Canada Research Chairs at Unity Health Toronto
The Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program offers Canadian universities the opportunity to nominate researchers for senior professorships in areas that will further the institution’s overall research priorities.
The Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program offers Canadian universities the opportunity to nominate researchers for senior professorships in areas that will further the institution’s overall research priorities. Each university receives an allocation of Chairs which is proportional to the amount of recent funding the institution has received from the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) and the institution nominates a researcher for each Chair. The institution uses Chair nominations for external recruitment or internal retention of exceptional researchers who have demonstrated research excellence and leadership and whose work is aligned with the institutional strategic priorities.
There are two levels of Chairs.
Tier I Chairs are outstanding researchers acknowledged by their peers as world leaders in their fields. This type of Chair is awarded for a seven-year period and may be renewed at the discretion of the University.
Tier II Chairs are exceptional emerging researchers acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to become world leaders in their fields. Tier II Chairs are awarded for five years and may be renewed once at the discretion of the University.
See the Canada Research Chairs program statistics here.
The University of Toronto’s CRC program is administered by the University in partnership with nine affiliated hospitals in the Toronto Academic Health Sciences Network (TAHSN).
This website complements the information provided on the University’s website and provides information specific to Unity Health Toronto, including postings for available CRC opportunities at Unity Health Toronto.
Equity, Diversity, and Excellence
Unity Health Toronto is developing an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (EDIAP) for the CRC program (link coming soon). The Unity’s EDIAP guides our efforts to sustain the participation of underrepresented individuals from the four federally designated groups (FDGs) – women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and racialized persons – as well as members of sexual minority groups among our chair allocations.
The Unity Health Toronto EDIAP will align with the University of Toronto Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan and its TAHSN partners. Unity Health Toronto will work closely with the University of Toronto on implementing the plan’s objectives. For more information, please review the CRC website to learn more about the Federal program’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Requirements and Practices that aim to increase transparency within the program and which also requires firm targets to increase nationally the number of chair holders from the four designated groups as defined by the CRC program.
Statement of Equity, Diversity and Excellence
Unity Health Toronto is committed to creating a workplace culture where everyone feels valued and welcome to be themselves, and where they are empowered to share different perspectives to inspire creativity and innovation. Unity Health Toronto encourages applications from qualified candidates, and we especially welcome applicants who are Indigenous, Black or Racialized, persons with disabilities, people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, and all others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.
Addendum to 2006 Canadian Human Rights Settlement Agreement
In 2006 a Canadian Human Rights Settlement Agreement was reached between the Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP) and eight academics who filed complaints with the Canadian Human Rights Commission in 2003. In 2019, an addendum to the agreement was reached between the CRCP and the equity seeking plaintiffs, which outlines the new terms of the revised agreement. These new terms were developed collaboratively between the parties and update the original settlement agreement to align with best practices. They build on the CRCP’s current EDI measures and ensure that the objective of attracting and retaining a diverse cadre of world-class researchers at Canadian postsecondary institutions to reinforce excellence in research and training is achieved. See the addendum here.
Administration of Canada Research Chairs
Unity Health Toronto follows the Federal program’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Practices and CRC guidelines for ensuring a fair and transparent recruitment and nomination process. Oversight of the CRC program resides in the portfolio of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation (VPRI) who works closely with the leadership at the University of Toronto.
For each CRC opportunity at Unity Health Toronto, the VPRI will establish a Selection Committee that meets CRC’s guidelines and will openly advertise the position. The Committee will review candidates against established criteria based closely on CRC’s evaluation criteria and make recommendations to the VPRI, who will make the final decision in collaboration with the Research Leadership Committee and the University (see Guide to Nomination and Renewals for Selection Committees).
Scientist III/IV CIHR Tier 1 in Inflammation and Fibrosis
Posted on June 10th, 2026
Deadline: July 16, 2026
Unity Health Toronto (Unity Health) invites applications for a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (CRC) position to support a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)-eligible research program in the areas of inflammation and fibrosis. Research activities must align with one or more of the four pillars of world-class research and innovation established in our Research Strategic Plan 2021-2026. This CRC position is open only to individuals external to Unity Health.
Tier 1 Canada Research Chairs are tenable for seven years and renewable once. To meet the criteria of the program, the nominee must
be outstanding and innovative world-class researchers whose accomplishments have made a major impact in their fields;
be recognized internationally as leaders in their fields;
have superior records of attracting and supervising graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (taking into account different practices in the relevant field or discipline) and, as chairholders, be expected to attract, develop and retain excellent trainees, students and future researchers; and
be proposing an original, innovative research program of the highest quality.
Nominees for Tier 1 Chair positions must be full professors or associate professors who are expected to be promoted to the full professor level within one or two years of the nomination. Alternatively, if the candidate has been working outside the academic sector, nominees must possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed at these levels.
In cases where the nominee has non-research commitments at Unity Health and/or at the University level (e.g. clinical or administrative), these commitments should be limited to allow the nominee to undertake their program of research at the level expected of a CRC holder. In addition, the nominee should not currently hold another major salary award, or the award should end before January 2024. Further information about the Canada Research Chairs Program is on the Government of Canada's CRC website.
In order to address the underrepresentation of members of the four designated groups (women/gender minorities, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities, and Indigenous peoples) in the CRC Program (as identified by the Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat), all institutions are required to meet equity targets by 2029. In order to meet and maintain these targets, this call is only open to individuals who self-identify in one of the four designated groups1. This initiative follows the provisions for special programs as described by the Ontario Human Rights Commission. The identification of outstanding candidates from these designated groups supports Unity Health Toronto’s commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion as a core value outlined with our Research Strategic Plan: 2021-2026, as well as the institutional capacity to fulfill the objectives of our Canada Research Chairs Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan.
Qualifications
*This position will be filled as either a Scientist III or Scientist IV based on an internal assessment process, focusing on the candidate’s demonstrated skill sets, academic experience, research impact and productivity along with the position’s specific requirements.
Scientist III
Academic Rank / Education: Minimum Associate Professor but Full Professor preferred MD, PhD or equivalent professional qualification
Years of Service: Minimum 10 to 20 years of experience as an Independent Scientist
Recognition: Research is recognized locally, provincially, nationally and internationally by scientific peers with evidence of Invitations to present research at national or international conferences or distinguished institutions
Scientist IV
Academic Rank / Education: Professor MD, PhD or equivalent professional qualification
Years of Service: 15+ years of experience
Recognition: Research is recognized locally, provincially, nationally and internationally by scientific peers. Invitations to present research at national or international conferences or distinguished institutions (i.e. keynote lectures, Visiting Professorship) Participation in national and international advisory boards and non-governmental organizations
A record of excellence in scientific productivity, which would likely include:
Established leadership in the field of inflammation and fibrosis; this may be evidenced by influential publications in the field, a strong track record of obtaining peer-reviewed funding, keynote invitations, leadership roles, participation as a thought leader in the field, amongst others;
A passion for translational research that will lead to patient impact;
Experience in patient/community engagement in their research;
Commitment to ensuring best practices of equity, diversity and inclusion, which are demonstrably applied to their research and team;
Strong potential to attract, develop, and retain excellent trainees, students and future researchers;
A robust track record of research publications, and evidence of an ability to securing external research funding to support an independent program of research.
Commitment to citizenship within the research institution as part of a thriving research community
Key Accountabilities of the position will include:
Initiate and maintain strong research collaborations that include local, national, and international partners.
Build research capacity at Unity Health Toronto, including through supporting graduate students, mentoring junior investigators and engaging other members of the health care team in research.
Engage patients and communities in research aligned with Unity Health Toronto efforts.
Provide annual lectures and presentations on their research both within Unity Health and at relevant local, national, and international forums/conferences.
Work with the Hospital Foundations to support their fundraising efforts in this area.
Salary
This position is being advertised at both the Scientist III and Scientist IV levels. The successful candidate’s Scientist level will be determined based on a review of their academic qualifications, related experience, and demonstrated competencies, assessed against the organization’s internal job classification standards for Scientist III and IV levels.
Scientist III: ($82.40/hr. to $103.00/hr.)
Scientist IV: ($97.76/hr. to $122.20/hr.)
The candidate will be working out of St. Michael’s Hospital at 30 Bond Street in Toronto, Ontario and/or at Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science at 209 Victoria Street in Toronto, Ontario.
Salary will range from $160,680 to $238,290 per annum commensurate with qualifications and experience. The successful candidate will be eligible for a benefits package which includes medical, dental, life insurance, long term disability insurance, group insurance, pension plan, vision care, and may be eligible for relocation expenses, start-up funds and research space.
Should you have any questions on the above, please contact Elizabeth.huggins@unityhealth.to
Nomination Submission
Applications should include:
a letter of interest (max 3 pages) describing your qualifications, summary of proposed research plans in inflammation and fibrosis for the next 7 years, and alignment with Unity Health priorities.
A complete curriculum vitae (CV), not abbreviated), including professional services, outreach, mentoring and training of highly qualified personnel and other contributions appropriate to the specific CRC position. All materials should be submitted to on the Unity Health career site and copied to VPRI@unityhealth.to by July 16th, 2026.
Unity Health Toronto recognizes that scholars have varying career paths, and that career interruptions due to personal circumstances can be part of an excellent academic record. Search committee members have been instructed to give careful consideration to, and be sensitive to the impact of, career interruptions in their assessments. Moreover, Unity Health Toronto has endorsed the principles and committed the institution to comply with the recommendations of the DORA declaration (the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment). This entails that researchers’ research results are assessed and evaluated for content and quality.
Statement of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Unity Health Toronto is committed to creating a workplace culture where everyone feels valued and welcome to be themselves, and where they are empowered to share different perspectives to inspire creativity and innovation. Unity Health Toronto encourages applications from qualified candidates, and we especially welcome applicants who are Indigenous, Black or Racialized, persons with disabilities, people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, and all others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.
Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that people in underrepresented communities are less likely to apply to jobs when they don’t meet every single qualification. We are dedicated to building an inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, we still welcome you to apply.
Accommodation Policy: Accommodations for disabilities will be provided, on request, to support participation in all aspects of the recruitment process. If you require accommodation at any point of the application process, please contact Elizabeth Huggins at Elizabeth.Huggins@unityhealth.to.
Profiles of our Chairs are listed here.
Contact Information
There are a number of mechanisms at the University of Toronto to address concerns related to equity and diversity depending on the issue, and one’s position at the University and/or Unity Health Toronto. For questions, feedback and suggestions about the University’s Equity, Diversity and Action Plan and its implementation, please contact Judith Chadwick, Assistant Vice-President, Research Services, University of Toronto.
Regarding questions and suggestions specific to the CRC opportunities at Unity Health Toronto, please contact Erica Conte, Director Funding Strategy & Stewardship, Office of Vice-President Research and Innovation, Unity Health Toronto.
St. Michael’s Hospital Site’s Policies and Guidelines that Govern the Staffing of Faculty, including CRCs
Unity Health Toronto scientists, including CRCs, are bound to Unity Health policies, including those listed below that promote EDI across Unity Health. These policies are published on the intranet. Click Here for a step-by-step guide on how to externally access internal documents. For those outside of the institute intending to apply, contact VPRI@unityhealth.to for access to the policies below.
University of Toronto Resources
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