Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader in Experimental Biophotonics

About the Position

The University of Ottawa (uOttawa) invites applications for a tenure-track Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader position in Experimental Biophotonics, aligned with the Government of Canada strategic priority area of health, including biotechnology. This position is associated with the Canada Impact+ Research Chair in Ultrafast Chirality for Health, Environment, and Quantum Technologies in the Faculty of Science, as part of the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada Program (formerly Canada Impact+ Research Chairs Program).

Research Focus

We seek an early-career researcher (ECR) with expertise in optical, photonic, or quantum-enabled approaches to investigate biological systems and advance human health. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, advanced microscopy, molecular imaging, optical sensing, nonlinear optics, ultrafast spectroscopy, fiber and integrated photonics, quantum optics, quantum photonics, and related experimental approaches for probing molecular dynamics, chirality and spin-dependent phenomena. Applications may span neuroscience, molecular medicine, including metabolomics and biomarker discovery, precision health, and related areas of biology and medicine and beyond. Applicants working in adjacent fields are also encouraged to apply.

The successful candidate will develop a vibrant and innovative research program that complements the Canada Impact+ Research Chair in Ultrafast Chirality for Health, Environment, and Quantum Technologies. The Emerging Leader's program will create a translational interface linking fundamental advances in photonics, quantum science, and ultrafast optical technologies to applications in health, biological discovery, and related societal challenges. ECRs developing new and emerging technologies for probing molecular dynamics, chirality, and spin-dependent phenomena are particularly encouraged to apply.

Department and Infrastructure

Positioned within the Faculty of Science Department of Physics, the ECR will benefit from a strong critical mass of researchers and state-of-the-art infrastructure in photonics and biological physics, spanning fields such as biomaterials, micro/nanofluidics, biosensing, soft matter, molecular biophysics, quantum optics and photonics and nonlinear microscopy. Additional infrastructure and equipment investments are planned through the Canada Impact+ Research Infrastructure Fund associated with the Chair and will be available to support the Emerging Leader's research program and laboratory.

Outstanding opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration exist within the uOttawa Faculties of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, as well as nearby National Research Council laboratories. Key collaborative partners include the Nexus for Quantum Technologies (NexQT), the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI), the Centre for Neural Dynamics, the Brain and Mind Research Institute (uBMRI), and the Max-Planck-uOttawa Centre for Extreme and Quantum Photonics.

The Department has a rich history of supporting entrepreneurship and translational science. Individuals interested in taking their technologies out of the lab and into the market, as well as those looking to partner with industry, will find a highly welcoming environment. The Faculty of Science and uOttawa provide institutional support and dedicated resources to assist researchers in their commercialization and partnership endeavors.

About the University

uOttawa is ranked fifth for research intensity in 2025 and is renowned for pioneering discoveries across multiple disciplines. Several of our research centers and institutes rank among the top 100 globally, including the top six in Canada.

Located in Canada's vibrant capital, uOttawa, proud to be the world's largest bilingual (English and French) university, is minutes away from federal and other government institutions, several national agencies, embassies, international organizations, and connected to the thriving high-tech sector. We are committed to building partnerships across Canada and internationally and fostering innovation and knowledge mobilization in areas of significant social and economic impact.

About the Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders Program

The Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada Program is a very prestigious, one-time initiative designed to support universities in attracting world-leading researchers whose work addresses critical national and global challenges. The program also includes Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders awards, a $120M investment to help institutions recruit internationally based early career researchers to Canada.

The Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader award provides $100,000 per year over six years, with the possibility of a six-year funded extension at the same yearly amount, subject to program conditions. The Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader must be recruited within the same strategic priority area as the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairholder, but the early career researcher (ECR) and the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairholder don't necessarily need to be in the same discipline or research field or be aligned with the same federal research funding agency. ECR nominees are expected to have an independent research program, with potential for impact through collaborations with, but not limited to, the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairholders. Institutions may include support for the ECR in their research infrastructure request to the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) through the Impact+ Research Infrastructure fund associated with the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair.

Note: An early career researcher is a researcher within five years from the date of their first research-related appointment, minus eligible delays in research, where:

• research-related appointments are defined as those where the individual has the autonomy to conduct research independently; and
• all eligible leaves (e.g., maternity, parental, medical, bereavement) are credited as twice the amount of time taken, and professional leaves (e.g., training, sabbatical, administrative) are not credited.

Eligibility of Candidates

Only candidates who are internationally based (both working and residing outside of Canada) when the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair is accepted are eligible. Candidates who are at uOttawa or are based in Canada are not eligible to apply for this position as stipulated by the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada Program. Candidates must also meet the program's early career researcher eligibility requirements.

The successful candidate will be expected to begin their full-time tenure-track appointment at uOttawa by July 3, 2027.

Education Requirements

Education: Ph.D. or equivalent in Physics or Chemistry (please note that this is a requirement from the institution not the program).

Required Qualifications

Superior research achievements in the Impact+ Emerging Leader research area and the relevant Government of Canada strategic priority area; evidence of interdisciplinary collaborations, a solid record with respect to teaching and training of students at the graduate level, and the ability to obtain external research funds. Excellent communication skills in either English or French. Passive (or active) knowledge of one's second Official Language (French or English) is a requirement for tenure. English-French bilingualism is an asset.

Application Package

• A cover letter (1-2 pages) highlighting the candidate's research theme and how it fits with the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada Program and the Government of Canada's strategic priority areas, how it aligns with uOttawa's Strategic Areas of Research and research strengths, and the candidate's qualifications and interest in being considered for a Canada Impact+ Emerging Leader position at the University of Ottawa.
• 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…