Call for applications: Canada Excellence Research Chairs – Marine Science

The Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER) of the Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR), a multidisciplinary research center in oceanography, invites applications from exceptional researchers to apply to the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program.

The selected candidate will have to set up and lead a cutting-edge research program in the field of marine mammals aiming to understand, evaluate and predict the cumulative effects of multiple stress factors on the marine mammal populations and their health, which is a new research field to be developed at ISMER–UQAR.

The selected candidate will have to design and submit a bold research program, as well as demonstrate leadership in international collaboration, interdisciplinary research, and recruitment and training of highly qualified personnel (postgraduate students and research professionals). The position will be offered following a positive result from the Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) competition for the proposed research program. The person will have a budget of 1 000 000 $/year during 8 years for his/her salary, salaries of his/her assistants, and the expenses of his/her research program. The candidate is eligible and will be expected to apply to the John R. Evans Leaders Fund of the Canada Foundation for Innovation for acquiring research instruments.

The CERC Program impose no restrictions to candidate regarding nationality or country of residence. The government of Canada has established procedures to allow non-Canadian chairholders to work in Canada. Members of the Chair’s team may also be eligible for an expedited work permit. 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 and the net benefit to the country in moving the researcher from one Canadian institution to another must be demonstrated.

UQAR fully subscribes to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion regarding access to employment, especially for people from the designated groups, which are women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, and LGBTQ2+ and in this regard UQAR particularly encourages these peoples to apply for this competition. People from these groups are invited to self-identify when submitting their application. In addition, the selection tools can be adapted according to the needs of people with disabilities who request it, in complete confidentiality, contacting Anne-Marie Ouellet, equity advisor : anne-marie_ouellet2@uqar.ca. The selection process will be carried out with the institution’s equity officer. Moreover, each member of the search committee will have been trained on unconscious bias in hiring processes, must agree to respect the EDI principles, and declare any real of apparent conflict of interest.

UQAR also recognizes the effects that career interruptions and the traditional conception of excellence can have on the assessment of the candidate’s research achievements. If applicable, the candidate is invited to explain in his/her application the impact that a career interruption has or could have on the evaluation on his/her record of achievements according to the traditional criteria of excellence. This information will be treated confidentially.

For more information about the Université du Québec à Rimouski, the Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, and the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program, visit the websites uqar.ca, ismer.ca et cerc.qc.ca.

Position conditional on obtaining a CERC Chair

• • Diploma and discipline of diploma: PhD in oceanography; PhD in ecology, zoology of biology with a thesis in marine ecology; or PhD in a related discipline
  • Specialization domain: Marine mammals
  • Preferred areas of research:   Climate changes;
  • Anthropogenic pressures;
  • Adaptation;
  • Resilience of populations and ecosystems.      

Application process

Candidates interested in this position must submit an application file with the following items:

• • A motivation letter explaining how the application meets the selection criteria of the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program;
  • A CV including the research and student training experiences;
  • 1 to 2 pages presenting the highlights of their professional, academic, and research career;
  • Copy of three most significant publications;
  • A document presenting an original research program in the domain targeted by this call;
  • Names and contact details of three reference persons.

Candidates interested in this position are invited to submit their application before April 21, 2022 to :

Président de l’Assemblée institutionnelle

Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER)

Université du Québec à Rimouski

310, allée des Ursulines, Rimouski (Québec), G5L 3A1, CANADA

by email: presid-assemblee_ismer@uqar.ca

All qualified individuals are welcome to apply. We subscribe to equal access program for women, people with disabilities, members of visible minorities and ethnic minorities and Indigenous peoples.

All applications will be treated confidentially. We will only contact those selected for an interview.