Scientist in Physical Sciences
The Physical Sciences Platform At Sunnybrook Research Institute, a Fully Affiliated Member Of The Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN) And The University Of Toronto, Invites Applications For a Full-time Scientist Position To Advance Transformational Research Projects That Support The Growth Of The Canadian Economy In The Following Strategic Priority Area
The Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders program is a one-time initiative designed to support institutions in attracting internationally based Early Career Researchers to Canada. Emerging Leaders will receive core salary support, as well as six years of operational research funding and institutional supports to advance transformative research in Canada’s strategic priority areas, build partnerships across sectors and borders, and translate their research into applications and impacts that benefit Canadians and the world. The Physical Sciences Platform at Sunnybrook Research Institute, a fully affiliated member of the Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN) and the University of Toronto, invites applications for a full-time Scientist position to advance transformational research projects that support the growth of the Canadian economy in the following strategic priority area:
- Health, including biotechnology
Early Career Researchers/Scientists working in the physical sciences, computational sciences or engineering applied to biomedical research are invited to apply. The successful candidate must show strong evidence of scholarly achievement in biomedical research with a focus on cardiac imaging. Research areas include but are not limited to the development of novel biomedical imaging methods, image-guided therapeutics, molecular therapeutic agents, image analysis methods and informatics, or medical devices (including portable MR imaging hardware).
The appointment will be at the rank of Scientist, an independent faculty position equivalent to a tenure-track appointment, and will be put forward for an academic status appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. The start date is anticipated to be July 1, 2027.
Emerging Leaders Awards are intended for exceptional emerging scholars and include six years of research funding valued at $100K per year.
Candidates must be within five years (with consideration for eligible delays) of the start date of their first research-related appointment, defined as an appointment where the individual has the autonomy to conduct research independently. All eligible delays in research (e.g., maternity, parental, medical, bereavement) are credited as twice the amount of time taken. Professional leaves (e.g., training, sabbatical, administrative) are not credited as eligible leaves.
Requirements and Qualifications: Candidates must possess a PhD in the physical or applied sciences (e.g., physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science or related fields) with experience in mentoring and collaboration. As per the Emerging Leaders Program regulations, candidates must have been internationally based (both working and residing outside of Canada) on August 11th, 2026. Expatriate Canadians wishing to relocate to Canada are encouraged to apply. Candidates will be expected to develop or relocate their research program as an independent research scientist, and support their research activity through competitive external funding awards. They will foster local, national and international collaborations, and participate in graduate training through an academic appointment in the appropriate department at the University of Toronto (e.g. Medical Biophysics, Biomedical Engineering, Institute of Medical Science, Surgery, Computer Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences). They will develop translational research that will “invent the future of healthcare”, in alignment with the clinical research programs and strategic priorities of the institute, and build new, complementary and collaborative research capacity among the existing PSP scientists.
About Sunnybrook Research Institute: SRI, comprised of three research platforms (Biological Sciences, Evaluative Clinical Sciences and Physical Sciences), is the research organization of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, one of Canada’s leading academic hospitals. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is a teaching hospital fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. It is home to Canada’s largest trauma centre as well as the second largest cancer centre in Canada. Sunnybrook sees 1.1M patient visits every year, is one of nine regional stroke centres in Ontario supporting over 58,000 emergency department visits annually and contains the largest veterans care facility in Canada.
The Schulich Heart Program is one of 11 care programs within Sunnybrook. A major provider of tertiary and quaternary cardiac services and a leader in less invasive structural heart interventions, it serves as a regional cardiac referral centre for many complex cardiac procedures. The Schulich Heart Program is an internationally recognized leader in novel heart devices, structural heart disease and health-system transformation, with a proven track record of advancing novel heart devices from early-stage research to commercialization, clinical practice and publicly funded care.
The Sunnybrook Research Institute supports more than $100 million of annual research activities within approximately 250,000 square feet of state-of-the-art research space at the Bayview campus of Sunnybrook, 10 kilometres from downtown Toronto. SRI has one of the best recognized and most productive research teams in medical imaging and physical sciences globally, housing an extensive and cutting-edge array of research infrastructure, including 3T (GE, Philips, Siemens) and 7T (Siemens) research-dedicated MRI systems, a research MRI-PET system (Siemens), systems for MRI-guided focused ultrasound treatments (Insightec), a 7T small-bore MRI system (Bruker), a vertical bore 7T NMR system (Bruker), and a GE Spinlab polarizer for 13C MRI research. Sunnybrook will also acquire a mid-field (0.55T) MRI system for Cardiac MRI applications, and a photon-counting CT system. The Physical Sciences Platform comprises 77 scientists with a total staff of more than 300, including over 100 post-graduate trainees from the University of Toronto.
Research areas in Physical Sciences include Biomedical Imaging and Image Analysis (MRI, Ultrasound, PET, XRay, Digital Pathology and Optical Imaging); Precision Medicine (Radiogenomics, Theranostics); Computational Modeling and Machine Learning; Design and Development of Medical Devices; Biophysics and Bioengineering. Image-Guided Therapy is a major focus area at SRI, and has been supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation leading to the establishment of the Centre for Research in Image-Guided Therapeutics; and by the federal Strategic Innovation Fund giving rise to INOVAIT, an industry-academic consortium for AI and ImageGuided Therapy. Physical Scientists at SRI engage clinical partners and pursue opportunities to translate innovations through pre-clinical and first-in-human testing, commercialize products by creating start-ups and licensing, and partner with companies in the development of new technologies. They are strongly supported in these efforts by SRI’s Technology Transfer office.
Toronto is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. It is located on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario and features an extensive network of rivers, deep ravines, and urban forests, excellent for sailing, canoeing, biking, running, and cross-country skiing nearby. It is an international centre of business, finance, and the arts, and is a truly multicultural metropolis, with half of Torontonians born outside of Canada. Toronto has been consistently rated as one of the most liveable cities in the world. Founded in 1827, the University of Toronto is the largest and most prestigious research-intensive university in Canada, and one of the world’s leading academic research institutions. The University has more than 16,000 faculty, including 9 Nobel laureates, nearly 100,000 students enrolled across three campuses from 180 different countries and territories around the world, and an annual operating budget of $3.5B. The University of Toronto contains an extensive biomedical research community, including a city-wide network of 14 academic hospitals and research institutes that are all fully affiliated with the University and receive $1.3B in combined research funding.
SRI’s core values are excellence, collaboration, accountability, respect and engagement. We believe our researchers, trainees and support staff are our most valuable assets, and we work to actively support the professional development of our staff and trainees. We strive to nurture a culture of wellness, equity and inclusion across all of SRI, cultivating an organizational culture of belonging and wellbeing.
Hiring Salary Range: $130,000 - $160,000
Application Process: All application materials must be received by December 15th, 2026. Only complete applications will be considered.
To Be Considered For This Position, All Application Materials Must Be Submitted By Email To The Contact Below. Please Combine Application Materials Into One Or Two Files In PDF/MS Word Format. Applicants Must Submit The Following Materials
- A letter of interest (maximum 2 pages) describing their research agenda. The letter should briefly address the Impact+ program objectives and strategic priorities, as well as outline the candidate’s alignment with SRI institutional strategic plans. If relevant, candidates should also mention any existing partnerships – funded or otherwise – that would be pertinent to the proposed research program.
- A full academic curriculum vitae in the NIH Biosketch format that highlights 3 key publications (maximum 5 pages).
- Filled self-identification form (attached)
- Names and contact details for 3 references
Interested applicants may submit their completed application package using the below link .Only complete applications received by the closing date will be assessed, and only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Any questions regarding eligibility, or other matters can be directed to search committee Chair, Jamie Near: jamie.near@utoronto.ca .
Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be reviewed based on the following essential criteria. Applicants must:
- have been internationally based (both working and residing outside of Canada) on August 11th 2026
- hold a PhD, or evidence of PhD-equivalent training (e.g. DPhil, ScD/DSc)
- have an excellent academic track record for their career stage (e.g. publications, funding, awards)
- demonstrate a plan for an original research program that aligns well with SRI’s research priorities
- demonstrate potential to make a positive contribution to the institution beyond direct research activity (e.g outreach, EDI activity)
- have experience with mentorship and collaborations
- be an early career researcher (postdoctoral fellow or within 5 years of first faculty appointment)
Diversity Statement: Sunnybrook Research Institute is strongly committed to inclusion and diversity within its community and strongly encourages applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to meeting our strategic priorities.
As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey, which will be sent to you by email separately. This survey is voluntary, but applicants are encouraged to self-identify in any of the groups, where applicable. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff.
Career Interruptions: Sunnybrook Research Institute recognizes that scientists have varying career paths and understands the impact that career interruptions can have on a candidate’s record of research achievement. Candidates are encouraged to explain any interruptions to allow for a fair assessment of their application. Selection committee members have been instructed to give careful consideration to and be sensitive to the impact of career interruptions in their assessments.
Accessibility Policy: Sunnybrook Research Institute follows Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre’s broader policy on Accessibility. This policy is committed to preventing, identifying and removing barriers that impede the ability of people with disabilities to access care and services. This includes patients, families, staff, physicians, volunteers and members of Sunnybrook’s community. The policy aligns with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA, 2005) and the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (O. Reg. 429/07) and outlines concrete practices to support accessibility across Sunnybrook’s operations. These include enabling the use of personal and institutional assistive devices, accommodating service animals and support persons, providing disability-appropriate communication, delivering mandatory accessibility training to staff and learners, issuing advance notice of service disruptions, and maintaining formal mechanisms for accessibility feedback and resolution. For any questions related to accessibility in employment at Sunnybrook, please contact the Accessibility Office, care of Erin Miller, Chief Human Resources Officer, at accessibility@sunnybrook.ca, or call 437-999-9029.
Job Information
Position Title: Impact+ Emerging Leader, Physical Sciences Platform
Number of positions: 1 (One)
Education Requirements: Doctoral/PhD
Language Requirements: Verbal: English, Written: English
Duration of Employment: Permanent
(6 Year Term, Renewable), Full-time
Salary range: $130,000 - $160,000
Posting Date: November 2, 2026
Closing Date: December 15th, 2026
Benefits: 3 weeks’ vacation accrued annually; Benefit Program including extended health care, dental insurance, life insurance, short term disability, long term disability, and the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan
