Senior Scientist - Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre-camh

Through its core values of Courage, Respect and Excellence, CAMH is implementing its Strategic Plan: Connected CAMH, to transform lives, ignite innovation and discovery, revolutionize education and drive social change. CAMH is more than a hospital, it is a cause. CAMH is on a mission to change the way society thinks about and responds to mental illness. They aim to eliminate prejudice and discrimination and shape a world where mental illness is central to our healthcare system - a world where Mental Health is Health.

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The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the world's leading research centres in the areas of addiction and mental health. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to transform the lives of people affected by mental illness and addictions. CAMH’s Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute (CFMHRI) is home to scientists, staff and research trainees conducting research to improve the understanding of the brain and the causes and biomarkers of mental illness and to advance prevention and treatment for mental illness and addictions across the lifespan.

The Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre is aligned with CAMH’s strategic goals of advancing care for the patients of today and innovating care for the patients of tomorrow. It is intended to promote excellence in the field of adult neurodevelopmental disabilities (e.g., intellectual disability, autism) and mental health. The Azrieli Centre is dedicated towards finding innovative solutions to solving major challenges in care delivery, and the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of mental illness in adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities and to increasing educational opportunities in this field for mental health trainees and providers. The Azrieli Centre is built upon four pillars: Clinical Innovation; Research Excellence; Education and Training; and Knowledge Exchange. Through this work, the Azrieli Centre will help improve education, awareness, diagnosis and treatment of the adult neurodevelopmental population locally, nationally and globally.

The Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre is seeking an outstanding full-time, permanent Senior Scientist with internationally recognized expertise in autism and mental health in adolescence and adulthood. The successful candidate will report directly to the Director of the Azrieli Centre and work to spearhead critical research initiatives to engage with both the scientific and mental health care communities within the Centre as well as other parts of the hospital.

The Senior Scientist will play a pivotal role in generating and exploring innovative research ideas, while also contributing to the education of emerging scientists through a robustly led research program. Furthermore, the incumbent will actively promote knowledge exchange within the field of adult neurodevelopmental disabilities.

The selected candidate is expected to provide expert guidance in research, offering training, supervision, and mentorship to staff and students across diverse disciplines. Emphasis will be placed on leading the development and implementation of impactful research aimed at enhancing systems of care for adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities

Accountabilities:

Adherence to approved CAMH practices, procedures, and safety standards is imperative in conducting research studies. Beyond research commitments, the Senior Scientist will collaborate within a multidisciplinary environment encompassing both fundamental and clinical research. A commitment to fostering diversity, encouraging teamwork, and ensuring compliance with regulatory and legislative requirements is essential.

The successful candidate will support and contribute to a healthy workplace that embraces diversity, encourages teamwork, and complies with all applicable regulatory and legislative requirements.

The role is based at 1025 Queen Street, Toronto, Ontario.

The successful applicant is required to have a doctoral degree as well as relevant experience as a postdoctoral fellow or equivalent, and a minimum of 6 years (7-10 years preferred) of independent research experience leading advanced research in autism and mental health. The successful applicant will be internationally recognized and will have established expertise in autism, the complexities associated with co-occurring conditions, and a strong knowledge of health systems and the spread and scale of novel or innovative interventions. The successful applicant will be committed to meaningful engagement of people and communities with lived and living expertise.

They will demonstrate leadership within large-scale research consortia and multi-centre collaborations and bring a strong track record of securing peer-reviewed funding as a Principal Investigator, alongside progressive scientific achievement evidenced by high-impact publications. The candidate will also show a clear commitment to mentorship, teaching, and advancing equity in science, with demonstrated success in supervising research trainees at multiple levels. Strong organizational, communication, and collaboration skills are required, with the ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary and diverse teams.

They will also have extensive knowledge of evidence-based practices for assessment and interventions supporting autistic people and people with co-occurring mental health conditions, and a strong understanding of gaps in evidence to be addressed through research. Knowledge and experience working with underrepresented groups within the autistic community-such as women, racialized and ethnic minority communities, and the 2SLGBTQ+ community-is critical. They will have demonstrated experience in teaching and curriculum development related to neurodevelopmental disabilities to build the capacity of the next generation of mental-health-care providers. Experience with both qualitative and quantitative methodologies is required, particularly community-based participatory research approaches.

The successful candidate will be eligible for an academic appointment at the University of Toronto at the rank of Associate or Full Professor, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

The successful candidate will possess sound judgment, excellent organizational, communication (verbal/written) and analytical skills. The demonstrated ability to cultivate internal and external relationships and collaborate effectively with colleagues, decision makers and the scientific community is required, as is the ability to work effectively within an interdisciplinary team made up of individuals of diverse ethno-racial and cultural backgrounds. Bilingualism (English/French) and/or proficiency in a second language is considered an asset.

Please Note: This full-time, permanent position is NOT part of any bargaining unit.

Salary range: Competitive salary and benefits package.