Medavie Chair in Youth Mental Health (Tenure-Track Assistant or Associate Professor)

Closing Date: Review of applications will commence on September 1, 2026 and will continue until the position is filled.

The School of Integrated Health at the University of New Brunswick Saint John is seeking applications for a tenure track Medavie Chair in Youth Mental Health at the rank of assistant or associate professor with a research designation. The position will commence on January 1, 2027 or on a mutually acceptable date thereafter. This position is subject to budgetary approval.

The University of New Brunswick respectfully acknowledges that its Saint John campus sits on unsurrendered and unceded traditional Wolastoqey land. The lands of Wabanaki people were recognized in a series of Peace and Friendship Treaties to establish an ongoing relationship of peace, friendship and mutual respect between equal nations. The river that runs by our university is known as Wolastoq, along which live Wolastoqiyik, "the people of the beautiful and bountiful river." Wolastoq is also known as the St. John River.

UNB's Integrated Health Initiative (IHI) is a comprehensive program that focuses on health education and research, social innovation and entrepreneurship, and interdisciplinary collaboration (https://unb.ca/integrated-health/). The School of Integrated Health has both undergraduate and graduate programs focused on interdisciplinary health. The Bachelor of Health offers core interdisciplinary courses and three majors: Biomedical Sciences and Health, Society and Health, and Management in Health (https://www.unb.ca/saintjohn/health/). Graduate programming, including the Master of Applied Health Services Research and the Master of Public Health are offered.

Faculty in the School of Integrated Health regularly collaborate with researchers at Horizon Health Network, Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick, and the New Brunswick Community College Allied Health programs. In addition to these collaborations, the Chair will work closely with Saint John not-for-profit mental health service providers, private sector partners, and provincial agencies such as, the New Brunswick Departments of Health, Social Development, and Education and Early Childhood Development, and community-led youth-serving organizations to lead applied research, mobilize best practices, and drive system-level improvements in youth mental health services.

The Medavie Chair in Youth Mental Health will lead an applied, action-oriented research program dedicated to improving access to and the quality of youth mental health services in New Brunswick. The Chair's work will address the full continuum of youth mental health, from prevention and early intervention to crisis care and long-term supports, with a focus on social entrepreneurship allowing for the translation of national and international research into locally relevant, evidence-based models of care.

The successful candidate will establish the Youth Mental Health Lab in UNB's Health and Social Innovation Centre, which will serve as a hub for applied research and community engagement. The Chair will develop an evidence-based framework to enhance access to integrated, early mental health services for youth by engaging local stakeholders and using New Brunswick's rich data sources to create a scalable model that could be applied locally, provincially, and nationally.

Applicants must hold a Ph.D. (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline, such as healthcare management, social entrepreneurship, health policy, interdisciplinary health, or a related field with a demonstrated focus on youth mental health. Candidates who have conducted interdisciplinary, applied research in multiple sectors, including youth mental health, mental health systems, or related fields are strongly encouraged to apply.

We are committed to advancing applications from Indigenous and racialized scholars within equity-deserving groups. Please consult UNB's Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion webpage for more information on supports and resources, as well as UNB's Strategic Plan: Toward 2030 and UNB's Strategic Research Plan.

UNB recognizes that life circumstances (such as illness, disability, family or community responsibilities) can impact a candidate's research record. Such impacts will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process.

Applicants should submit their application to Dr. Lisa Best, Dean of Integrated Health, at sihdean@unb.ca.  The package should include: (1) cover letter describing educational background and research expertise, relevant experience, and future research goals, (2) their CV, and (3) any related files, such as a teaching dossier or most relevant publications. Academic references will be requested from all short-listed candidates

Applicants are asked to indicate in their cover letter whether they are Canadian citizens or permanent residents

Short-listed candidates will be required to provide satisfactory proof of credentials including appropriately certified translations of credentials into English, as applicable.

The University of New Brunswick is committed to employment equity and fostering diversity within our community and developing an inclusive workplace that reflects the richness of the broader community that we serve. The University welcomes and encourages applications from all qualified individuals who will help us achieve our goals, including women, visible minorities, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.