Open Faculty Research Positions

For these awards, community-based sites are defined as follows:

• Associate TAHSN affiliates (see this link; e.g., Humber River Health, Michael Garron Hospital, North York General Hospital, Scarborough Health Network, Trillium Health Partners), or
• Community hospital TAHSN affiliates (e.g., Georgian Bay General Hospital, Lakeridge Health, Oak Valley Health, Southlake Regional Health Centre, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care), or
• Sites outside the TAHSN network (e.g., Barrie, Orillia), or
• Community-based physicians who do not practice in one of our core DFCM sites

Note: Faculty who already hold a Clinician Investigator, Clinician Scientist, or Early-Career Researcher award are ineligible.

For those applying for a Waddington Fellowship:

• All applicants must have a primary academic appointment in the DFCM and be an active faculty member in an affiliated community-based site, as defined above, as of the start date.
• Applicants should have not yet established an independent research program (e.g., securing competitive research funding as principal investigator, first authorship of peer-reviewed publications, supervision and mentorship of graduate students/medical students/research staff in the context of the faculty member’s own research program).
• Applicants should demonstrate strong interest in advancing their research skills and becoming future New Investigators.
• A formal supervisor who is a senior DFCM-affiliated researcher with whom an applicant will engage with during their fellowship must be identified. Applicants must also propose a research project that is approved by the formal DFCM supervisor. (DFCM will help to match each applicant with a senior DFCM-affiliated researcher if requested.)
• A graduate degree (including a degree in progress) is an asset but not required.

Expectations and Available Supports

• Formal supervision from at least one senior DFCM-affiliated researcher (either new or pre-existing mentor) for Waddington Fellows.
• Opportunities to engage with the University of Toronto’s Practice- and Community-Based Learning and Research Network (UPLEARN).
• Central DFCM research supports (e.g., consultation on research methodology, proposal development, budgeting, etc.).
• Community of practice with other DFCM Funded Investigators, Waddington Early-Career Researchers, and Waddington Fellows.
• An acknowledgement in publications and presentations that the investigator holds a DFCM Waddington Award.

All applications must include a letter of support from Chief/Division Director/Director responsible for matched funding with:

• A clear statement of the amount of protected research time
• Proportion of distribution of responsibilities (research, clinical, teaching, administration)
• Assurance of administrative support and research space, if any
• A description of available research staff support, if any
• A statement of enhanced matched funding (as appropriate for the amount of protected research time and position applied for) with the goal (if possible) of achieving equity with the median income in the practice.

*If matched funding will be coming from an external source, please also provide confirmation of funding in writing.

**If applicant has no unit Chief, please provide a letter that details how the above criteria will be achieved.

All applications must also include:

• A completed 2026 DFCM Call for Waddington Fellowship Award Application Form available at this link: https://redcap.utoronto.ca/surveys/?s=LXA3KMFAYRMYMNJW
• A current CV with the following items included and highlighted for the last 5 years, if applicable. The CV should be no more than 5 pages.
  • Grants including award amounts and type (i.e., peer-reviewed, non-peer-reviewed)
  • Publications including number and type (i.e., peer-reviewed journal, non-peer-reviewed)
  • Presentations including number and type (i.e., peer-reviewed journal, non-peer-reviewed)
  • Research committees (e.g., CIHR Review Committee)
  • Other awards and recognitions (e.g., salary/training awards)
  • Other activities including any formal mentorship/supervision and other committees
• A description of your research plan for the next 2 years which includes:
  • a detailed description of your research objectives and questions, your research setting, and proposed collaborators (max 3 pages)
  • a description of how this award will enable you to achieve your research goals and objectives (max 1.5 pages)
  • and description of how your research aligns with the DFCM’s Strategic Plan and University of Toronto’s Practice- and Community-Based Learning and Research Network (UPLEARN) (max 1/2 page).
    
    Note regarding format for research plan: Maximum 5 pages with 2 cm margins, Times New Roman 12 font, and page numbers only in the lower-right margin. Font size does not apply to images or tables.
• 2 letters of reference (in addition to the letter of support mentioned above), including one from the supervisor for Fellow applicants

Note: All Award recipients will undergo internal reviews with the Waddington Family Community Research Capacity Building Program Director. Continued funding for all DFCM Investigator Awards is not guaranteed but is contingent on an annual basis on:

• Availability of funds from the DFCM
• Availability of enhanced matched salary support from the site
• Continued endorsement by the unit chief (or the Director/Chair of the organization responsible for guaranteeing the enhanced matched funding).
• Successful internal reviews

Application Deadline: Monday, September 14, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. EST 
Decision Date: November 2026
Start Date: January 1, 2027

Please submit applications and direct questions to Tara Jeyaram, Research Program Administrator, at dfcm.research@utoronto.ca.

To assist applicants, there will be a virtual drop-in session with Q&A about the Waddington Fellowships on Wednesday August 5, 2026, 12:00-1:00 p.m. If you are interested in attending this session, please email the Research Program Administrator for meeting details.

Complete the form below and submit it with your application:

Application Form