Call For Applications - Scientific Director, Africa Institute
Call For Applications
Scientific Director, Africa Institute
The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry invites applications for the position of Scientific Director of the Africa Institute at Western University. In this role, the Scientific Director will provide scholarly leadership for interdisciplinary research related to Africa across Western University, supporting collaborative and, capacity-building approaches and strengthening reciprocal partnerships with African researchers and institutions.
Established as a Senate-approved research centre, the Africa Institute promotes and facilitates impactful research conducted by Western University researchers in partnership with colleagues and institutions across Africa. This centre brings together faculty, staff, trainees, and students from across faculties and disciplines whose work engages with African societies and contexts. Western is home to a diverse community of researchers involved in Africa-focused scholarship across areas such as health policy, ecosystem health, gender studies, linguistics, refugee studies, and transitional justice. The centre supports interdisciplinary collaboration and cultivates reciprocal partnerships
between Western and African researchers, building on a long-standing history of academic exchange and collaboration with partners with the African continent.
The Scientific Director will provide scientific leadership and scholarly direction for the Africa Institute by shaping its research vision and academic priorities, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across Western, and supporting the development of research initiatives conducted in partnership with collaborators in Africa. The Scientific Director will also play an important role in advancing research funding opportunities, supporting researcher and trainee capacity-building, and representing the Institute’s academic mission with Western and externally.
The Scientific Director will work in partnership with the centre’s Director, who provides operational leadership and supports partnerships, engagement, and program development. Together, they will support the continued development of the Africa Institute as a hub for interdisciplinary research collaboration between Western University and partners across Africa.
Applicants must hold a full-time research-eligible faculty appointment at Western University, with an established record of research excellence, leadership experience, and demonstrated commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration. The appointment is for a five-year term, normally renewable once.
To apply: Review of applications will begin after Friday, April 3, 2026, with an anticipated start date of August 1, 2026 or as negotiated. Applications should include a detailed curriculum vitae in any research format and a statement of interest of no more than two pages. The statement should address the applicant’s interest in and fit for the role, their vision for the future of the Africa Institute, their leadership approach and ideas for strengthening interdisciplinary, collaborative, and partnership driven research related to Africa, and a statement on equity, diversity, and inclusion as it relates to their academic, research, and leadership activities.
Please submit applications to Robert Bartha, Vice-Dean, Research & Innovation by email to rbartha@uwo.ca no later than Friday, April 3, 2026.
Applicants should have fluent written and oral communication skills in English. The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.
Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Rachel Kelly at Rachel.kelly@schulich.uwo.ca or 519-661-2111 ext. 86252.
