Canada Excellence Research Chair Positions

Simon Fraser University

Simon Fraser University invites applications for Associate or Full Professor position(s) in multiple disciplines: https://www.sfu.ca/vpacademic/academic-careers/current-canada-research-chair-opportunities/canada-excellence-research-chairs--cerc--2026-competition.html

Date posted: May 28, 2025

Simon Fraser University (SFU), Canada’s engaged university, is a leading research university advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Designated Canada’s top comprehensive university in the 2025 Maclean’s University Rankings, SFU has ten faculties and 37,000 students. It is also home to Western Canada’s first new Medical School in 50 years, which will begin admitting students in 2026. SFU is one of Canada's fastest-growing research universities, with its sponsored research income reaching over $200 million in 2025.

With three campuses located in beautiful British Columbia’s largest municipalities—Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey—our students, faculty and staff are privileged to live, work, and play on the traditional unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), q̓íc̓əy̓ (Katzie), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), Qayqayt, Kwantlen, Semiahmoo and Tsawwassen Peoples. SFU is an equity employer and strongly encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, Indigenous Peoples, racialized persons, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, persons with disabilities, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of the university

THE OPPORTUNITY
SFU invites applications from world renowned researchers for the prestigious Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) 2026 Competition. The CERC program stands at the centre of a national strategy to foster research excellence in Canada and improve our depth of knowledge and quality of life, strengthen Canada's international competitiveness, and help train the next generation of highly skilled people. The program offers an avenue for Canadian institutions to recruit the best global talent and brand Canada as a location of choice for world-leading research. CERCs are one of the largest and most prestigious awards available globally, providing the world’s top researchers and their teams with awards valued at up to $8 million or $4 million over eight years to support their research programs and teams.

This program provides an opportunity for international researchers, including Canadian expatriates wishing to relocate to Canada, to lead a prestigious research program at SFU and to contribute to Canada’s excellence in research and innovation. Applicants must be full professors or associate professors expected to be promoted to full professor within one to two years of the nomination. Alternatively, if they come from outside the academic sector, applicants must possess the qualifications necessary to be appointed at these levels. This opportunity is only open to people who do not currently hold an SFU appointment.

The CERC program uses a two staged process where 1) interested applicants submit an application to this CERC position advertisement for an internal review and assessment process and then 2) the successful applicant(s) will prepare the required documents, including a proposed research program, to be nominated by SFU to the CERC program and undergo peer review. The nomination is expected to be submitted in March 2026. SFU will provide substantial support in the preparation and development of the program application including project management, budget planning, proposal development and editing. If successful, CERC awardees will also receive substantial support for their research programs and for administration of the grant.

In addition to the CERC nomination process, successful candidates will be appointed to a faculty position (Associate Professor or Professor) in an appropriate academic department/school/faculty at SFU, to start as early as Spring 2027. Procedures and processes have been established to permit non-Canadian chairholders, and in some cases members of the chair’s team, to work in Canada.
Applicants may also be considered for Canada Research Chairs and endowed chairs at SFU.


RESEARCH ALIGNMENT
SFU welcomes applications from outstanding established researchers in any area of SFU institutional strength, with particular emphasis on the following themes:

1. EQUITABLE HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE
The processes and structures that shape our health and social care systems need to be increasingly responsive to changing local and global circumstances. We are seeking ways to transform and reimagine health and social care to be more accessible, equitable, and responsive. SFU researchers tackle social inequities and improve health systems by bridging innovative thought, technological advancement, critical policy studies, and social change. Our researchers engage in global health, social policy, migration, and health equity studies, fostering wellbeing through community-driven, inclusive research.

This work includes partnerships with local, national and global communities, health system agencies, and non-governmental organizations, among others. Through innovation and collaboration, researchers are not only improving health but also shaping more just, resilient, and responsive social care for the future.

Research Areas of Interest: Population and Public Health, Health Equity, Social Policy Studies, Mental Health, Global Health, Critical Disability Studies, Health Policy and Governance, Community-Based and Culturally Responsive Care, Indigenous Health and Wellness, Primary Care

2. COMMUNITY-CENTRED CLIMATE INNOVATION
Climate change represents one of the greatest challenges of our time. While climate change is happening globally, its effects and the resources available to adapt and to mitigate future warming differ between communities. Climate innovation crosses disciplines, touching deep societal, health and justice issues as well as clean energy technologies, climate science, mathematical modelling, and environmentally-friendly solutions to protect crops and maintain healthy ecosystems. SFU ranks #1 in Canada and third in the world for its global impact on sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11) and climate action (SDG 13). Our researchers are exploring the intersection of marine biodiversity, climate change impacts, and ecosystem management to inform sustainable food production and sovereignty. SFU is performing research and development to decarbonize energy sources and promote the adoption of zero-emissions energy technologies. By integrating research-based, technological, financial, and policy-informed approaches while prioritizing community knowledge and leadership, SFU is committed to co-creating a sustainable future.

SFU’s approach includes developing innovations at the community and regional level, followed by sharing and scaling those approaches to make impacts globally by engaging with all levels of government, industry and community members.

Research Areas of Interest: Marine and Coastal Conservation, Agritech and Food Security, Cleantech and Hydrogen, Sustainable Energy, Climate Change and Resilience, Flood Science, Planetary Health, Indigenous and Two-Eyed Seeing Knowledges, Climate Adaptation, Financial Resilience, Climate and Disaster Modelling

3. FOUNDATIONS OF DIVERSE CULTURES, KNOWLEDGES, AND ORIGINS
Fundamental questions about the natural world, human societies, and cultures drive research that reshapes our understanding of the universe and our place within it. SFU researchers explore natural phenomena on multiple scales from the subatomic to the cosmic, from a single gene to a multi-celled organism, and from single entities to complex interacting systems. A fuller picture emerges when we examine the development and progression of our languages, cultures and knowledge systems. This includes examining the role of human creativity and criticality in the production of new knowledge and understanding. Community participation and diverse knowledge systems are central to pushing the boundaries of discovery into new frontiers

Advancing knowledge in these areas requires integrating diverse methodologies, including data-driven modeling, experimental techniques, qualitative analysis and storytelling. With more thorough insights into our complex world, both natural and cultural, we are better equipped to look forward, pushing the boundaries of discovery into new frontiers. Through interdisciplinary inquiry and community engagement, SFU scholars are deepening our understanding of the world.

Research Areas of Interest: Natural Sciences, Cultural and Social Systems, Archaeology, Decolonization, Educational Policy, Plurilingualism, Applied Linguistics, World Literatures

4. CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGIES
Technology shapes many aspects of life, from nanotechnology to satellite communication, transforming industries, education, health, and society. SFU researchers drive innovation at all levels—developing new materials, designing creative and interactive technologies, engineering future hardware platforms like quantum computers, and writing the algorithms that power machine learning, big data analytics, and predictive modeling. Beyond technological development, SFU’s researchers also explore the economic, environmental, and societal impacts of emerging technologies, ensuring responsible adoption and integration. This includes studying inequities in technology access and the processes that bring innovation “out of the lab” and into communities. SFU has a demonstrated commitment to advancing digital infrastructure through investments in key areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, next-generation communication technologies, and quantum computing.

By leveraging disruption and digital transformation, SFU researchers are accelerating Canada’s leadership in technological innovation, ensuring that emerging advancements create positive societal impact and inclusive economic growth.

Research Areas of Interest: Machine Learning, Quantum Technologies, Quantum Communications, Big Data Analysis, Artificial Intelligence, Business Analytics, Science and Technology Studies

5. ADVANCED BIOTECHNOLOGIES & HEALTH SECURITY
Biotechnology and health security are critical to addressing global health challenges, including emerging infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and other public health emergencies. Rapid advancements in diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics are essential for preventing spread and managing outbreaks, while innovations in genomics and molecular biology enhance our ability to understand and combat complex disease. Strengthening health security through cutting-edge research not only protects populations but also supports global stability, economic resilience, and sustainable health systems in an increasingly globalized world. Research at SFU spans fundamental molecular and cellular processes, genomics, and next-generation diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics. This includes diverse approaches to understanding infectious diseases—ranging from the molecular mechanisms of viral and bacterial pathogenesis to real-time surveillance, sequencing of circulating microbes, and the development of novel antibiotics and antivirals.

Through cutting-edge biotechnology and biomedical research, including advances in infectious disease prevention, diagnostics, RNA-based therapeutics, and pandemic preparedness, SFU researchers are shaping a more resilient and responsive future.

Research Areas of Interest: Experimental Biophysics, Synthetic Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Biology, Drug Design, Bioinformatics, Infectious Disease, RNA

Applications from any discipline are encouraged, even if they do not directly align with the themes listed above. For further information on areas of institutional strength, please see SFU’s 2023-2028 Strategic Research Plan (https://www.sfu.ca/research/strategic-research-plan/).

HOW TO APPLY
To apply, applicants should provide:
1. A cover letter that identifies:
a. The research theme (1 to 5, or other) the applicant’s research best aligns with
b. The applicant’s start-up funding, infrastructure, and space requirements (ex. for equipment and personnel)
c. If the applicant’s research falls under one of the areas identified in the Government of Canada’s Sensitive Technology Research Areas. (https://science.gc.ca/site/science/en/safeguarding-your-research/guidelines-and-tools-implement-research-security/sensitive-technology-research-and-affiliations-concern/sensitive-technology-research-areas)

2. A full curriculum vitae (including details of research and teaching, scholarly record, funding, collaborations/partnerships and leadership experience)
3. A one-page (maximum) statement of philosophy and experience promoting inclusive research and teaching environments for all, particularly for people historically, persistently or systemically marginalized

4. A five-page (maximum) statement that includes:
a. An overview of the applicant’s research, including knowledge mobilization and innovation activities
b. Potential to collaborate with other researchers at SFU, in British Columbia, and Canada
c. The innovativeness relative to the research field and the potential social and economic benefits of the research

5. The names and email addresses of 6 potential arm’s length referees who are prepared to submit a letter of recommendation
6. Complete the Applicant Demographic Survey

If the applicant already holds a full-time academic appointment at a Canadian institution, in addition to the above they must also submit:

1. A one-page (maximum) statement that provides a justification for moving to SFU from another Canadian institution
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 to:
Dr. Valorie Crooks
Associate Vice-President, Research
Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation
Simon Fraser University
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, BC, Canada, V5A 1S6
cerc@sfu.ca

Applications will be accepted until June 30, 2025. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. Any general inquiries regarding this posting may be directed to cerc@sfu.ca.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This Faculty position is contingent upon the nominee being awarded a CERC through the program’s peer review process. The position is also subject to the availability of funding and to final approval by the University Board of Governors and the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS). The CERC is tenable for eight years, subject to the chairholder fulfilling their reporting and mid-term evaluation requirements and is non-renewable. Full program details can be found on the program’s website (https://www.cerc.gc.ca/program-programme/competitions-concours/2026/index-eng.aspx).

Salary: Faculty salaries at SFU are based on the salary scales bargained between the University and the SFU Faculty Association. A reasonable estimate of the salary range for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of associate professor is $155,584 - $168,305 and for a faculty position at the rank of full professor is $181,027 - $196,292. In addition to base salary, academics in certain disciplines may be eligible to receive a market differential. For more information about SFU’s requirements for appointment at each rank, please see SFUFA/SFU Collective Agreement, Article 28 (https://www.sfu.ca/faculty-relations/collectiveagreement.html).

Successful CERC nominees may also receive a salary stipend and a reduced teaching load.

Benefits: SFU offers several benefits and services aimed at creating a more inclusive and accessible campus community for faculty; please see the Faculty Relations, Benefits and Service page for more details. SFU is also committed to ensuring that the application and interview process is accessible to all applicants. If you have questions about SFU benefits, services, accommodations policies, please contact a Faculty Relations Advisor.

Accessibility: SFU is committed to ensuring that the application and interview process is accessible to all applicants. For equity considerations, please contact Suman Jiwani, Director Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the SFU Equity Office at edi@sfu.ca.

Personal information that forms part of an application is collected under the general authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, applicable University Policies, and the SFUFA/SFU Collective Agreement. For further details see the full Collection Notice.