location of work:  Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5

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 whom 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: April 4, 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: [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 February 4, 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.