Canada Research Chair (SSHRC) Tier 2 in Community Engaged Research for Social Development (Internal)

Faculty/Academic Area: Faculty of Human & Social Sciences 

Department: N/A 

Campus: Brantford 

Employee Group: WLUFA 

Requisition ID: 10435 

Date posted: November 19, 2025

Canada Research Chair (SSHRC) Tier 2 in Community Engaged Research for Social Development (Internal)

Position Summary 

The Department of Criminology at Wilfrid Laurier University (Brantford Campus) invites applications for a tenured or tenure-track Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (SSHRC) in Community Engaged Research for Social Development. Applicants must be tenured-track or tenured faculty members currently employed at Laurier. The Canada Research Chairs Program is a key component of a strategy to make Canada one of the world’s top countries in research and development (www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca).

Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs are intended for exceptional emerging scholars. Candidates typically must be within 10 years of obtaining their PhD. However, it is recognized that career breaks due to personal leaves can have legitimate impacts on an applicant’s record of research achievements. Applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree and where career breaks exist, such as due to maternity, parental or extended sick leaves, family care or other similar reasons may have their eligibility for a Tier 2 chair assessed through the programs Tier 2 justification process. Please contact Charity Parr-Vasquez (cparrvasquez@wlu.ca), Assistant Vice-President, Research, Office of Research Services, for more information on eligibility and the Tier 2 justification process. More details on the CRC program including eligibility criteria can be found at http://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca.

The Canada Research Chair (SSHRC) Tier 2 in Community Engaged Research for Social Development will assist in promoting the Department of Criminology at Laurier as a national leader in community-engaged research for addressing social problems. The CRC will bolster the research profile and academic excellence of the Laurier Brantford campus by developing thriving partnerships with local and supra-local communities, national, and global institutions.

The successful applicant will have a record of research and community engagement in criminology and justice domain, ranging anywhere from the local to the international level, aimed at fostering meaningful social change. “Community” may be defined geographically (e.g., the residents of a municipality or neighborhood), or as a group united by shared experiences and concerns regardless of geographical location (e.g., people who have experienced incarceration, victimization). Housed in the Department of Criminology, this Chair will advance criminological research that collaborates with local and/or broader communities to identify social issues of concern, collect and analyze data to document the dimensions of the issue(s), and incorporate national and international best practices alongside local knowledge to develop evidence-based policies, programs, and practices informed by diverse voices. A core component will involve advocating for the adoption of effective strategies to transform social conditions of concern. Central to this Chair’s mandate is the integration of community knowledge and lived experiences to develop safer, more equitable, inclusive, and healthier communities. The CRC in Community Engaged Research for Social Development will contribute to ensuring that diverse perspectives and voices are included in the research agenda at Laurier and will promote the value of diverse knowledges at Laurier and in governance and policy discussions. The CRC in Community Engaged Research for Social Development will add capacity to Laurier’s strategic research priorities in the Psychological and Social Determinants of Health and Well-Being, Governance and Policy, and Society, Culture and Community. Building on existing strengths within the Department of Criminology, the successful applicant will enhance capacity and expertise in community-based research, further solidifying Laurier’s Department of Criminology as a leading centre for students and researchers dedicated to transformative community-engaged research.

The successful candidate will have a demonstrated capacity to develop an externally funded, world-class research program. They will be expected to secure external funding through SSHRC or other research funding programs, and to contribute to the training and mentorship of graduate and undergraduate students through their research program.  

The candidate is also expected to have demonstrated teaching proficiency and to make contributions to undergraduate teaching in Criminology that align with their expertise. They will assist the Department of Criminology to build our capacity to offer experiential learning opportunities to students who wish to gain competencies in working with communities as researchers, as policy developers, and as advocates for social change. Through the work of the CRC, the Department will build collaborative research opportunities to open more spaces for student engagement, student research opportunities, and networks for placements and community service learning. The successful candidate will also contribute to teaching, supervision and mentoring in our graduate programs, and will participate in the collegial governance and life of the department.

The Department of Criminology is an established cornerstone of the Faculty of Human and Social Science, with leading researchers in many areas of crime and social control and a commitment to building collaborative research partnerships to address complex and diverse issues. The department offers BA and MA degrees in Criminology. It also houses the UN Office on Drugs and Crime Certificate program.  

Qualifications

To be considered, applicants must have a PhD in a social science or law-related discipline, relevant postdoctoral experience and research. Applicants must currently hold an Assistant or Associate Professor position at Wilfrid Laurier University. The successful candidate will be nominated for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair and will be appointed as a tenured or tenure-track faculty member at the Assistant or Associate Professor level in the Department of Criminology, conditional on CRC application approval.

How to Apply

Applicants should submit:  1) a maximum two page cover letter outlining their qualifications for the position, 2) a curriculum vitae, 3) a three-page research plan, 4) a two-page teaching statement outlining the integration of your research with your teaching  and plans for future educational innovations, 5)  a one-page document that describes and contextualizes your three most significant career contributions, with any supporting documentation you deem relevant, and 6) the contact information of three referees willing to provide a letter of reference.

DO NOT CLICK THE “APPLY NOW” BUTTON TO APPLY TO THIS POSITION. Please submit the application via the email below. 

Application packages should be submitted electronically to Dr. Stacey Hannem Chair of the CRC Appointment Committee, Department of Criminology, Wilfrid Laurier University, care of Janet Wissink, Academic Program Administrator (jwissink@wlu.ca). Applications will be accepted until December 19, 2025. The anticipated start date is January 1, 2027 (or later), subject to the successful candidate’s availability and the timeline for the Tier 2 CRC nomination process.

It is recognized 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, or slowdowns due to chronic illness or disability) are expected to have an impact on a candidate’s record of research achievement, and that these impacts will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process. Therefore, candidates are encouraged to explain in their cover letter how career interruptions may have impacted them.

Core values at Laurier are equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion, as is our commitment to moving towards pathways for reconciliation, Indigenization and decolonization. These values are central to the Laurier Strategy, and our goals and actions aligned with these commitments can be found in the Strategic Plan for EDI as well as the Indigenous Strategic Plan.  For more information on Laurier’s CRC equity, diversity and inclusion commitments, please visit the Laurier’s CRC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan. Candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are also welcome to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at indigenous@wlu.ca and/or Employment Equity and Accessibility at equity@wlu.ca.

As part of this work, Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of all employees. We welcome applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of all minority sexual and/or gender identities. In keeping with Laurier’s best practices in recruitment, and in accordance with the CRC’s Requirements for Recruitment Guidelines, applicants are encouraged to complete the applicant equity survey.

Laurier strives to make our application process accessible and provides accommodations for both applicants and employees as outlined in Policy 8.7. If you require assistance applying for this position, would like this job posting (or links referenced) in an accessible or alternative format, would like to discuss accessibility and accommodations during the recruitment process, or if there are any questions concerning the recruitment process, please contact Janet Wissink, Academic Program Administrator (jwissink@wlu.ca).

The Faculty of Human and Social Sciences wishes to thank all applicants for their interest. All applications shall be reviewed and considered under the criteria established by the Search Committee and a short list of candidates shall be interviewed. Only those applicants selected for the short list will be contacted.

Wilfrid Laurier University endeavors to fill positions with qualified candidates who have a combination of education, experience, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position while demonstrating Laurier's Employee Success Factors.

Equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion are part of Laurier’s core values and central to the Laurier Strategy. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of any minority sexual and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity & Accessibility. We have strived to make our application process accessible, however if you require any assistance applying for a position or would like this job posting in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources. Contact information can be found at careers.wlu.ca/content/How-to-apply/

Should you be interested in learning more about this opportunity, please visit www.wlu.ca/careers for additional information and the online application system. All applications must be submitted online. Please note, a CV and letter of introduction will be required in electronic form.