Job Description

Since time immemorial, the Mi'kmaq People have walked gently on the traditional territories of Epekwitk, which is where the University of Prince Edward Island is located. We acknowledge that Mi'kma'ki is the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq people, who, in 1725 first signed Treaties of Peace and Friendship. We recognize Elders past and present who have cared for, and continue to care for, the land. In offering this acknowledgement, we affirm the history, experiences, and resiliency of Indigenous people who are still here today. We are grateful to live, work, and learn here and we are committed to building relationships based in honour and respect.
UPEI is home to a vibrant and collaborative research community. UPEI's uniqueness lies in its interdisciplinary research environment, geographic setting, and strategic research priorities. Our new Medical School in collaboration with Memorial University, the renowned Atlantic Veterinary College, and the Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation offer state-of-the-art facilities for learning and research in human, animal, and environmental health. Our research ecosystem is further enriched by the Institute of Island Studies, a UNESCO chair in Island Studies and Sustainability, six Canada Research Chairs, and our partnership in the Ocean Frontier Institute. These resources form the foundation of UPEI's thriving research environment.
UPEI is inviting top-tier researchers to apply for the 2026 in One Health in Rural Environments. The successful candidate will be a catalyst to lead the upward momentum in research excellence within the CERC priority area of Healthy People and Populations as it relates to UPEI objectives for Advancing One Health.
We are seeking an established world class scholar whose research program and expertise broadly relates to One Health in Rural Environments and one or more of UPEI's signature areas of Research Excellence outlined in
The successful applicant would join a community of scholars who are dedicated to exploring the interconnectedness of the health of humans, animals and the environment from varying perspectives. The successful candidate would be a faculty member with salary, benefits and all other rights and privileges afforded by the relevant Collective Agreement. The current salary scale in the Collective Agreement is $109,480 to $185,840 with the potential for market differential and will align to a rank of Associate or Full Professor.
CERC Program:
The CERC program offers Canadian institutions an opportunity to recruit the top tier of world-class researchers working within the Government of Canada's Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) priorities for the CERC program. CERC recipients are appointed for an 8-year term, with awards valued at either $8 million ($1M annually) or $4 million ($500k annually). The award will include a competitive salary and funds to support building a leading research program. CERC recruitment will be completed in two stages where interested applicants must first apply to UPEI's University's open job posting. Successful applicants from the initial review will move onto the second stage where they develop their application in collaboration with the university for submission to the CERC 2026 competition. The CERC submission process involves registration (due January 21, 2026) and a complete application (due March 18, 2026).
Results of the CERC competition will be announced by January 2027. The anticipated start date is Spring 2027. For more details, please visit the .
Qualifications:
UPEI and the CERC program recognize and reward the scholarship of teaching, professional service, community service, outreach, mentoring and research training, and recognize the importance and relevance of non-traditional areas of research and/or research outputs.
UPEI seeks a candidate who has:

• A doctoral degree, or its equivalent, in a related field (This is a UPEI requirement, not a CERC requirement)
• Led, as Principal Investigator, a well-established, clearly superior research program related to One Health in a Rural Environment, which is recognized at national and international levels
• Established collaborations with relevant rural communities, organizations, and/or institutions
• Ability to obtain external research funding
• Demonstrated a strong record of supervising highly qualified persons (HQP) and potential for university teaching

Eligibility of Canada Excellence Research Chairs:
To meet the criteria of the , nominees must:

• Be Full professors, or Associate Professors expected to be promoted to Full Professor within one or two years of nomination. Alternatively, if candidates come from outside the academic sector, they must possess the qualifications necessary to be appointed at these levels.

Researchers who hold a full-time academic appointment at a Canadian institution are eligible, but will be required to demonstrate the net benefit to Canada of moving the researcher from one Canadian institution to another.
The CERC program was created by the Government of Canada to attract Canadian and international leading scientist and scholars who can positively contribute to Canada's global competitiveness and well-being and to help Canadian institutions compete in the global market for research talent.
Please contact UPEI's Research Services Office ( ) for eligibility details and consult the CERC Program for full program information, including further details on eligibility criteria
Application Instructions:
UPEI is committed to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Decolonization and Accessibility (EDIDA) and believes in providing a positive learning and working environment where every person feels empowered to contribute. UPEI Encourages applications from individuals from all underrepresented, equity-seeking, rights-seeking populations, including racialized individuals, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, women, and individuals from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds. Candidates cannot be nominated by the institution at which they currently hold their appointment. Applicants may choose to self-identify as a member of an underrecognized community in their application. Furthermore, applicants are also encouraged to identify their demonstrated strengths and experiences in increasing EDIDA and adhering to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action ( ), particularly as it relates to research, in curriculum and teaching, and in supporting diverse students, in their previous work environments.
UPEI recognizes that life circumstances such as illness, disability, family and community responsibilities (e.g., maternity leave, parental leave, leaves due to illness, leaves due to caring for family members, slowdowns due to chronic illness or disability, or COVID 19 impacts) are often an expected part of life and are likely to have an impact on a nominee's record of research achievement, and that these impacts will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process. Please outline life circumstances in the cover letter if applicable.
If you require accommodation in any part of the process, please direct your inquiries, in confidence, to the UPEI Research Services Office in care of Maria Steele ( ).
In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority.
Application packages should include:

• A cover letter
• Research program proposal that defines integration to the CERC priorities, alignment to the UPEI Strategic Research Plan and chosen foci. The proposal should include

• Integration of EDIDA into the research program;
• Potential to collaborate with researchers at UPEI and/or Atlantic Canada, Canada and Internationally;
• Social and economic benefits for Canada that will result from the research program, including potential industry, government, not-for-profit, and/or community partnerships; and
• Contribution and fit to the research ecosystem in Canada and internationally.
• Curriculum vitae
• For applicants currently at a Canadian institution only, a one-page (maximum) justification outlining the net benefit for Canada in moving from one Canadian institution to another
• Teaching Dossier
• Names and contacts of three referees
• Applications must be sent as one PDF file to the UPEI Office of Research Services, attention Maria Steele (

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Review of the applications will begin on September 12, 2025 and will continue until a suitable candidate is identified. The start date is negotiable, with the CERC results announced in January 2027 and tentative start date commencing in Spring 2027.
The position is subject to the availability of funding and final approval by the University of Prince Edward Island and the Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS). The Canada Excellence Research Chair is tenable for eight years. Interested applicants are invited to review the program details: .