Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Addictions and Mental Health

Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Addictions and Mental Health
Arts, Psychology
Posted: March 7, 2024
Deadline to Apply: Monday, April 8, 2024

Located in downtown Toronto, the largest and most culturally diverse city in Canada, and on the territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Mississaugas of the Credit and the Wendat Peoples, the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Arts at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) invites applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Addictions and Mental Health.

The Canada Research Chairs program is a federally-funded program that seeks to achieve excellence by attracting and retaining the most accomplished and promising researchers. The Tier 2 CRC is intended for exceptional emerging scholars, i.e., candidates must have been active researchers in their field for fewer than 10 years at the time of nomination. Further details on the CRC eligibility criteria can be found here.

In collaboration with Toronto Metropolitan University, the successful candidate will develop the CRC application for the October 2024 submission. The candidate will be appointed to a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor, conditional upon the success of the CRC application, effective July 1, 2025. The CRC appointment is tenable for 5 years and renewable once. The appointment is subject to final budgetary approval. All nominations are subject to review and final approval by the CRC Secretariat.

The successful candidate will have a program of research in an area related to addictions and mental health. The Chair will demonstrate a commitment to generating knowledge that informs translatable, evidence-based solutions to one of Canada’s (and the world’s) most urgent public health problems. This CRC will also catalyze the Toronto Metropolitan University Strategic Research Plan (2020-25) thematic priority of health and wellbeing. The CRC will have established (or have the potential to establish) strong local, national and international community and academic partnerships, and work with this network to further their research program and knowledge translation efforts. They will engage in a combination of research, teaching, mentorship and service duties, and maintain an inclusive, equitable, and collegial work environment across all activities.

Qualifications
Candidates must have a PhD or a terminal degree in psychology or a related discipline. Nominees for Tier 2 Chair positions should, at a minimum, be Assistant or Associate Professors, or possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed to these ranks.

Candidates must also:

be excellent emerging world-class researchers who have demonstrated particular research creativity, in accordance with the CRC program guidelines;
have demonstrated the potential to achieve international recognition in their field(s) in the next 5 to 10 years, in accordance with the CRC Program guidelines;
as chairholders, have the potential to attract, develop and retain excellent trainees, students and future researchers, in accordance with the CRC Program guidelines;
propose an original, innovative research program of high quality, in accordance with CRC program guidelines;
demonstrate scholarly expertise in addictions and mental health;
present evidence of an original, innovative program of research of the highest quality;
have established a strong research profile that demonstrates evidence of impact, such as peer-reviewed publications/contributions, special papers, reviews, conference/symposia proceedings and abstracts, government publications and policy contributions, patents, book reviews by the nominee or published reviews of their work, papers presented at scholarly meetings or conferences, and other forms of scholarly expression, including participation in public discourse and debate and other publications;
demonstrate a record of establishing successful research collaborations;
be capable of establishing an independent, highly productive program of research that will attract high levels of external funding, including Tri-Council funding;
demonstrate a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion in leadership, teaching and research, including recruiting, mentoring and supporting students and research trainees from underrepresented groups such as women, racialized people, persons with disabilities, Indigenous people, and 2SLGBTQ+ people;
demonstrate the capacity and commitment to teach students with diverse backgrounds and experiences;
demonstrate the potential to contribute to inclusive and accessible learning, course development and pedagogy; and
demonstrate the ability to participate in leadership activities in collegial internal and external service.

The successful candidate will engage in a combination of research, supervision, teaching, and service duties. Specifically, these include contributing to our undergraduate (BA) and graduate (MA/PhD) programs through teaching and student supervision; establishing and maintaining a strong, independent, and externally-funded research program; and engaging in the academic life of the Department, the Faculty, and the University.

TMU recognizes that scholars have varying career paths and that career interruptions can be part of an excellent academic record. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions to allow for a fair assessment of their application. Search committee members have been instructed to give careful consideration to diverse experiences and knowledges, and to be sensitive to the impact of career interruptions in their assessments.

Applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree (and where career breaks exist, such as pregnancy, parental or extended medical leave, clinical training, etc.) may have their eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair assessed through the program’s Tier 2 justification process.

All eligible leaves (e.g., pregnancy, parental, medical, bereavement) are credited at twice the amount of time taken; part-time leaves will be taken into consideration, calculated according to the percentage of leave taken, and credited at twice the amount of time taken; professional leaves (e.g., sabbatical) are not credited, but certain training or administrative leaves may be considered. Other leaves that have had an impact on the nominee’s research career may be taken into account (e.g., mandatory military service, non-research-related positions, unemployment and training unrelated to the research career). This information must be supported by the information contained in the nominee’s CV. Research interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., closures) are recognized and may be counted as an eligible delay (credited at twice the amount of time) beginning March 1, 2020.

To inquire about CRC eligibility, please contact Dayle Levine, Director, Institutional Projects, Office of Vice-President, Research and Innovation by sending an email to [email protected] with “Tier 2 Justification” in the subject line.

This position falls under the jurisdiction of the Toronto Metropolitan Faculty Association (TFA) [www.tfanet.ca]. Visit us at www.torontomu.ca/faculty-affairs to view the TFA collective agreement and a summary of TFA benefits.

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)
Serving a highly diverse student population of over 45,000, with 100+ undergraduate and graduate programs built on the integration of theoretical and practical learning and distinguished by a professionally focused curriculum with a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research and creative activities, TMU is a vibrant, urban university known for its culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement and city-building through its award-winning architecture.

Department of Psychology
The Department of Psychology has undergone extraordinary growth and diversification over the past 15 years, and currently includes 41 full time faculty members, over 100 graduate (MA/ PhD) students, and an undergraduate (BA) program with over 1000 students. The Department prides itself on the excellence of its research and on the quality of its teaching, training, and supervision. The successful applicant would join a vibrant and collaborative community of colleagues working in areas related to mental health and addictions, as well as all other core areas of psychology. These include a Tier 1 CRC and Tier 2 CRC.

Working at Toronto Metropolitan University
At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. At TMU and within our department/school, we firmly believe that equity, diversity and inclusion are integral to this path; our current Academic Plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.

Dedicated to a people first culture, TMU is proud to rank number one on the Forbes list of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity.

We invite you to explore the range of benefits and supports available to faculty, including access to our diverse faculty and staff networks.

Visit us on X at @torontomet, @VPFAtorontomet and @TorontoMetHR, and our LinkedIn page.

TMU is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. To find out more about legal and policy obligations please visit the Accessibility and Human Rights websites.

Toronto Metropolitan University welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada, we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, Black-identified persons, other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

How to Apply
Applicants must submit their application online via the Faculty Recruitment Portal [https://hr.cf.torontomu.ca/ams/faculty/] by clicking on “Start Application Process” to begin. Applications should be received by 4 pm on April 8, 2024 to be considered. The application must contain the following:

a letter of application that includes your interest in the position; what you would bring to the Department and Faculty; the impact on the field of Addictions and Mental Health that you foresee for your research (the 3-page research statement can elaborate on this); and what makes you a strong candidate overall as a researcher, educator, and community member;
a current curriculum vitae providing a clear sense of your scholarly and professional development via your education and your research activities and outcomes;
a research statement discussing the significance, originality, and potential impacts of their current research program (up to 3 pages) and a research proposal for the first term of your CRC research program (up to 3 pages);
recent examples of research activities and outcomes, including but not limited to: peer-reviewed and other publications, conference presentations, public talks, articles reaching specialist and non-specialist audiences, effective use of social media for research impact and networking, knowledge dissemination and translation;
a teaching statement (up to 3 pages) and a dossier of syllabi and other evidence, if available;
a statement discussing a record of demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, including your record of attracting and mentoring a diverse group of students, trainees, and research personnel, and establishing an equitable and inclusive research environment. This should include a plan for establishing and maintaining a diverse core team (at the student, trainee, personnel and early-career researcher levels), and an environment that is safe and inclusive and allows all team members to reach their full research potential (e.g., through the recruitment and outreach strategy, equitable training opportunities, and professional development and mentoring); and
the names and email contact information of three academic referees who know you and your research well. Reference letters are not required at this stage.

Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority, in accordance with Canadian immigration regulations.

As part of its efforts to amend the conditions of disadvantage in Canada for under-represented groups, and the under-representation of equity seeking groups in faculty and staff, TMU invites all applicants to voluntarily complete an online Diversity Self-ID questionnaire at the time of submitting their application in the recruitment portal.

The information collected will be treated as confidential but will not be anonymous. Applicant Diversity Data containing personal information is accessible by Toronto Metropolitan University staff in the Office of the Vice Provost Faculty Affairs, individuals serving on the Department Hiring Committee, and others involved in recruitment, hiring, retention, training, and evaluative processes.

This information is collected under the authority of Toronto Metropolitan University Act and is needed to establish equity, diversity and inclusion goals and plans, take action to achieve those goals, report on progress, and for other related purposes. All personal information that is collected is used, stored, and destroyed in accordance with Toronto Metropolitan University’s Notice of Collection and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

If you have questions about the collection, use and disclosure of this information by Toronto Metropolitan University, please contact the Director, Faculty Recruitment and Development at [email protected].

Contacts
Any confidential inquiries about the opportunity can be directed to the Department Hiring Committee (DHC) Chair, Dr. Martin M. Antony ([email protected])

For more information about the CRC nomination process at TMU, please contact Julia Pyryeskina, Research Proposal Facilitator (CRC Portfolio), at ([email protected]) or Dayle Levine, Director, Institutional Projects, ([email protected]) in the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

Candidates who belong to one or more of the equity-deserving groups recognized at TMU (women, racialized people, First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) Peoples, persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+ people) are welcome to connect with Debbie Thompson ([email protected]), Executive Director, Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion [www.torontomu.ca/equity]

Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about working at Toronto Metropolitan University are welcome to contact Hayden King ([email protected]), Advisor to the Dean of Arts, Indigenous Education. They may also contact James Mckay, TMU’s Indigenous Human Resources Lead ([email protected])

For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process and/or inquiries regarding accessing the Recruitment Portal, please contact [email protected].

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