Description
CANADA IMPACT+ RESEARCH CHAIR (CI+RC) ON ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IN PATHOGENIC BACTERIA
Posted on: March 2nd, 2026
Closing date: April 1st , 2026
Université Laval, one of the largest universities in Canada, is the oldest Frenchlanguage institution of higher education in the Americas. For many years, Université Laval has been recognized worldwide for its research excellence in Infectiology. This recognition, built over time, is the result of prioritizing infectious diseases as a major research area at Université Laval, the forwardthinking vision of its researchers, and the development of essential infrastructures supporting their work. The holder of the IMPACT + CHAIR will join a highly productive group of fundamental and clinical researchers in the Faculty of Medicine, Department of MicrobiologyInfectious Diseases and Immunology, and will conduct research within the Division of Infectious and Immune Diseases of the CHU de Québec Research Center, the largest Frenchlanguage research center in North America.
We are seeking applications from worldrenowned scientists holding a PhD or an MD degree (or equivalent) whose achievements have had a major societal impact and who are recognized as leaders in the field of antibiotic resistance. The selected candidate will have access to stateoftheart facilities, including NC2/3 installations and laboratories for work with dangerous pathogens, a clinical research unit, and ‘omics’ science platforms at the CHU de Québec Research Center. In addition, the candidate will benefit from a dynamic working environment where collaborations among researchers in genomics, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, and microbiology are encouraged.
The person selected by the Nomination Committee must successfully pass an internal selection at Université Laval as well as the national selection as part of the Canada Impact+ Research Chair competition. This posting could also be used to select applications for the Canada Excellence Research Chairs or Tier 1 Canada Research Chairs competitions. For more information on the program and eligibility criteria, please visit the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs website.
The successful candidate will receive:
- a full professor position;
- $8 million over 8 years ($1 million/year) in funding from the CI+RC Program including chairholder’s salary and overhead;
- possibility to apply for an equipment grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to equip its laboratory ;
- competitive and attractive start-up funds;
- A competitive salary package, including base salary, employee benefits, and recruitment incentives.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Statement
Université Laval rejects all forms of discrimination, promotes excellence in research and research training, and guarantees equal opportunity for all candidates. We support the principle that excellence and equity are compatible and complementary. We welcome and encourage applications from racialized people, visible minorities, women, Indigenous Peoples (in Canada), people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, 2SLGBTQ+ communities, and all qualified individuals with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities.
By choosing Université Laval, you will benefit from the following integration measures:
- welcome days for new professors
- peer mentoring
- free French courses for you and your spouse
- support for settling in Quebec City and job search assistance for your spouse.
Career Interruption and Special Circumstances
Université Laval acknowledges that career interruption and special circumstances (e.g., maternity or parental leave, leave for prolonged illness, clinical training, care for a family member, the COVID-19 pandemic) as well as a disability may influence productivity and contributions in research. Applicants are invited to explain, as appropriate and if they wish so, these effects, so that they are considered in the assessment of their applications.
Accommodation
In complete confidentiality, accommodation can be offered to candidates according to their needs in this competition, including accessibility. If you need accommodation, we invite you to contact the equity officer using contact information below.
Marie-José Naud
Advisor, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research
marie-jose.naud@vrr.ulaval.ca
Job Description
The selected candidate will be expected to establish an active research program in genomics focused on antibiotic resistance in human pathogenic bacteria. The research must use and/or develop highthroughput methodologies involving nextgeneration sequencing and bioinformatics to address fundamental and applied questions related to antibiotic resistance mechanisms, their detection, and the modes of resistance transmission. The research program should lead to collaborations with other established research groups within the Department of MicrobiologyInfectious Diseases and Immunology and within the Infectious Diseases Research Center, which includes researchers from six faculties working in the field of infectious diseases, with antimicrobial resistance as one of the priorities. The chairholder will also be expected to build partnerships with industry, as well as with governmental and nongovernmental organizations, to accelerate the application of research results in the health sector, ensuring equitable access to the knowledge produced and to the resulting social benefits.
Requirements
Requirements
Applicants must meet the CI+RC eligibility requirements. They must be full professors or associate professors who are close to obtaining tenure. Applicants from outside academia must have the necessary qualifications to be nominated at these levels.
Université Laval requires that applicants hold a Ph.D. in a discipline relevant to the research focus of the Chair. They must demonstrate recognized scientific expertise and significant experience in antibiotic resistance in human pathogenic bacteria, with a proven record of international-caliber publications and research funding. Candidates must show a strong ability to conduct independent, original, and transdisciplinary research in collaboration with diverse partners.
She or he must demonstrate an interest in recruiting and supervising Master’s and PhD students and possess the skills required for universitylevel teaching at all three cycles.
The candidate must be proficient in the French language, both spoken and written (or commit to acquiring it within the timeframe specified in the collective agreement).
Submission of Applications
The recruitment process for the Impact+ Research Chair uses a twostep procedure in which interested candidates must first apply to the open position at the University. The candidate will be evaluated at the Faculty of Medicine level and then by the ViceRectorate for Research, Creation and Innovation. The candidate selected at the end of this first stage proceeds to the second stage, during which they will work jointly with the University to prepare an application for the federal government’s funding program. Laval University will provide substantial institutional support for the preparation and development of the application. The appointment of the holder of an Impact+ Chair is contingent upon the awarding of an Impact+ Chair by the TriAgency Institutional Programs Secretariat.
The full application package must be sent to vdri@ulaval.ca and includes:
Ø A cover letter (1–2 pages) outlining the candidate’s reasons for applying for the position, a summary of the proposed research program, their leadership, their vision of the added value the Chair will bring to the existing expertise at Université Laval, as well as how the Chair aligns with the strategic priority areas of the CRI+C Program.
Ø A TriAgency CV (maximum 6 pages in French, 5 pages in English). Refer to the TriAgency CV template. For more information and to download the template, consult the instructions for the TriAgency CV.
The call for applications also requires the TriAgency CV appendix. This appendix is not included in the maximum page limit.
Ø Career interruptions and personal circumstances, if applicable (1 page)
Ø Research plan (3 pages). The candidate must present an overview of the proposed research program for the Chair, the research area to which it will contribute within the institution, the added value of this area for the Impact+ Research Program, and the expected outcomes of the research program. This section will be used to assess the elements of Evaluation Criterion 3: Quality of the Research Program. It is recommended to structure it with headings clearly corresponding to each element of Criterion 3. Research programs should incorporate relevant collaborations and partnerships with Canadian and international entities (from academic, public, private, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors), as well as, where applicable, initiatives conducted “by and with” Indigenous Peoples and communities, including First Nations.
Ø Training and collaboration philosophy (1–2 pages).
Ø A statement on the Chair’s knowledge transfer and mobilization potential (maximum 3.6 pages in French, 3 pages in English). This section will be used to assess the potential for knowledge application and mobilization. It must be written and structured with headings that clearly address each subelement defined in Evaluation Criterion 4. Knowledge mobilization, application, and commercialization plans must identify the users and intended beneficiaries of the research, describe preliminary engagement mechanisms, and reaffirm and specify potential crosssector partnerships, including with Indigenous communities where applicable.
Ø Names of three references.
Ø Université Laval selfidentification form (Document in French only)
Competition Stages and Evaluation Criteria
1. Competition Stages and Submission Deadlines (Intake 2 of the CI+CR competition)
Full application deadline March 31, 2026
Results announcement April 26, 2026
Application deadline at VPR Office May 15, 2026
Final results announcement Before June 15, 2026
Full application deadline at CI+RC Program June 29, 2026
CI+RC Program results announcement September 2026
2 Évaluation #1
A departmentlevel evaluation committee selects a candidate based on their academic and training record; their experience in multidisciplinary research and leadership skills; their demonstrated expertise in antibiotic resistance research; their research proposal and potential for internal interactions and external collaborations.
The Nomination Committee is composed of faculty members from Université Laval’s Department of MicrobiologyInfectious Diseases and Immunology. In addition, an institutional equity officer will participate in the meetings to ensure compliance with the evaluation process. All committee members receive clear instructions regarding their role, the expected definition of excellence, and the impact of career interruptions or slowdowns on the assessment of applications. Members are also required to complete training on unconscious bias and peer review.
3. Evaluation #2 at Vice-President Research (VPR) Office
The application of the selected candidate will be sent to the VPR Office for a final internal selection according to the selection criteria of the CI+RC Program.
Starting Date : up to 12 months following the Program results announcement.
Contacts
Application call process
Louis Flamand
Director, Department of microbiology, infectious diseases and immunology
Faculty of medicine
louis.flamand@fmed.ulaval.ca
Questions related to EDI principles
Marie-José Naud
Advisor, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research
Office of the Vice Rector, Research and Innovation
marie-jose.naud@vrr.ulaval.ca
