Canada Impact+ Chairs

The Opportunity

SFU invites applications from world-leading researchers for theCanada Impact+ ResearchChairs. Impact+ Chairs will receive long-term funding and support to lead bold, transformative research in Canada’s priority areas, build exceptional teams, and collaborate across sectors and borders. Chairholders are expected to translate discoveries into real-world applications and benefits, and to train the next generation of highly qualified personnel.

This programprovidesan opportunity to nominate internationally renowned scholars and scientists as chairholders in areas of strategic importance to Canada. The nominees must have an activerecenttrack recordofexceptionalresearch accomplishments and significant interest in making new contributions to Canada.

Impact+ Chairs are valued at up to $8 million or $4 million over eight years, with a possibility of a four-year 50% funded extension to support their research programs and teams.Successful awardees may also apply forup to $6 million for research infrastructure fromthe Canada Impact+ Research Infrastructure Fund.

Applicants must be full professors or associate professorsexpected to be promoted to full professor within one to two years of the nomination. Alternatively, if they come from outside the academic sector, applicants mustpossessthe qualifications necessary to be appointed at these levels.Only candidates who are internationally based (both working andresidingoutside of Canada) are eligible to be nominated.

The Impact+ Chairs program uses a two-stage process: applicants first apply to this position for internal review, after which selected candidates will be supported by SFU to prepare a nomination, including a proposed research program, for submission to the Impact+ Chairs program.The nomination is expected to besubmittedin March or June2026.SFU will provide substantial support in the preparation and development of the program application including project management, budget planning, proposaldevelopmentand editing. If successful, Impact+ Chair awardees will also receive substantial support for their research programs and for administration of the grant.

In addition to the Impact+ Chairs nomination process, successful candidates will be appointed to a faculty position (Associate Professor or Professor) inan appropriate academic department/school/faculty at SFU, as early as Fall 2026.Procedures and processes have beenestablishedtopermitnon-Canadian chairholders, and in some cases members of the chair’s team, to work in Canada.

SFU welcomes applications fromoutstanding,establishedresearchersin anyof theGovernment of Canada’sidentifiedstrategic priority areas:

• advanced digital technologies (including artificial intelligence,quantumand cybersecurity);
• health, includingbiotechnology;
• clean technology and resource valuechains;
• environment, climateresilienceand theArctic;
• food and watersecurity;
• democratic and communityresilience;
• manufacturing and advanced materials; and/or

SFU recognizes that alternative career paths and/or career interruptions (e.parental leave, leave due to illness) canimpactresearch achievements and commits to ensuring that leaves are taken into careful consideration.Candidates are encouraged to highlight in their application how alternative paths and/or interruptions have had an impact on their career.SFU also recognizes the value of mentoring and research training, outreach, professional service, and nontraditional areas of research and/or research outputs;demonstratedexperience in increasing diversity in thepreviousinstitutional environment, and in curriculum, is also an asset.

Additional Information

This Faculty position is contingent upon the nominee being awarded anImpact+ Chairthrough the program’s peer review process. The position is also subject to the availability of funding and to final approval by the University Board of Governors and the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS). TheImpact+ Chairis tenable for eight years, subject to the chairholder fulfilling their reporting and evaluation requirements. Thechair will be evaluated by external reviewers and TIPS by the end ofYear 7todeterminewhether anadditionalfour-year funded extension iswarranted. The amount ofadditionalfunds released for each extended Chair is set at 50% of the original award annual value.Full program details can be found onthe program’s website( ).

Salary:Faculty salaries at SFU have several components. A reasonable estimate of the total salary during the term of the chair is $275,000 - $325,000, which might be made up of:

Base Salary: Faculty salaries at SFU are based on the salary scales bargained between the University and the SFU Faculty Association. A reasonable estimate of the base salary range for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of associate professor is $155,584 - $168,305 and for a faculty position at the rank of full professor is $181,027 - $196,292.

Market Differential: Academics in certain disciplines may be eligible to receive a market differential.

Salary Stipend: Successful Impact+ Chair nominees may also receive anadditionalsalary stipend while they hold the chair.

Benefits:SFU offers several benefits and services aimed at creating a more inclusive and accessible campus community for faculty; please see the Faculty Relations, Benefits and Service page for more details. SFU is also committed to ensuring that the application and interview process is accessible to all applicants.

Accessibility:SFU is committed to ensuring that the application and interview process is accessible to all applicants.For equity considerations, please contact Suman Jiwani, Director,Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Faculty Initiatives at View email address on click.appcast.io .

Personal information that forms part of an application is collected under the general authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, applicable University Policies, and the SFUFA/SFU Collective Agreement. For further details see the full Collection Notice .