Job Description The Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest

has an exciting opportunity for a

Canada Impact+ Research Chair Position Number: 9493

Position Type: Full-time permanent

Shift Type: Day

Bi-Weekly Hours: 70 Hours

Location: Toronto

Union: Non-Union

Date Posted: January 5, 2026

Closing Date: March 1, 2026

The Rotman Research Institute (RRI) in the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education (“Baycrest”) invites applications for a Canada Impact+ Research Chair in the area of Predictive Neuroscience and/or Precision Aging. The successful candidate will be appointed as full-time Scientist or Senior Scientist at Baycrest, and Associate Professor or Professor at the University of Toronto (status only).

The Canada Impact+ Research Chair program is a one-time Canada-wide initiative designed to support institutions in attracting world-leading researchers to address critical national and global challenges. Impact+ Chairs will advance ambitious and transformative projects, build and maintain exceptional research teams, and collaborate with partners across sectors and borders. Impact+ chairholders will drive the translation of discoveries into applications, commercialization and social and economic benefits for Canada and the world, and develop the next generation of highly qualified personnel.

This is a two-stage process where applicants first apply to this job posting. One successful applicant will be identified at stage one as the nominee to the Impact+ Research Chair competition. Baycrest will then support the nominee to submit a nomination proposal, which will be stage two.

To meet the eligibility criteria for the Impact+ Chair nomination, candidates must be:

• Internationally based (both working and residing outside of Canada) at the time of the intake’s application deadline; and
• Full professors or associate professors or, if recruited from outside the academic sector, must possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed at these levels.

Funding for the Impact+ Research Chair at Baycrest will be $500K per year for eight years through the program, with a possibility for a four-year extension at $250K per year. The chairholder’s research must support Baycrest’s priorities on understanding aging and brain health and advancing the prevention, early detection, treatment and therapeutics, and care of dementia. The chairholder’s research must also demonstrate alignment with Canada’s strategic priority areas in the following areas:

• Health, including biotechnology
• Advanced digital technologies (AI, quantum, cybersecurity)

In addition, the chairholder’s research may also demonstrate alignment with the following strategic priority areas:

• Clean technology and resource value chains
• Environment, climate resilience, and the Arctic
• Food and water security
• Democratic and community resilience
• Manufacturing and advanced materials
• Defence and dual-use technologies.

The successful candidate will be an internationally recognized research leader in aging whose accomplishments have made a major impact in one or more of the following priority areas of focus: aging, brain health, mental health and wellness, precision medicine, artificial intelligence, and/or big data technologies and analytics. Applicants must have earned a PhD degree related to human neuroscience of perception, cognition, emotion, or motor behaviour, in the field of Neuroscience, Psychology, Neurology, Computer Science, Data Science, Kinesiology, Medical Biophysics, Electrical or Computer Engineering, or a related area. Applicants should have clearly demonstrated exceptional record of excellence in research, service, mentorship, training, teaching, and knowledge mobilization. We seek candidates whose research and mentoring interests complement and enhance our existing departmental strengths (https://www.baycrest.org/Baycrest/Research-Innovation). Candidates will be expected to sustain and lead innovative research that will advance the global frontiers of knowledge in the emerging field of Predictive Neuroscience and/or Precision Aging; to maintain an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program; and to work collaboratively with others across the RRI, Baycrest, and the University of Toronto to ensure the greatest breadth and impact of the work.

Candidates must provide evidence of research excellence, which can be demonstrated by a record of sustained, high-impact contributions and publications in top-ranked and field relevant journals, the submitted research statement, presentations at significant conferences, distinguished awards and accolades, evidence of impact on the field and/or societal impact, and other noteworthy activities that contribute to the visibility and prominence of the discipline, as well as strong endorsements from referees of high standing.

Candidates must also possess a strong demonstrated record of service to the research community (e.g., service on peer review committees, faculty recruitment committees, advisory committees) and a demonstrated record of attracting and mentoring a diverse group of students, trainees, and research personnel, and establishing an equitable and inclusive research environment. Nominees to the Impact+ Chairs Program will be expected to develop and implement a plan for establishing and maintaining a diverse team and an inclusive research and training environment.

We recognize the legitimate impact that leaves (e.g., health, parental, or caregiver leaves; slowdowns due to illness or disability; impacts of COVID-19) can have on a nominee’s record of research achievement. These leaves will be taken into careful consideration during the review and assessment of application materials.

Situated within Baycrest, the RRI is a premier international centre for the study of human brain function, with a special focus on aging and the brain. Founded in 1989, the RRI’s scientists, staff, and trainees have supported Baycrest in becoming Canada’s #1 most research-intensive research institute linked to a hospital, with scientific foci in four primary areas consistent with its home on the campus of Baycrest Seniors Care: sensory and cognitive neuroscience, computational neuroscience and neuroinformatics, aging and brain health, and Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The RRI has significant research infrastructure for neuroimaging (one of the only research facilities in Canada to have MRI, MEG, and EEG, all within one building), neurostimulation, psychophysics, and behavioural testing, including Institute-based and mobile-testing laboratories. The RRI is also the scientific headquarters for the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA), Canada’s largest single investment in dementia research, comprising a national network of over 350 dementia researchers and clinicians. The RRI is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and houses several other research centres and programs as well, including the Kunin-Lunenfeld Centre for Applied Research and Evaluation, the Anne and Allan Bank Centre for Clinical Research Trials, the Kimel Family Centre for Brain Health and Wellness, the RRI Research Training Centre, and the Ben and Hilda Katz Inter-Professional Research Program in Geriatric and Dementia Care.

The University of Toronto (U of T) (https://www.utoronto.ca/) is one of the world’s great universities, distinguished by an extraordinary depth and breadth of excellence. U of T’s global outlook and cosmopolitan location in one of the world’s great cities provide students with a transformative educational experience, equipping them with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to navigate our rapidly changing world.

Top students from across Canada and around the globe are drawn to U of T for many reasons, but what sets this University apart are its comprehensive excellence, diversity, and commitment to equity and accessibility.

U of T is one university with three campuses, each of which is a comprehensive centre for teaching and research: the University of Toronto St. George, the University of Toronto Mississauga and the University of Toronto Scarborough. To take advantage of a rich, inclusive environment for study and learning, students join one or more of many smaller learning communities that include seven undergraduate colleges on the St. George campus, and a range of faculties, schools and centres across the three campuses. Our tri-campus system spans the Greater Toronto Area, allowing students to take part in experiential learning and specialized programming throughout one of the world’s most diverse and dynamic urban regions.

Compensation At Baycrest, we take pride in ensuring our compensation structure is internally equitable and compliant with pay equity legislation. We believe compensation should be transparent, equitable, and reflective of your experience and growth. Our salary ranges are structured to support progression, from learning the role to demonstrating full proficiency.

For this position, if hired at the Associate Professor level, the target hiring range is $145,034 to $181,293. If hired at the Full Professor level, the target hiring range is $181,294 to $226,617.

Your placement within the target hiring range will depend on your job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, and relevant education and experience, as well as considerations such as market conditions and internal equity. The starting salary will be determined using these factors to ensure fairness and consistency across the organization.

Timelines The Government of Canada has two intakes. Because Baycrest is only filling one position, the deadline for the Baycrest application is for the second intake:

Intake 2:

• Submission to Baycrest deadline: March 1, 2026
• Notification for the nominee selection will be made no later than April 15, 2026.
• U of T deadline for Baycrest to register nominees: June 13, 2026
• Government of Canada’s deadline for Baycrest to register nominees: June 15, 2026
• U of T deadline for Baycrest to full applications: June 27, 2026
• Government of Canada’s deadline for Baycrest to submit full applications: June 29, 2026
• The expected start date between November 2026 and September 2027.

To apply: All qualified candidates are invited to apply. Applicants must submit:

• A cover letter

• A current curriculum vitae

• A research statement, including the following

• Proposed research program (max 2 pages)

• Equity, diversity and inclusion principles in research (max 1 page)

• Knowledge translation, mobilization and application of research results (max 1 page)

• Indicate alignment with which one or more of Canada’s strategic priority areas (1 paragraph)

• Highlights of your most significant contributions to your field, including how they have led to broader benefits and how they connect with your research plan. (max 1 page)

• Three recent publications

• Name and contact information for up to 10 people or organizations who will provide letters of support for the Canada Impact+ Research Chair application.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Dr. Wang.

All application materials should be combined into a single PDF file , and sent via email directly to: Dr. Lei Wang, Vice President, Scientific Affairs, lwang@research.baycrest.org.

Please ensure the subject line of your email includes , Canada Impact+ Research Chair Application and your Full Name . All application materials must be sent to Dr. Wang no later than 11:59 PM March 1, 2026. Notification for the Impact+ Chair nominee selection will be made no later than April 15, 2026. Full application to the Impact+ Chair program by the nominee must be submitted no later than June 27, 2026.

CAUTION: Please see the information directly above for the application instructions; applications submitted via the "Apply" button on this page will NOT be considered for this position. After you submit your application, you will receive a link via email to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary, but applicants are encouraged to self-identify in any of the groups, where applicable. Please note that any information directly related to you is confidential and will be shared in aggregate with the Search Committee, only when there are three or more applicants.

Baycrest strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission. The Rotman Research Institute is committed to fostering a climate of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. This commitment is central to, and mutually supportive of, our research excellence mandate. We welcome and respect the diversity of all members of our community, and we support an inclusive culture for our clients, families, research scientists, staff, and participants, trainees, volunteers, trustees, and partners. We welcome applications from Black individuals and other racialized persons, Indigenous Peoples, women, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2SA+ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas within our community. We are committed to fair assessment of a candidate’s abilities, and consideration for diversity of thought, method, and experience, including non-traditional career paths.

Baycrest is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities. If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact Human Resources at (416) 785-2500 ext. 2961.

For further information on the Canada Impact+ Chairs Program, including eligibility criteria, please consult the Program website.

Remarkable people of Baycrest Health Sciences

are changing the future of brain health and aging.

Thank you for your interest in joining Baycrest. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Baycrest is committed to providing accessible employment practices that are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (‘AODA’). If you require accommodation for disability during any stage of the recruitment process, please notify Human Resources at recruitment@baycrest.org or 416-785-2500, ext. 2961.

All successful candidates will be required to complete a police reference check/vulnerable sector screen.