Canada Excellence Research Chair Opportunity in Chemistry and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Posted on May 5th 2022.

The University of British Columbia (UBC) Vancouver campus, is recruiting an outstanding researcher to be nominated for the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Innovative Synthetic Methods for Medicinal Chemistry. The CERC program, Canada’s highest research chair appointment, is designed to attract and support world-renowned researchers and their teams to Canada. 

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world and is a renowned global centre for teaching, learning and research.  Since 1915, UBC has been opening doors of opportunity for people with the curiosity, drive and vision to shape a better world. Today, our students, faculty and staff come from around the world and our international research partnerships and publications help us collaborate on a global scale. UBC is proud to nurture and transform the lives of more than 65,000 students from Canada and 140+ countries around the world.

UBC Vancouver is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) People.

The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Innovative Synthetic Methods for Medicinal Chemistry provides a unique opportunity for a researcher focused on development of new synthetic chemistry for application in medical and health-related areas to engage with an extraordinary group of interdisciplinary colleagues in shaping the future.  Synthetic methods to advance human health are a priority area for both the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The Chairholder will be cross-appointed between the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Medicine, and will be in a leadership position to bring new opportunities for promoting interdisciplinary collaborations at UBC.

The successful applicant will be nominated for a Canada Excellence Research Chair.  The CERC nomination is subject to review and final approval by the CERC Secretariat.  The CERC award, if successful, will be for $1 million per year for eight years.

As a faculty member and CERC chair holder, the successful candidate will be expected to lead a strong, externally-funded research program, supervise postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, collaborate with other faculty members within the institution and beyond, teach undergraduate and graduate students and actively participate in service to the Department, University, and national and international academic/scientific community.   

In addition to the above, candidates must 

• have a PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline  
• be internationally recognized leaders of an interdisciplinary research program with at least 10 years of internationally competitive research experience in synthetic methods applied to medicinal chemistry 
• have demonstrated leadership in research and teaching that is creative, innovative, and collaboration-based

CERC holders will have strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion and a commitment to creating a welcoming community where those who are historically, persistently, or systemically marginalized are treated equitably, feel respected, and belong.  UBC recognizes that inclusion is built by individual and institutional responsibility through continuous engagement with diversity to inspire people, ideas, and actions for a better world. As Canada’s highest research chair appointees, UBC CERCs will have a unique and profound impact on our commitments to these values.

It is expected that the successful candidate will qualify for a full-time appointment at the rank of professor, or associate professor and expected to be promoted to full professor within one or two years of the nomination.  Nominees from outside the academic sector must possess the qualifications necessary to be appointed at these levels.  The anticipated start date will be July 1, 2023. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience and is subject to final budgetary approval.  Competitive start-up packages, relocation, housing assistance and infrastructure development funds will be provided. 

The successful applicant will be nominated for a Canada Excellence Research Chair. The CERC nomination is subject to review and final approval by the CERC Secretariat.

Program nominees are not restricted by their nationality or their country of residence.  Non-Canadian Chairholders may work in Canada under the procedures by Employment and Social Development Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. In some cases, a work permit may be expedited.

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. 

UBC is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive, non-discriminatory and accessible work environment for all members of its workforce. UBC is also committed to ensuring that the application and interview process is accessible to all applicants.  If you require accommodations or have questions about UBC benefits, services or accommodations policies, please contact Sue Lebrun at sue.lebrun@ubc.ca in Workplace Health Services.

UBC recognizes the legitimate impact that leaves (e.g., parental leaves, illness or disability, COVID-19 impacts) can have on research achievement and commits to ensuring that leaves are taken into careful consideration. Candidates are encouraged to highlight in their application how interruptions have had an impact on their career.

To apply: Interested candidates must apply by sending complete applications to chemsearch@chem.ubc.ca. Complete applications will include a detailed curriculum vitae, a research statement, an equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) statement, and the names and contact information of three references.  As part of the application process, applicants will be asked to complete a voluntary employment equity survey. 

Review of applications will begin on May 31, 2022.