Assistant Professor - Emerging Leader in Arctic governance, Indigenous leadership, community resilience, or related fields
Job Type:
Academic RegularFaculty/Department:
Faculty of Social Sciences_FTThe University of Ottawa (uOttawa) invites applications for a tenure-track Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader position in Arctic governance, Indigenous leadership, community resilience, or related fields, aligned with the Government of Canada strategic priority area of environment, climate resilience and the Arctic. This position is associated with the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Arctic Governance and Community Resilience in the Faculty of Social Sciences, as part of the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada Program (formerly Canada Impact+ Research Chairs Program).
The Arctic is undergoing profound environmental, geopolitical, and societal change, creating an urgent need for innovative governance approaches. The University of Ottawa (uOttawa) invites applications for a tenure-track Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader position from scholars working in Arctic governance, Indigenous leadership, community resilience, or related fields. The position is associated with the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Arctic Governance and Community Resilience under the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs Program and aligns with the Government of Canada's strategic priority area of environment, climate resilience, and the Arctic.
The Faculties of Social Sciences and Arts seek an emerging scholar whose expertise strengthens and expands the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair's research program. The appointee will contribute to interdisciplinary scholarship that integrates diverse knowledge systems, governance approaches, and collaborative research methods. Working in partnership with Indigenous and northern organizations and communities as well as a network of international partners, they will co-develop innovative governance solutions to complex Arctic challenges. This work will advance Indigenous leadership, strengthen community resilience, and inform decision-making across local, regional, national, and international scales.
The successful candidate will join the uOttawa Arctic Hub, an interdisciplinary initiative connecting researchers from across the university with Indigenous organizations, governments, northern communities, and international partners. The Hub provides an exceptional environment for partnership-based research, policy engagement, and knowledge mobilization in support of evidence-informed decision-making and meaningful societal impact.
Preference will be given to candidates with demonstrated experience translating scholarship into policy and practice through partnerships with Indigenous organizations, governments, communities, and other societal partners. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a commitment to collaborative, interdisciplinary, and partnership-based research with tangible societal impact, and the ability to bridge diverse knowledge systems in addressing complex Arctic challenges.
uOttawa is ranked fifth in research intensity in 2025 and is renowned for pioneering discoveries across multiple disciplines. Several of our research centers and institutes rank among the top 100 globally, including the top six in Canada.
Located in Canada’s vibrant capital, uOttawa, proud to be the world’s largest bilingual (English and French) university, is minutes away from federal and other government institutions, several national agencies, embassies, international organizations, and connected to the thriving high-tech sector. We are committed to building partnerships across Canada and internationally and fostering innovation and knowledge mobilization in areas of significant social and economic impact.
About the Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders Program
The Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada Program is a very prestigious, one-time initiative designed to support universities in attracting world-leading researchers whose work addresses critical national and global challenges. The program also includes Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders awards, a $120M investment to help institutions recruit internationally based early career researchers to Canada.
The Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders award provides $100,000 per year over six years, with the possibility of a six-year funded extension at the same yearly amount, subject to program conditions.
The Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader must be recruited within the same strategic priority area as the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairholder, but the early career researcher (ECR) and the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairholder don't necessarily need to be in the same discipline or research field or be aligned with the same federal research funding agency.
The ECR nominees are expected to have an independent program of research, with potential for impact through collaborations with, but not limited to, the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairholders. Institutions may include support for the ECR in their research infrastructure request to the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) through the Impact+ Research Infrastructure fund associated with the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair.
*Note: An early career researcher is a researcher within five years from the date of their first research-related appointment, minus eligible delays in research, where:
research-related appointments are defined as those where the individual has the autonomy to conduct research independently; and
all eligible leaves (e.g., maternity, parental, medical, bereavement) are credited as twice the amount of time taken, and professional leaves (e.g., training, sabbatical, administrative) are not credited.
Eligibility of Candidates:
Only candidates who are internationally based (both working and residing outside of Canada) when the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair is accepted are eligible. Candidates who are at uOttawa or are based in Canada are not eligible to apply for this position as stipulated by the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada Program. Candidates must also meet the program’s early career researcher eligibility requirements.
The successful candidate will be expected to begin their full-time tenure-track appointment at uOttawa by July 3, 2027.
Skills requirements:
Education: Ph.D (please note that this is a requirement from the institution, and not the program).
Required Qualifications: superior research achievements in the Impact+ Emerging Leader research area and the relevant Government of Canada strategic priority area; evidence of interdisciplinary collaborations, a solid record with respect to teaching and training of students at the graduate level, the ability to obtain external research funds. Excellent communication skills in either English or French. Active knowledge of one’s second Official Language (French or English) is a requirement for tenure. English-French bilingualism at the time of appointment is an asset.
Application Package:
A cover letter (1-2 pages) highlighting the candidate’s research theme and how it fits with the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada Program and the Government of Canada’s strategic priority areas, how it aligns with uOttawa’s Strategic Areas of Research and research strengths, and the candidate’s qualifications and interest in being considered for a Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader position at uOttawa.
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);
Potential for knowledge translation and mobilization (1 page) to include:
How the research results could be shared and applied in practices, products and/or services, and how tangible economic or societal benefits for Canada and Canadians will be generated.
Outline the proposed engagement mechanisms, target users, and potential partnerships such as private and public sectors, national and international research institutions, philanthropic organizations and Indigenous communities (if applicable).
A statement of teaching interests (1 to 2 pages);
A statement on equity, diversity, and inclusion philosophy and concrete practices (1 page);
The names and contact information of three people who may be contacted by the University for letters of reference (i.e. one arm’s length and two who are not affiliated to uOttawa unless they are the candidate’s PhD or postdoctoral supervisor);
Self-identification: Complete the confidential Employment Equity questionnaire online during the application process. Further information about the collection of self-identification information can be found in the guidelines on “Creating an Equitable, Diverse and Inclusive Research Environment: A Best Practices Guide for Recruitment, Hiring and Retention”.
Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion:
Located on the ancestral land of the Algonquin people, uOttawa 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 individuals from all underrepresented, equity-seeking, rights-seeking populations, including Indigenous peoples, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, women and individuals from LGBTQ2+ communities, 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.
Duties: Academic staff functions include, in varying proportions: teaching; scholarly activities such as research, artistic or literary creation, or professional work; academic service; and graduate student supervision.
Rank and salary: New tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor. The starting salary for an Assistant Professor is $99,377 (according to the scale in effect as of May 1, 2025).
Benefits package: The University of Ottawa provides a complete benefits package, which includes long-term disability insurance, basic group life insurance, health insurance, the University of Ottawa pension plan and optional life insurance, as well as reimbursement of eligible relocation expenses.
Location of work: Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5.
Deadline: October 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 August 28, 2026, modified on September 4.
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 to Stéfanie Bergès-Lalonde at the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty Relations, by using the following email address: [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.
Skills Required
- Ph.D.
- Superior research achievements in Arctic governance, Indigenous leadership, community resilience, or a related field aligned with the strategic priority area.
- Evidence of interdisciplinary collaborations.
- Solid record of teaching and training graduate students.
- Ability to obtain external research funding.
- Excellent communication skills in English or French.
- Passive or active knowledge of the second official language, English or French, for tenure.
- Must be internationally based, working and residing outside Canada, when the research chair is accepted.
- Must meet Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader early-career researcher eligibility requirements.
- Ability to begin a full-time tenure-track appointment by July 3, 2027.
University of Ottawa Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about University of Ottawa and has not been reviewed or approved by University of Ottawa.
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Retirement Support — A contributory defined‑benefit pension (UOPP) provides formula‑based lifetime income using best‑average earnings and years of service, with cost‑of‑living adjustments noted in plan materials. The university positions the plan as one of the top DB offerings in Ontario and publishes regular summaries and reports.
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Healthcare Strength — Eligible full‑time employees typically receive extended health and basic dental, life insurance, long‑term disability, and a health‑care spending account, complemented by an EFAP and 24/7 telemedicine. Coverage is designed to complement provincial plans, with UHIP bridging for newcomers not yet eligible for OHIP.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Paid statutory holidays, a university‑wide winter closure, vacation that increases with service, and reduced summer hours are highlighted as part of the package. Academic leaves such as sabbaticals are also outlined for faculty in their collective agreements.
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