Overview
Value:$70,000 + Benefits
Duration: 3 Years
Application Deadline: 31 July 2023
Funding Start: 1 September 2023 (start date negotiable)
The Computational Biology & Medicine Program Postdoctoral Fellowship provides postdoctoral scientists from around the world an opportunity to build their careers, engage in cutting-edge research and benefit from an environment that fosters equity, diversity, and inclusivity. The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PM) is one of the largest comprehensive cancer facilities in the world located in the heart of the vibrant and diverse city of Toronto, Canada. Through its commitment to research, education, and innovation, PM stands on the frontiers of medical and experimental oncology. The scientific excellence of its internationally recognized researchers and cutting-edge research infrastructure rank PM amongst the top five cancer centres in the world. Within PM, the Computational Biology & Medicine Program (CBMP) is home to scientists and clinicians focused on developing and implementing novel computational methods for analyzing massive cancer data.
The CBMP Postdoctoral Fellowship is a highly selective opportunity designed to support the most promising incoming postdoctoral scientists to engage in leading-edge cancer research within the Computational Biology & Medicine Program. The fellowship recipient will join an active, well-funded team led by one of our field-leading researchers and make ground breaking discoveries in fundamental, translational, and clinical research. The recipient will work collaboratively on multidisciplinary projects that improve the prevention, identification, and treatment of cancer in the short or long term.
Value & Duration
The award is valued at $70,000 CAD + 24% benefits. These funds will contribute towards the postdoctoral researcher’s salary and are non-renewable. A maximum of 1 award will be granted each competition. These funds are taxable. Benefits include the career training program of the Office of Research Trainees, extended medical insurance, dental insurance, maternity benefits (15 weeks), parental benefits (additional 61 weeks), child care program (fee applies), defined-benefit pension plan, and employment insurance.
Objective
The objective of this program is to both attract high-quality postdoctoral researchers to CBMP, and support exemplary postdoctoral researchers currently within CBMP.
Eligibility
1. Individuals who will fulfill or have fulfilled all degree requirements for a PhD, PhD-equivalent, or health professional degree between 1 September 2019 and before 31 August 2023 (inclusively). The window of eligibility can be extended for career interruptions due to family leave, medical leave, non-research clinical training, or other approved extenuating circumstances.
2. If the candidate is already employed at UHN, they must not have been employed as a postdoctoral researcher at UHN for more than 1 year at the time of the application deadline. Applicants must be supervised by an appointed CBMP Scientist or Senior Scientist with their primary appointment at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre - Research. Applicants can also be supervised by a CBMP Clinician-Scientists with designated research space who have been appointed by the Research Director and reviewed by the PM Appointments and Promotions Committee.
3. An individual trainee is eligible for a maximum of one award.
4. If you were unsuccessful in your first application, you are eligible to apply a second time if other criteria are still met. You cannot apply to this competition more than twice.
5. An individual scientist (supervisor) can only nominate one postdoctoral researcher per competition, and only one postdoctoral researcher from the same lab can hold an award at any given time.
6. Applicants must not hold a tenure or tenure-track faculty position, nor other staff position. The funding from the CBMP Postdoctoral Fellowship will be used towards the awardee’s stipend only.
Conditions of Funding
Successful applicants funded through this opportunity must adhere to the following guidelines:
1. The trainee must meet the minimum commitment of 35 hours per week in the research fellowship role proposed in the application.
2. Awardees are expected to apply for external funding during the tenure of the award. If external awards are granted, they must accept it, and this PM award can be used to supplement remaining salary not covered by the external award.
3. Any unused portion of the award will be retained by CBMP.
4. Awardees leaving the UHN during the award tenure will not be able to transfer the funds to another institution.
5. Holders of a CBMP Postdoctoral Fellowship may be required to submit a final report at the completion of the term. Holders may also be expected to present occasional updates to the Computational Biology & Medicine Program.
Application & Submission Instructions
To be considered for an opportunity to build your career at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, please submit your CV (as PDF), one representative paper (as PDF), and the names and contact information of two references following the instructions to paul.brogee@uhn.ca with the subject line “CBMP Postdoctoral Fellowship Application” by July 31, 2023. When formatting your CV, use Arial or Helvetica of 11 pt font or more with margins of at least 0.75” on all sides. There is no specific requirement for CV contents. However, we recommend including the following:
1. Education and training history
2. Publications
a. include preprints and submitted manuscripts
b. unless a journal has accepted a publication, do not list the name of the journal
c. do not include “in preparation” manuscripts or conference abstracts
d. use an asterisk or other described signifier to indicate equal contributions; do not
rearrange author order from what is in the published paper
e. do not include journal impact factor or other numeric scores for journals
3. Oral presentations
4. Posters
5. Research interests
6. Technical skills
7. Career interruptions
8. Employment history
9. Professional activities such as leadership positions or committee positions
Please contact Paul Brogee (CBMP Program Manager; paul.brogee@uhn.ca) with any questions regarding this opportunity.
Evaluation & Adjudication
A faculty committee of Computational Biology & Medicine Program members will evaluate applicants on academic merit and impact, as measured by: (1) publications and preprints; (2) presentation at an online symposium; (3) duration of previous studies; and (4) letters of reference. This committee will shortlist applications based on the applicant’s scientific excellence, their alignment with CBMP’s research mandate, and with an aim to correct conditions of disadvantage in employment experienced by the four designated groups in Canada’s Employment Equity Act (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and members of visible minorities). Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview with the CBMP evaluation committee and present their research proposal at an online symposium. Shortlisted applicants not awarded the CBMP Postdoctoral Fellowship may be considered for other open research positions.
UHN is a respectful, caring, and inclusive workplace. We are committed to championing accessibility,
diversity and equal opportunity. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the
recruitment process providing the applicant has met the Bona-fide for the open position. Applicants need
to make their requirements known when contacted.
