Associate Professor - Health Equity of Chronic Illness Prevention

Date Posted: 05/26/2023
Closing Date: 07/17/2023, 11:59PM ET
Req ID: 29921
Job Category: Faculty - Tenure Stream (continuing)
Faculty/Division: Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Department: Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

The Dalla Lana School of Public Health (DLSPH), University of Toronto seeks applications for a full-time tenure-stream faculty position at the rank of Associate Professor in Health Equity of Chronic Illness Prevention. The expected start date is January 1, 2024. This faculty member may also hold the positions of Novo Nordisk Research Chair in Health Equity of Chronic Illness Prevention, and Senior Scientist at the Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners.

Candidates must possess a doctoral degree or equivalent (e.g., PhD, DrPH ScD,) in epidemiology, public health, population health, health services, health policy or related field. Candidates must also have a demonstrated record of excellence in research, teaching, and knowledge translation in health equity-related areas. The successful candidate is expected to actively pursue innovative and independent research at the highest international level and to establish an outstanding, competitive, and externally funded research program in equity and chronic illness prevention with a particular focus on diabetes.

We are seeking candidates who have an established innovative research trajectory and who are conducting high-impact, innovative research that addresses key longstanding and emergent issues in health equity, population health, and chronic illness prevention. We seek candidates whose program of research aligns with the DLSPH Academic Plan DLSPH Academic Plan 2019-2024 and Trillium Health Partners’ strategic research priorities THP Strategic Plan 2019-2029, which should be explicitly discussed in the cover letter. Candidates must also align with the strategic research directions of the University of Toronto’s Novo Nordisk Network for Healthy Populations, a cross-disciplinary research network that aims to reduce the burden of diabetes and related chronic conditions through community-based interventions. In collaboration with other scientists in pertinent disciplines and through engagement with local community groups, the candidate will be expected to develop and lead a productive, collaborative, and practical research program that addresses equity and the social determinants of health in the risk for chronic illness. The candidate will also commit to sharing their knowledge locally and broadly with different interested parties, including community-based organizations. The candidate will foster a cross-disciplinary community-focused vision and build capacity with learners and community members and demonstrate attention to the broader public health and societal contexts in which their research is located. The candidate will also be expected to participate in the Network’s overall strategic priorities as a core member of the scientific steering committee, contribute to the education program, and collaborate with other Network members in cross-disciplinary initiatives.

The successful candidate must provide evidence of excellence in research, as demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications, external funding (e.g., grants, major research awards), academic awards, presentations at significant conferences, and other knowledge translation activities (e.g. with patients, residents, and communities). The candidate must also provide evidence of active engagement and collaboration with equity-deserving groups, and community-based organizations in their research. The successful candidate will show evidence of practical impact from their research for beneficial change, as well as a demonstrated national or international reputation in equity-related research.

The successful candidate will have a strong quantitative and/or mixed methods background, including the demonstrated ability to teach basic and advanced research methods courses and supervise graduate students whose research draws on these methods. Evidence of excellence in teaching and academic supervision will be demonstrated through the candidate’s teaching accomplishments, the teaching dossier including a statement of teaching philosophy, sample syllabi and course materials, and teaching evaluations submitted as part of the application, as well as strong letters of reference.

We welcome candidates who have worked in applied environments with local leaders and operators in advancing knowledge translation in the field of equity. This is exemplified by partnerships such as with community partners and other interested parties, participation in science-to-action endeavours, media engagement, and/or other such knowledge translation activities, as outlined in their application materials.

At the DLSPH, equity is a core value in recognition of the central role that inequity plays in producing and shaping major public health problems. We understand the root causes of inequity to be social systems that are grounded in oppressive principles and perpetuate disparities across all facets of life. Such systems include, but are not limited to settler colonialism, racism, sexism, heterosexism, cisgenderism, ableism, ageism, and classism. We use an intersectional approach to examine the role that these systems play in determining public health outcomes.

Applicants are expected to seek program and project funding from one or more of Canada’s tri-council agencies (Canadian Institute of Health Research, Social Science and Humanities Research Council, and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council) to support their research program. All successful candidates will be required to teach and provide mentorship and supervision for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows.

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

About the University of Toronto and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Established in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada's largest and most research-intensive university and the only Canadian university to be ranked among the top 20 universities in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The University has more than 19,000 faculty and staff, some 73,000 students enrolled across three campuses. Located in and around Toronto, one of the world's most diverse cities, the University of Toronto's vibrant academic life is enhanced by the cultural diversity of its own and surrounding community. The Dalla Lana School of Public Health opened in 2008 and has Faculty status at the University. It continues the legacy of excellence, scholarship, and practice of the University of Toronto School of Hygiene, founded in 1923 as one of North America’s first Schools of Public Health. Ranked in the top 10 of global public health schools in the Shanghai Rankings, the Dalla Lana School of Public Health is home to over 1,000 graduate students and receives more than $40 million in annual research funding.

About the Novo Nordisk Network for Healthy Populations
University of Toronto’s Novo Nordisk Network for Healthy Populations is a new cross-disciplinary research network aimed at reducing the burden of diabetes and related chronic conditions. In partnership with the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, and University Toronto Mississauga, the goal is to establish an integrated platform of community-based research to address root causes of the diabetes epidemic in Mississauga, Peel Region and beyond. The Network will foster innovation and build capacity by leveraging the three University partners’ academic strengths and cutting-edge methods, and by catalyzing the creation of important links across fields to integrate diverse mindsets and approaches. Through reciprocal partnerships with interested community parties, the Network supports the co-design and evaluation of locally relevant solutions that can be applied to a broad range of contexts. Using an integrated approach that targets health disparities across settings of healthcare, communities, and living environments, the Network advances the creation of knowledge on how to make populations healthier in a feasible, effective, sustainable and equitable way.

About Trillium Health Partners and the Institute for Better Health
Trillium Health Partners (THP) is one of the largest community-based academic hospital systems in Canada comprised of the Credit Valley Hospital, the Mississauga Hospital, the Queensway Health Centre and a variety of community-based, specialized programs. THP is an academic teaching hospital system associated with the University of Toronto and serves the growing and diverse populations of Mississauga, West Toronto and surrounding communities. Strategically affiliated with the DLSPH, THP’s Institute for Better Health (IBH) was established (2014) to enable the hospital system’s mission of a healthier community through applied research and innovation. This integration within one of Canada’s largest hospital systems offers exciting opportunities to test solutions that can be adapted to impact community health. Scientists at IBH, in collaboration with DLSPH, apply a ‘learning health system’ approach with research projects and programs that align with the hospital system's goal of creating a new kind of health care and improving population health, leaving no one behind. In its approach to the learning health system, IBH focuses on the following linked research themes: patient & family-centred care, population health, health equity, new models of care, applied data science, implementation and evaluation science. Recognizing this vision could not be realized without also assessing and investing in internal practices, culture and processes, IBH is working towards ensuring that everyone, scientists and staff, feel they belong, their voice matters, and contributes to the organization’s progress. THP and IBH are committed to making systemic fairness a reality and are working to ensure that the community we serve is reflected at all levels and in all professions. THP and IBH have made a commitment to become an anti-racist organization starting with dismantling anti-Black racism as a priority. In becoming an antiracist organization, THP and IBH acknowledge the existence of colonialism, oppression, racism, bias and complicity, and value the unique lived experiences of our people and community. We continue to steadily work to dismantle racism in the ways we work through action plans to advance racial equity and embed anti-racism accountability across the organization. For more information, please visit THP (www.thp.ca) and IBH (www.instituteforbetterhealth.com) websites.

Applications:
All qualified candidates are invited to apply by clicking the link below. Applications must include a cover letter, curriculum vitae, teaching dossier (including a statement of teaching philosophy and description of experience teaching, sample syllabi and course materials, and teaching evaluations), up to three sample publications, and a statement outlining current and future research interests. Candidates should clearly articulate how they meet the requirements for the job in their cover letter, and how their research aligns with the Academic Plan of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, the strategic research priorities of Trillium Health Partners, and the research objectives of the Novo Nordisk Network. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. We seek candidates who value diversity and whose research, teaching, and service bear out our commitment to equity. Candidates must therefore submit a brief (up to one page) statement of contributions to equity and diversity, which might cover topics such as (but not limited to): research or teaching that incorporates a focus on underrepresented communities, the development of inclusive pedagogies, or the mentoring of students from underrepresented groups.

Applicants must provide the name and contact information of three references. The University of Toronto’s recruiting tool will automatically solicit and collect letters of reference from each after an application is submitted (this happens overnight). Applicants remain responsible for ensuring that references submit letters (on letterhead, dated and signed) by the closing date. More details on the automatic reference letter collection, including timelines, are available in the FAQ’s.

For questions regarding this position, please contact associatedeanphs.dlsph@utoronto.ca. All application materials, including letters of reference, must be received by July 17, 2023.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement
The University 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 University 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 uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.

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