Director, Cardiovascular Research Institute & Alberta Health Services Chair in Cardiac Sciences

Competition 717

Please note: this position is restricted to internal employees at the University of Alberta only.

The Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry invites applicants for the position of Director, Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI) and holder of the Alberta Health Services Chair in Cardiac Sciences from current tenured or tenure track UofA academic faculty with a PhD or MD (or equivalent). This is a 0.3 FTE position, reporting to the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry or delegate.

The Director of CVRI, an official University of Alberta research institute, and holder of the Alberta Health Services Chair in Cardiac Sciences, is responsible for the strategic leadership of the institute in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry Dean, Deputy Dean, and Vice-Deans (Research); and in consultation with various strategic partners / constituencies (internal and external to the University of Alberta). The Director is responsible for ensuring the execution of strategic deliverables that contribute to the success of the institute.

The vision of the CVRI is to achieve global impact through cutting-edge research in cardiac sciences.

The institute brings together more than 100 investigators from 8 University of Alberta Faculties and their scientific teams working on research to aid scientists, clinicians and the community to engage, discover, innovate, accelerate, and disseminate cardiovascular research to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease.

The successful candidate will be a visionary and strategic leader who inspires excellence and engages Institute members and partners in effective collaboration. They will have outstanding interpersonal skills and show evidence of building, managing and maintaining high-quality and productive relationships across diverse groups of individuals. They will have a personal record of research accomplishment and commitment to service and leadership. The successful candidate will demonstrate creativity and innovative ideas to advance cardiovascular knowledge, care and health through research.

The appointment is for a five-year term, renewable upon favorable review by the Dean, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.

Responsibilities of the Director include:

1. Develop an environment to support high-impact research. Foster excellence in discovery, clinical, health service, and population health research.

2. Lead the development and implementation of funding support collaboratively with Advancement.

3. As a University Institute, collaborate and strengthen links with local and provincial stakeholders (including but not limited to: Alberta Health Services and relevant clinical teams, Alberta Innovates, Alberta Health Services Strategic Clinical Networks, University Hospital Foundation, Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation, and patients and family groups) and identify and move forward cardiac sciences research priorities provincially, nationally, and internationally.

4. Champion a culture of collaborative interdisciplinary research.

5. Collaborate with national and international research organizations to ensure that CVRI’s activities are well integrated with opportunities and influence trends in cardiac sciences research.

6. Maintain effective relationships and work collaboratively with other Institutes, Centres, Departments, Faculties, Colleges, and partners to advance cardiovascular knowledge, care and health through research.

7. Identify emerging research themes and priorities, and help mobilize investigators to develop large-scale CVRI projects (including research infrastructure and core facilities).

8. Develop and coordinate career, educational, and training opportunities for CVRI trainees.

9. Plan and manage the CVRI annual budget and staff, ensure efficient operation and disbursement of funds, and develop and implement a business model for financial self-sustainability.

10. Advocate for CVRI and cardiac sciences research to the public.

As a holder of the Alberta Health Services Chair in Cardiac Sciences, the individual is responsible to:

1. Provide leadership in the development and maintenance of a world-class program in cardiovascular sciences research, training and education;

2. Promote collaborative research across disciplines, building on strengths and utilizing the existing resources available in the University of Alberta, Alberta Health Services, and other partner organizations;

3. Support research and training development and/or initiate new research ventures;

4. Attract outstanding students, postdoctoral fellows, research associates and faculty members to the University of Alberta; and

5. Acknowledge the Alberta Health Services Chair in Cardiac Sciences in scholarly outputs.

Interested applicants are to submit:

i. a statement of interest outlining their vision and goals for CVRI and how their experience makes them an appropriate candidate for the director and chair position;

ii. a description of their research leadership philosophy (maximum 1 page);

iii. a description for how they plan to collaborate with both internal and external partners (maximum 1 page);

Iv. An equity diversity and inclusion (EDI) statement outlining past contributions to EDI and the resulting impact on academic (research/scholarship, teaching/learning), professional (non-academic or clinical work), and/or community (local, national, international  community-based) settings (maximum 1 page);

v. academic CV; and

vi. a letter from their department chair (if from the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry), or chair (if relevant) and dean (if from outside the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry) confirming support for the application and the 0.3 FTE time commitment that it will require.

Please submit an application as one file in PDF format online. The posting will remain open until the position is filled and applications will  start to be reviewed on May 1, 2024.

Further information with respect to the position may be sought from the Vice-Dean Research (Basic), Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry (Dr. Richard Lehner, richard.lehner@ualberta.ca).

The FoMD has adopted the Okanagan Charter and is committed to health promoting learning and working environments supporting psychological safety and wellbeing.