Canada Impact+ Research Chairs program at University of Waterloo

Launched on December 9, 2025, the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs program is a federal initiative designed to support institutions in attracting to Canada world-leading international researchers whose work addresses critical national and global challenges. The program emphasizes both research excellence and tangible impact. 

Impact+ Research Chairs will receive long-term funding and institutional support to advance ambitious and transformative projects that align with Canada’s strategic priority areas, to build and maintain exceptional research teams, and collaborate with partners across sectors and borders. University of Waterloo applicants should be in alignment with Waterloo at 100 and our Global Futures vision. Only candidates who are internationally based (both working and residing outside of Canada) at the time of the intake’s application deadline are eligible. Expatriate Canadians are encouraged to apply.

Chairholders are expected to drive the translation of discoveries into applications, commercialization and social and economic benefits for Canada and the world, while also developing the next generation of highly qualified personnel.

Waterloo requires nominees to hold a PhD (or equivalent), who will be appointed to a Waterloo academic department/unit as a full professor or associate professor with a promotion to full professor within two years of starting their appointment, or, if recruited from outside the academic sector, must possess the necessary qualifications to be appointed at these levels. The rank and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Canada’s strategic priority areas:

  • advanced digital technologies (including artificial intelligence, quantum and cybersecurity)
  • health, including biotechnology
  • clean technology and resource value chains
  • environment, climate resilience and the Arctic
  • food and water security
  • democratic and community resilience
  • manufacturing and advanced materials
  • defence and dual-use technologies

As part of the nomination, applicants must complete an online self-identification form. The information disclosed through this form will be kept strictly confidential.

Full applications must be submitted to our online portal.

The formal advertisement is now available. 

If you require additional information or have any questions, please reach out to: Canada-ImpactChairs@uwaterloo.ca

Research security requirements

All funded Impact+ Research Chairs must adhere to the TriAgency guidance on Research Security, which focuses on safeguarding research integrity and national/economic security. In accordance with the Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC), the nominee must indicate whether research and related activities proposed in the Impact+ nomination will aim to advance any of the areas in the Sensitive Technology Research Areas (STRA) list. If the nominee will aim to advance a STRA, they must complete an attestation form certifying that they are not currently affiliated with, nor are they in receipt of funding or in-kind support from, a Named Research Organization (NRO). Additional attestations may be required after the formation of the chairholder’s team following the notice of the award. STRAC requirements associated with your proposed research activities may also apply to prospective members of your team.   

Please also be advised that nominee engagement with entities connected to adversarial foreign military, state security, and/or intelligence agencies beyond the NRO List can also raise research-security concerns, and nominees with these types of connections may experience difficulty attracting granting support from the Ontario Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security (i.e., the Ontario Research Fund suite of programs and the Early Researcher Award program). In addition, these nominees may experience added scrutiny during the immigration process. 

For any questions regarding compliance with these research security requirements, please contact the Safeguarding Research team at safeguardingresearch@uwaterloo.ca.

To find out more about the Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards (CIRTA) at Waterloo, please visit Funding for research-based graduate programs | Future Graduate Students | University of Waterloo or Funding opportunities | Postdoctoral Scholars | University of Waterloo.