Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Environment and Security

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Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Environment and Security

Located on the unceded territory of the Anishinaabe-Algonquin people, in the heart of the nation's capital and in close proximity to multiple national agencies, the University of Ottawa is one of Canada's top ten research-intensive universities. It is recognized as the first and largest bilingual university in North America and offers strong connections to organizational, government and policy interest holders.

The Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) scholar in Environment and Security will conduct social science research at the intersection of environmental change and security issues such as migration, disaster response, vulnerability of populations, political ecology, the securitization of the environment, human security and/or terrorism. The Chair will catalyze on existing strengths in the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) and build bridges across the university. This dynamic field of study is inherently interdisciplinary, connecting three areas of demonstrated strength in the Faculty of Social Sciences: security, environment and public policy at the intersection of the two. The CRC's work will serve as a bridge among four university institutes: the Institute for Science, Society and Policy,  the Institute of the Environment, the Centre on Governance, and the Centre for International Policy Studies.

Environment and Security is a flourishing and vital field, given that accelerating environmental changes are disrupting political, economic, and social systems across the globe, thus presenting security challenges for states, populations and individuals. Environmental problems related to natural resource extraction, issues related to the energy transition, environmental degradation, food and energy insecurity, extreme weather-related events, raise the potential for inter- and intra-state conflicts, resource capture, and violence against vulnerable individuals, groups and communities (for instance: securitization of climate by framing climate-vulnerable groups as threats, international migrations exacerbated by intensifying cyclone and deadly heatwaves, changing rainy seasons and overfishing, riparian bilateral conflicts, sea-ice retreat affecting global transport routes, the contribution of Indigenous knowledge to environmental resilience etc.). Significant scholarly debates are arising regarding the implications of the securitization of climate change for future just societies. Thus, this is a field with significant research growth potential and policy applications.

Tier 2 Chairs, tenable for five years and renewable once, are for exceptional emerging researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field. For each Tier 2 Chair, the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) Program allocates to institutions $100,000 annually for five years, with an additional $20,000 annual research stipend for first-term Tier 2 Chairs.

Candidates should, at a minimum, be assistant or associate professors, or possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed to these levels. Candidates who are more than 10 years from their highest degree must contact the University of Ottawa directly for questions related to their potential eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair. The institution may nominate a professor or a researcher who is more than 10 years from their highest degree at the time of nomination and has experienced legitimate career interruptions (see acceptable justifications). In such cases, the institution must submit to the Secretariat a formal justification (using the Tier 2 Justification Screening Form), explaining why the nominee is still considered to be an emerging scholar. The University recognizes the legitimate impact that leaves (e.g., parental leave, leave due to illness) can have on a candidate's record of research achievement and that these leaves will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process. New CRC nominees are also eligible for infrastructure support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to help acquire state-of-the-art equipment essential to their work.

Preferential Hiring:

The University of Ottawa 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 skilled and experienced members of the four designated groups such as Indigenous peoples, individuals who are racialized, persons with disabilities, women and gender minorities, as defined in the CRC Program method for establishing equity targets and the Employment Equity Act, 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. As part of this preferential hiring process, applications from members of the four designated groups will be prioritized and assessed first for the vacancy. The purpose of this measure is to increase the representation and contribution of members of the four designated groups in the allocation of Canada Research Chair positions. All candidates are asked to complete the confidential self-identification questionnaire during the application process online. Internal candidates such as professors, postdoctoral fellows, and students are not eligible.

Skills requirements: 

Education: Ph.D. or equivalent in political science or relevant related disciplines including environmental studies, geography and political sociology in the CRC's identified area(s) (public policy or public management of the environment or security, international relations, environmental studies, security studies, or a related field).

Required Qualifications: superior research achievements in the CRC's identified area(s) and proof 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 is an asset.

Duties: Academic staff functions include, in varying proportions:

teaching

scholarly activities such as research, artistic or literary creation, or professional work

academic service

graduate student supervision

Terms: New tenure-track academic appointment in the Faculty of Social Sciences. The salary scale for an Assistant Professor starts at $99,377 , and for an Associate Professor, starts at $109,776 (as per the collective agreement of May 1, Salaries are competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Benefits package: The University of Ottawa provides a complete benefits package, which includes long-term disability insurance, basic group life insurance, health insurance, University of Ottawa pension plan and optional life insurance, as well as reimbursement of eligible relocation expenses.

Location of work:  School of Political Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5

Application Package:

·   A cover letter;

·   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);

·   A statement of teaching interests (1 to 2 pages);

·   A statement on equity, diversity, and inclusion philosophy and concrete practices (1 page);

·   The names of three people whom may be contacted by the University for letters of reference which will follow the Canada Research Chairs guidelines (one arm's length and two who are not affiliated to the University of Ottawa unless they are the candidate's PhD or postdoctoral supervisor); and

·       Self-identification: Complete the confidential Employment Equity questionnaire online during the application process. The Canada Research Chairs Program requires institutions to collect self-identification data from all applicants, following the program's best practices.

Deadline: January 25, 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: .  

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:

Ad posted on November 24, 2025

The University of Ottawa 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 Indigenous Peoples in Canada, visible minorities members (racialized persons), persons with disabilities, women, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with equitable, diverse, and inclusive communities. Candidates who wish to be considered as a member of one or more designated groups are asked to complete the confidential Self-Identification Questionnaire, to be completed at the time of application.

All qualified candidates are invited to apply; however, preference will be given to Canadians and permanent residents. When submitting your application, please indicate if you are legally entitled to work in Canada

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 contacting the Office of the Vice-Provost, Faculty Relations by email at Any information you send us will be handled respectfully and in complete confidence.

The University of Ottawa is proud of its 160-year tradition of bilingualism. Through its Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute, the University provides training to staff members and to their spouses in their second official language.

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.