Scientific Director - Shkaabe Makwa

at  Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Job Description
Shkaabe Makwa at CAMH is the first hospital-based Centre in Canada designed to drive culturally- responsive systems initiatives to achieve health justice and wellness for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities through the advancement of research, workforce development and innovative healing models that harmonize traditional knowledge and medical expertise.
Shkaabe Makwa is seeking a Scientific Director to shape the Centre’s research portfolio and develop a transformational research agenda that supports Indigenous self-determination in health, and contributes to policy, practice, and systems change. Reporting to Senior Vice President, Research and Science at CAMH and Senior Director, Shkaabe Makwa, our research teams work closely with Indigenous communities, organizations, service providers, leaders, people with lived/living experience and other partners to co-develop and implement culturally-grounded research that is underpinned by strong ethical values, decolonial approaches, and intentional efforts to advance Indigenous health justice. Our research teams also develop, adapt, pilot, and evaluate clinical interventions and treatment modalities that weave traditional knowledge and western evidence, and explore the implementation of traditional healing practices in the hospital system.
This is an exceptional scientific leadership opportunity for a visionary researcher to provide strategic research and administrative leadership for Shkaabe Makwa and facilitate leading-edge research that responds to the priorities of Indigenous communities and partners while driving change. The ideal candidate is a respected First Nations, Inuit, or Métis researcher with significant experience leading interdisciplinary, community-based collaborative research that informs mental health and substance use policy, practice and/or systems change.
This position is located at 60 White Squirrel Way. This role will require some evening and weekend hours and travel to communities across Ontario, and beyond.

Job Requirements

• This position requires the incumbent to be First Nations, Inuit, or Métis with strong ties to Indigenous communities.
• PhD and/or MD with a record of interdisciplinary and collaborative research informing mental health and addiction policy and practice, including epidemiology of mental illness and/or addictions; policy and/or prevention research; population mental health and/or addictions; intervention development and evaluation research and/or health services and health systems research or related fields.
• Minimum 8 years of independent research experience, including 2 or more years in a Senior Scientist role and/or other scientific leadership experience
• Hold an academic position at, or be affiliated with, an accredited post-secondary institution in Ontario.
• Demonstrated track record of excellence and achievements in all aspects of independent research performance (e.g., grant funding success, peer-reviewed publications and other research outputs, recognition at the national or international level in the form of keynote invitations and major prizes, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to provide leadership to large research teams and research programs in an evolving research environment, and experience in forming multicenter collaborations.
• Ability to develop and articulate a strategic vision for Shkaabe Makwa’s research program and align research priorities with Shkaabe Makwa’s mission and the mission of the hospital.
• Experience centering Indigenous knowledges, worldviews, and values across the lifecycle of a research project.
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) to represent Shkaabe Makwa and communicate research findings as well as superior facilitation, negotiation, and consensus-building skills in order to listen and build relationships with a broad range of partners and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated understanding of and experience supporting Indigenous data sovereignty.
• Strong managerial and administrative skills are essential for effective oversight in a complex environment with multiple competing priorities.
• Excellent knowledge of equity, diversity, and inclusion and the ability to integrate anti-sanist, anti-ableist, decolonial, and anti-racist practices into all aspects of the portfolio’s work.
• Demonstrated knowledge of human and financial resources planning and management.
• Proficiency in both official languages and/or an Indigenous language is an asset

• Promote and facilitate leading-edge research, including collaborative and interdisciplinary research, in areas related to the mission of Shkaabe Makwa and the hospital
• Provide strong foresight and business acumen to grow and develop the research portfolio at Shkaabe Makwa, ensuring a grounding in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis knowledges, worldviews, and values.
• Lead strategic planning for the research portfolio at Shkaabe Makwa, ensuring alignment with the mission and goals of Shkaabe Makwa and the hospital.
• Lead, inspire and support a team of scientists and operational staff in creating a safe, positive and inclusive environment that results in high performing teams while fostering a culture of work-life balance.
• Provide scientific leadership, ensuring that Shkaabe Makwa-led research projects are methodologically sound, rigorous, high quality and aligned with ethical standards and practices.
• Maintain a robust program of independent research, including leading the development and submission of funding applications that advance high impact research that respond to the needs and priorities for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities and address gaps in health policy and the mental health and substance use system.
• Oversee finances for Shkaabe Makwa’s research portfolio.
• Accountable for establishing and strengthening reciprocal relationships with First Nation, Métis and urban Indigenous communities, Indigenous organizations, Indigenous researchers, Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers.
• Accountable for identifying and cultivating opportunities for collaborative partnerships across CAMH and CAMH research centers, and for establishing and extending research partnerships and networks through local, national and international collaborations
• Oversee the planning, development, and implementation of an Indigenous data governance framework for CAMH and ensure management of existing and new sources of data held by Shkaabe Makwa align with the framework.
• Encourage, support and cooperate with Foundation/hospital fundraising efforts.
• Serve on administrative committees essential the operations of Shkaabe Makwa and research working groups as appropriate.
• Support knowledge mobilization activities, ensuring research findings are communicated to a range of audiences.
• Together with the Director, Strategy & Planning, oversee the development and implementation of a monitoring and evaluation framework for the Centre.

Job Requirements

• This position requires the incumbent to be First Nations, Inuit, or Métis with strong ties to Indigenous communities.
• PhD and/or MD with a record of interdisciplinary and collaborative research informing mental health and addiction policy and practice, including epidemiology of mental illness and/or addictions; policy and/or prevention research; population mental health and/or addictions; intervention development and evaluation research and/or health services and health systems research or related fields.
• Minimum 8 years of independent research experience, including 2 or more years in a Senior Scientist role and/or other scientific leadership experience
• Hold an academic position at, or be affiliated with, an accredited post-secondary institution in Ontario.
• Demonstrated track record of excellence and achievements in all aspects of independent research performance (e.g., grant funding success, peer-reviewed publications and other research outputs, recognition at the national or international level in the form of keynote invitations and major prizes, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to provide leadership to large research teams and research programs in an evolving research environment, and experience in forming multicenter collaborations.
• Ability to develop and articulate a strategic vision for Shkaabe Makwa’s research program and align research priorities with Shkaabe Makwa’s mission and the mission of the hospital.
• Experience centering Indigenous knowledges, worldviews, and values across the lifecycle of a research project.
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written) to represent Shkaabe Makwa and communicate research findings as well as superior facilitation, negotiation, and consensus-building skills in order to listen and build relationships with a broad range of partners and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated understanding of and experience supporting Indigenous data sovereignty.
• Strong managerial and administrative skills are essential for effective oversight in a complex environment with multiple competing priorities.
• Excellent knowledge of equity, diversity, and inclusion and the ability to integrate anti-sanist, anti-ableist, decolonial, and anti-racist practices into all aspects of the portfolio’s work.
• Demonstrated knowledge of human and financial resources planning and management.
• Proficiency in both official languages and/or an Indigenous language is an asset.

CAMH strives to create a diverse, inclusive, accessible, and equitable workplace where all employees, irrespective of their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation or identity can thrive.
Please Note: This full-time, permanent position and is NOT part of any bargaining unit.
Salary Range: Competitive salary and benefit package.