Employment opportunities

The Legacy for Airway Health Chair in Health Communication  |  Posted Feb 4, 2025

In collaboration, Simon Fraser University (SFU) and the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) seek applicants for The Legacy for Airway Health Chair in Health Communication. This full-time tenure-track opportunity in the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at SFU is intended for emerging scholars at the rank of assistant professor (or those who possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed at that level). The anticipated start date is September 1, 2025.

The Position

The primary focus of the Chair is research, education, and leadership in health risk communication on vulnerability and susceptibility to airways disease, including asthma and COPD, and its prevention. We seek a colleague to:

• engage in world-class research and education on this thematic focus, targeting resilience and adaptation to threats to lung health such as vaping/tobacco products, exposures in occupational, environmental and/or residential settings, climate change, infectious agents/pandemics, and mis/disinformation.
• establish a robust interdisciplinary, multi-method research program in one or more relevant areas including health risk communication, health literacy, and health promotion. Other foci consistent with the overall intent of the position will be considered.
• educate and equip the next generation of airway health researchers to become future leaders in health risk communication.
• adopt an integrated knowledge translation lens, rooted in strong collaboration with affected parties, to inform development and implementation of policy and practice on risk decision-making. 

The Successful Applicant

• Holds a PhD degree in a relevant field such as public health, epidemiology, environmental health, Indigenous health, information/data science, journalism, media studies, and/or health risk communication; or hold an MD degree with graduate-level training in a relevant field.
• Has attained or has the potential to attain national, and ultimately international, recognition as a leader in risk communication for airways health.

Read the full job description now for additional information about remuneration, candidate requirements, FHS, and SFU.

How to Apply

Please submit a single PDF containing:

• A cover letter.
• A full curriculum vitae that includes details of research and teaching, scholarly record, and funding.
• A brief statement of research plans for the next five years (two page maximum).
• A statement detailing teaching and mentorship interests, experience, and philosophy (one page maximum).
• The names and contact details of three academic references.

This package should be submitted electronically to fhs_recruit@sfu.ca with the subject “Chair in Health Communication.” Please indicate your legal status to work in Canada in your letter of application.

The search committee will review complete applications starting March 17, 2025 until the position is filled. Any general inquiries regarding this posting may be directed to the FHS Confidential Secretary, at fhssecy@sfu.ca.

Download the full job description now

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. This position is subject to approval by the SFU Board of Governors.

SFU recognizes that alternative career paths and/or career interruptions (e.g., parental leave, leave due to illness) can impact research achievements and commits to ensuring that leaves are taken into careful consideration. Candidates are encouraged to highlight in their application how alternative paths and/or interruptions have impacted their careers. SFU also recognizes the value of mentoring and research training, outreach, professional service, and non-traditional areas of research and/or research outputs; demonstrated experience in increasing diversity in the previous institutional environment, and in curriculum, is also an asset.

Full Professor Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (CRC) - Indigenous Health and Well-Being  |  Posted Jan 31, 2025

The Opportunity

The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) invites applications for full time tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Professor and a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Indigenous Health and Well-Being with an anticipated start date of October 1, 2026. This position is contingent upon the successful candidate receiving a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair prior to their appointment start date. This opportunity is open to applicants who do not hold a continuing faculty position at SFU. The applicant’s research area should primarily align with the mandate of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). However, applicants with research profiles aligned with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), or the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) as outlined in the Guidelines for Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency will also be considered if their research focus is on Indigenous health and well-being.

This CRC appointment opportunity is intended for outstanding researchers acknowledged by their peers as world leaders in Indigenous Health research. Applicants must hold a PhD (or equivalent) and be full Professors. Associate Professors who are expected to be promoted to the full professor rank within one or two years of the nomination may be considered for appointment at the Associate Professor rank.

Alternatively, if they come from outside the academic sector, applicants must possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed at these ranks. Since qualifications will vary, a conversation with Dr. John O’Neil, Search Committee Chair, is advised before applying (Please contact Pathways to set up an appointment: Applications@PathwaysExecutiveSearch.com). For more information about eligibility and requirements for appointment at each rank, please see SFUFA/SFU Collective Agreement Article 28 and the Faculty’s Tenure and Promotion Criteria. 

The Successful Applicant

We seek a scholar whose program of research integrates Indigenous perspectives and methodologies to better understand the determinants of Indigenous peoples’ health and well-being. The successful applicant will have established partnership/partnerships with Indigenous Nations, communities, and/or organizations, ideally in British Columbia (BC), but also in Canada and globally.

The ideal applicant will be expected to engage in research on Indigenous health and well-being in collaboration with local, national, and global partners. In BC there will be an opportunity to partner with the BC First Nations Health Authority (FNHA). FNHA is the health and wellness partner to over 200 diverse First Nations communities and citizens across BC, and has a Research Affiliation Agreement with SFU. The candidate will help FHS support and enforce reciprocal recognition and respectful relationships with Indigenous peoples and communities. A reduced teaching load (50%) will be provided during the term of the Tier 1 Chair, and the successful applicant will be expected to actively contribute to teaching in Indigenous health, as well as mentoring junior faculty, and supervising graduate students.

Read the full job description now for additional information about remuneration, candidate requirements, FHS, and SFU.

How to Apply

Applicants should provide: 

• A cover letter that addresses the full scope of the job requirements, including how you would contribute positively to SFU’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, and to which rank you are applying for;
• An up-to-date, full curriculum vitae (include details of research and teaching, scholarly record, funding, and list of collaborations/partnerships);
• Two examples of scholarly work (i.e., refereed published or alternative forms of knowledge mobilization);
• A teaching portfolio including a two-page statement of teaching philosophy and experience, including experience with and understanding of inclusive teaching and diverse student needs, as well as other evidence of teaching strengths;
• The names and email addresses of five (5) referees, two of whom should be able to discuss research and teaching capabilities. While academic references are preferred, we also encourage 1-2 references from Indigenous community partners, and
• Complete the Applicant Demographic Survey administered by the Equity Office. Candidates who do not complete the Applicant Demographic Survey will not be considered for this position.

SFU recognizes that alternative career paths and/or career interruptions (e.g. parental leave, leave due to illness) can impact research achievements and commits to ensuring that leaves are taken into careful consideration. Candidates are encouraged to highlight in their application how alternative paths and/or interruptions have had an impact on their career. SFU also recognizes the value of mentoring and research training, outreach, professional service, and nontraditional areas of research and/or research outputs; demonstrated experience in increasing diversity in the previous institutional environment, and in curriculum, is also an asset.

All applications should be submitted in a single PDF named "[Last name]-[First name]-Tier1-IndigenousHealth" to:

Ms. Laurie Sterritt
Managing Partner,
Pathways Executive Search

Email: Applications@PathwaysExecutiveSearch.com

Applications received by March 31, 2025 will be given full consideration. Applications received after this date may be considered until the position is filled. We are committed to ensuring that the application and interview process is accessible. If you require accommodations, please contact edi@sfu.ca. Any general inquiries regarding this posting may be directed to Ms. Laurie Sterritt as above.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority.

Download the full job description now