Job Board

Job Description

At the intersection of innovative education, cutting-edge research, and community outreach lies Simon Fraser University, Canada’s engaged university. 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.

Simon Fraser University (SFU) is an institution whose strength is based on our shared commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion. Diversity is an underlying principle of our Strategic Vision, which pledges SFU to “foster a culture of inclusion and mutual respect, celebrating the diversity reflected among its students, faculty, staff and our community.” SFU has a long history of engaging with Indigenous communities and Indigenous issues, and is committed to ensuring no individual is denied access to employment opportunities for reasons unrelated to ability or qualifications. Consistent with this principle, SFU will advance the interests of underrepresented members of the work force, including Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, racialized persons and women; embrace gender and sexual diversity; ensure that equal opportunity is afforded to all who seek employment at the University; and treat all employees equitably.

Pursuant to Section 42 of the B.C. Human Rights Code, the selection for this position will be limited to candidates who self-identify as a Canadian Indigenous person (First Nations, Inuit or Metis) and will bring to their research and teaching a perspective that comes from the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples. Candidates must self-identify using the Applicant Demographic Survey in order to be considered for this position (https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/YM6VTY3)

Candidates who do not complete the Applicant Demographic Survey will not be considered for this position. The Faculty of Health Sciences will rely on the Tri-Agency Policy and Directive on Indigenous Citizenship and Membership Affirmation in selecting qualified candidates: https://www.canada.ca/en/research-coordinating-committee/programs/policies-directives/tri-agency-policy-indigenous-citizenship-membership-affirmation.html

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.

The Canada Research Chairs 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 through student supervision.

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 (https://www.sfu.ca/faculty-relations/collectiveagreement.html) and the Faculty’s Tenure and Promotion Criteria (https://www.sfu.ca/fhs/faculty-staff-resources/committees/standing-committees/tpc.html).”

Introduction to the Faculty of Health Sciences:

FHS is located on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples, including the səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations at the SFU Burnaby campus. Created in 2005 as a multidisciplinary, non-departmentalized Faculty, its mission is to improve the health of individuals and populations, and to reduce health inequities through excellence in interdisciplinary research and education, in partnership with local, national, and global communities. FHS is committed to social justice, respect for human dignity, and equity. The successful candidate will join a diverse and dynamic team of more than 50 multi-disciplinary faculty members, and will have the opportunity to engage with and teach outstanding students in the PhD, MSc, MPH, and BA/BSc programs.

This position will align with SFU’s goal of supporting the health and wellness of individuals, populations, and communities, and to respect and incorporate Indigenous perspectives and knowledge(s) into research at SFU, as described in the SFU Strategic Research Plan. The FHS academic plan has as its first aim regarding faculty renewal to hire and mentor Indigenous health scholars.

FHS has built a strong foundation in Indigenous health and wellbeing research with three outstanding Indigenous scholars (Dr. Jeff Reading, Dr. Lyana Patrick and Dr. Krista Stelkia). Dr. Reading is appointed to the First Nations Health Authority Chair in Heart Health and Wellness at St. Paul’s Hospital. Dr. Patrick (www.lyanapatrick.ca) is the holder of a prestigious Michael Smith Foundation Health Research BC Health Scholar award, and Dr. Stelkia is the Nominated Principal Investigator of the British Columbia Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research (BC NEIHR) and the Director of the Centre for Collaborative Action on Indigenous Health Governance (https://www.sfu.ca/ccaihg.html). FHS includes additional settler faculty working in Indigenous health and who have strong local networks in Indigenous communities, the First Nations Health Authority, and provincial, national, and international networks of Indigenous health researchers. (e.g., https://nuuchahnulth.org/ihelti/steering-committee).

The recipient of the proposed Tier 1 CRC position in Indigenous Health and Well-Being will have the opportunity to integrate themselves into this outstanding cluster of scholars and resources.

The Successful Candidate:

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.

CRC appointments use a two-step application process where candidates must first apply for the open faculty position at the university. SFU’s Institutional Strategic Awards Office will then work with the successful candidate to develop a complete nomination package to the CRC Secretariat.

Candidate Requirements:

The search committee acknowledges that no single applicant is likely to meet all of the following criteria in equal measure and interested candidates of all disciplinary backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The ideal candidate will be expected to demonstrate:

Experience:

• Strong, respectful, reciprocal relationships, and engagement with Indigenous peoples and communities;
• A network of colleagues and organizations engaged in collaborative efforts related to Indigenous knowledges and health;
• Capacity to build sustainable partnerships and secure external research grant funding;
• Success in working collaboratively with colleagues, students, and staff in academic, research, professional, and community contexts;
• Commitment to supporting research interests driven by Indigenous communities, in addition to their own individual professional achievements;
• Use of Indigenous methodologies;
• Contributions to knowledge exchange, integration, and mobilization with Indigenous communities related to Indigenous people’s right to self-determine their own health and wellness journeys; and

Interpersonal Skills:

• Ability to foster respectful and reciprocal relationships across disciplinary, cultural, and community differences, within academia, with external partners and in the province;
• Ability to cultivate a sense of respect, trust, and leadership among elders, knowledge keepers, research collaborators, community partners, faculty, staff, students, and trainees;
• Ability to communicate Indigenous and academic approaches to complex and sensitive issues in ways that promote dialogue, understanding, and the building of consensus within the academy, with Indigenous communities, and among wider audiences; and
• Ability to foster collaborative work environments that promote equity and diversity, including accessibility, in process, procedures and outputs.

Research & Collaborative Values:

• The highest standards of ethics and integrity, according to both academic and Indigenous traditions of right action and ethical relationality;
• A respectful and open approach informed by Indigenous values and traditions, and a commitment to the building and sharing of advanced knowledge in academic and public institutions honouring relational accountability;
• A willingness to think creatively and ability to innovate, including ongoing engagement with a diversity of approaches to knowledge creation; and
• Values diverse perspectives and continuous learning.

Teaching and mentorship:

• Knowledge and experience with Indigenous pedagogies;
• Incorporation of Indigenous ways of knowing, teaching, and learning into instructional and mentorship practice; and
• Commitment to decolonizing approaches to education and creating inclusive learning environments.

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 Professor is $149,225 – $196,027 and Associate Professor is $130,142 – $170,584 (dependent on experience), plus a CRC salary stipend to be negotiated, available only for the term of the CRC appointment.