Postdoctoral Researcher in Pandemic Prevention and Global Health Security

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POSITION SUMMARY

The Pandemic and Emergency Readiness Lab (PERL) within the Department of Global and Public Health invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher in Pandemic Prevention and Global Health Security to support a CIHR STEPS Team Grant focused on strengthening Canada's public health emergency response systems. This fellowship offers a unique opportunity to conduct policy-relevant research that informs national preparedness strategies and contributes to the development of innovative civilian surge capacity models.

The successful candidate will be supervised by Professor Prativa Baral and will work closely with interdisciplinary researchers, policymakers, public health leaders, and community partners while contributing to high-impact research and knowledge mobilization activities.

The incumbent will hold a dual status as both a student and a McGill employee, and is a member of the AMURE (Postdocs) bargaining unit.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The incumbent will provide technical leadership and cross-workstream integration across a CIHR STEPS Team Grant. The fellow will function as an investigator, lead key research activities, and translate findings into policy-ready outputs. They will be encouraged to apply for independent salary and research funding.

• Lead integration of findings across the project’s four workstreams: policy mapping, economic evaluation, participatory co-design, and qualitative research 
• Conduct and coordinate key research activities including stakeholder interviews (n≈50), focus groups, and contribute to national survey design and analysis 
• Contribute to economic evaluation workflows, including cost-minimization, cost-effectiveness, budget impact, and ROI modelling, in collaboration with health economics expert.
• Facilitate co-design workshops with the pan-Canadian advisory network and support knowledge mobilization with government partners 
• First-author peer-reviewed publications and draft policy briefs, toolkits, and implementation reports for federal and provincial audiences 

The project focuses on three public health system building blocks: 

• Governance: Mapping and comparing civilian reserve models across Canadian provinces/territories (Québec RIUSC, Ontario Corps, Nova Scotia Guard) and international cases (Nordic countries, Global South), with focus on activation triggers, command structures, and integration with public health systems 
• Finance: Economic evaluation of civilian versus military surge (CAF deployments vs. NGO/civilian alternatives), including cost-minimization, cost-effectiveness, budget impact analysis, and 10–20-year ROI modelling under climate and pandemic scenarios 
• Workforce: Participatory co-design with a pan-Canadian advisory network and two national workshops to prototype governance, financing, and tiered workforce models, with explicit SGBA+ and equity lenses throughout 
• Qualitative Research & National Survey: Semi-structured interviews, regional focus groups, and a national stakeholder survey examining feasibility, acceptability, equity implications, and barriers/enablers to civilian reserve participation 
• Fellows will be integrated into the broader McGill global health community and encouraged to develop their own scholarly identity and independent funding applications aligned with PERL’s mission. 

QUALIFICATIONS

We’re seeking a rigorous, applied researcher with experience in health systems, emergency management, or public health policy — someone who can lead mixed-methods research and translate findings into real policy change. 

Applicants must have:

• Possess a PhD (within the last 1.5-2 years) in public health, health policy, political science, emergency management, epidemiology, health economics, or a closely related field 
• Demonstrated experience with qualitative and/or mixed-methods research (e.g., interviews, thematic analysis, focus groups, policy analysis) 
• Proven ability to translate research into policy-relevant outputs, briefs, toolkits, stakeholder reports, or public engagement 
• Strong writing and analytical skills, with a peer-reviewed publication record in a relevant area 
• Experience in emergency preparedness, disaster research, civil protection, or health systems strengthening (highly desirable) 
• Bilingualism (English and French), strongly preferred given Québec-based co-leadership and national stakeholder engagement 
• Familiarity with federal-provincial governance and emergency management landscape (an asset, either in Canada or elsewhere with a similar model). The postdoctoral researcher must be resident in Québec to perform work for this position. 

Hiring Unit: 

Department of Global and Public Health

Number of Positions: 

1 

Supervisor: 

Professor Prativa Baral 

Total Hours Per Week: 

35

Salary: 

$75,000/year 

Planned Start and End Date: 

November 1, 2026  -  October 31, 2027

Location: 

2001 McGill College

Application Procedure:

Interested candidates should submit (upload in Workday):

• A cover letter (max 2 pages) describing your research background and your specific interest in this project, as well as how your experience aligns with the civilian reserve research program 
• Curriculum Vitae 
• One writing sample (published article or manuscript in progress) 
• Names and contact information for two academic references 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. We thank all applicants; only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

* Candidates’ eligibility to hold a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship expires 5 years after the date on which their PhD was awarded, regardless of when they are hired.  Be sure to refer to the following link for further information on eligibility criteria: http://www.mcgill.ca/gps/postdocs/fellows/registration/eligibility.

** Any offer to non-Canadian citizens/non-permanent residents is contingent on the candidate obtaining a work permit after an offer has been made and a letter of invitation sent, see: http://www.mcgill.ca/gps/postdocs/international/workpermit

« Connaissance du français et de l'anglais: L'Université McGill est une université de langue anglaise où les tâches quotidiennes peuvent nécessiter une communication verbale et écrite en anglais.  Le niveau d’anglais requis pour ce poste a été déterminé comme étant de niveau #4 (qualificatif) sur une échelle de 0-4.» 

“Knowledge of French and English: McGill University is an English-language university where day to day duties may require English communication both verbally and in writing. The level of English required for this position has been assessed at a level #4 on a scale of 0-4.” 

In accordance with Canadian and Quebec law, the present offer is conditional upon your obtaining the appropriate work authorization from any or all of the following as applicable: Citizenship & Immigration Canada, Immigration Quebec and Human Resources & Skills Development Canada (HRSDC). 

$75,000.0035 (Full time)McGill College 2001Assistant Professor (Research)2026-09-302027-10-312026-10-30