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Call for Expressions of Interest for the Scientific Directors of the School of Health

Last updated: February 3, 2026, 12:05 p.m.

Title: Call for Expressions of Interest for the Scientific Directors of the School of Health (3)
Date posted: August 5, 2021
Revised application deadline: September 3, 2021

Position description

At its June 2021 meeting, the Board of Governors approved the creation of Concordia’s School of Health. This new interdisciplinary school will further integrate our existing health research as well as facilitate the development of emerging and innovative research in health and well-being across the whole university. A search for the Dean of the School of Health will begin in the fall with an anticipated start date of July 2022.

To initiate the research activities of the School, we are seeking to appoint three inaugural Scientific Directors to lead the research hubs that compose the core structure of the School: the Clinical Research and Prevention Hub, the Biomedical Science and Engineering Hub, and the Community Health Hub.

Full-time Concordia faculty are invited to submit an Expression of Interest.

Key information

  • The appointments will begin in October 2021 and will be for a duration of two (2) years.
  • Scientific Directors will receive an annual stipend of $17,500 and two annual 3-credit course remissions for the duration of the appointment.
  • The Scientific Directors will be core members of the School of Health leadership and will work closely with the Provost and VP Research and Graduate Studies pending the appointment of the Dean.
  • As members of the School’s Executive Committee, they will lead the development of the initial vision for the research and training undertaken within the School.
  • In collaboration with the directors of health-related research centres and PERFORM, the Scientific Directors will build an appropriate structure for the management of Hub activities, define research axes for the Hubs, and provide guidance to the Office of Research and Advancement to identify sources of external funding to support the School’s research activities.
  • Each Hub will have a coordinator to assist with the related administrative tasks, as well as support from the School’s Director of Administration.
  • See below to find out more about the Scientific Director role and a description of the three Hubs.

How to apply

Interested faculty members should submit their CV and a maximum two-page Expression of Interest to cinzia.miscio@concordia.ca by September 3, 2021. It should clearly indicate which of the three hubs the applicant is applying to lead.

It should also include:

  • The applicant’s vision of the Hub and its research activities/impact.
  • How they will contribute to a culture of interdisciplinarity within their own Hub and across the other Hubs to ensure the success of the School of Health.
  • How they locate their own research in relation to the mission of the Hub and the School of Health.

The School of Health is composed of three interdisciplinary research hubs:

Clinical Research and Prevention Hub

The Clinical Research and Prevention Hub will focus on interdisciplinary research that improves and sustains long-term health, including the study of measures to prevent disease as well as research that investigates specific health problems and behaviours, mechanisms and interventions in order to assess and intervene to improve them.

Biomedical Science and Engineering Research Hub

The Biomedical Science and Engineering Hub focuses on the underlying health mechanisms to inform and guide health research and the development of new technologies to optimize health care and health research. This Hub will give further visibility to Concordia’s innovative fundamental science and technology research in the health sphere. It will enhance communications and coordination of research across subsectors, leverage resources to be optimized across the university, and facilitate external communication to industrial and other external partners about the scope and depth of the university’s profile in biomedical science and engineering.

Community Health Hub

The Community Health Hub focuses on factors that contribute to healthy lives and healthy living, along with research that evaluates the effects and impact of public policies that address health issues. This Hub will play to Concordia’s demonstrated strengths in community-based research work that takes place in all four Faculties and many research centres, in dialogue with key university initiatives such as Black Perspectives, Indigenous Directions, the Sustainability Action Plan and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The Scientific Directors in the School of Health will facilitate interdisciplinary research within and across the Research Hubs, leverage existing collaborations and identify opportunities for new cross-departmental and cross-Faculty projects to take place within the School. As members of the Executive Committee, the Scientific Directors will play a key role in shaping the vision and the initial activities of the School of Health.

Each Scientific Director (SD) will develop and execute a compelling vision for the Hub’s research and knowledge mobilization activities. They will gather and convene a network of researchers around the Hub’s theme and work closely with the other SDs to promote cross-Hub collaborations. The SD will collaborate with Directors of University and Faculty research centres, and health researchers across the institution, (including graduate students and postdoctoral fellows), to build the research axes within the Hub.

In collaboration with the executive committee, the SD will set the appropriate committee structure of researchers and administrative staff to ensure the delivery of the Hub’s mission.

The SD will coordinate the research and training programs in the Hub and will work collaboratively with the other Scientific Directors and the Director of Administration (and the Dean, once appointed) in developing and maintaining the School of Health’s local, national, and international profiles.

The SD will play a key role in identifying funding opportunities to support the research, training, and knowledge mobilization activities of the Hub and the School and in fostering a culture of success in securing external funds.

The SD will work with their fellow SDs as well as the Director of Administration (and eventually the Dean) in support of Advancement’s fundraising initiatives for the School.

The SD will facilitate all research activities conducted at, or associated with, the Hub and, with the support of the Hub Coordinator and the Director of Administration, will oversee administrative processes in order to ensure the Hub’s smooth operation and alignment with the School’s research priorities.

Primary roles and responsibilities

  • Provide strategic direction to and management of the research activities of the Hub.
  • Provide leadership in the delivery of the Hub’s research, training and community outreach activities.
  • Provide leadership and actively foster equity, diversity and inclusion in Hub research.
  • Working in collaboration with the Director of Administration of the School of Health, oversee and allocate the Hub’s budget as this relates to operational and research development priorities; plan and oversee preparation of applications for capital budget items.
  • Working closely with the Office of Research and OVPRII, provide leadership to identify and develop strategic and other research funding opportunities for the Hub.
  • Provide leadership in identifying and pursuing research/training partnership opportunities.
  • Advise and make recommendations to the Provost and VPRII (and eventually the Dean, School of Health), related to the progress and development of the Hub’s research, teaching, infrastructure and community agendas and related action plans.
  • Develop and maintain liaisons with key entities in the internal and external research communities.
  • Work in collaboration with the other Hub Scientific Directors, the Director of Administration and (eventually) the Dean to advance the mission and vision of the School of Health.
  • Oversee development of curriculum for graduate programs housed within the Hub.
  • Participate in the development and execution of fundraising proposals in collaboration with Advancement.
  • Maintain a strong profile of personal research and training activity, including externally funded research.

Territorial Acknowledgement

Concordia University is located on unceded Indigenous lands. The Kanien’kehá:ka Nation is recognized as the custodians of the lands and waters on which we gather today. Tiohtià:ke/Montreal is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations. Today, it is home to a diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples. We respect the continued connections with the past, present and future in our ongoing relationships with Indigenous and other peoples within the Montreal community.

Employment Equity

 Concordia University is strongly committed to employment equity within its community, and to recruiting a diverse faculty and staff.  The University encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including women, racialized persons, Indigenous persons, 2SLGBTQI+ persons, and persons with disabilities; candidates are invited to self-identify in their applications.

Immigration Status

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian and Permanent Residents will be given priority. To comply with the Government of Canada’s reporting requirements, the University is obliged to gather information about applicants’ status as either Permanent Residents of Canada or Canadian citizens. While applicants need not identify their country of origin or current citizenship, all applications must include one of the following statements: 

Yes, I am a citizen or permanent resident of Canada 
or
No, I am not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada.

Accessibility

Concordia desires to increase diversity among its community members and we strive to make our recruitment processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants. If you are contacted for an interview and anticipate needing accommodations during the process, please contact, in confidence, hr-employment@concordia.ca.