Description
The Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen’s University invites applications for the Director, School of Policy Studies and Stauffer-Dunning Chair. The Director will hold a Tenured faculty position at the rank of Associate or Full Professor with a teaching and research focus in an area of public policy, broadly defined, including, but not limited to, climate, cultural, defence, economic, energy, health, or public policy. The preferred starting date is July 1, 2026.
The successful candidate will be an ambitious leader who will energize the School of Policy Studies, oversee a renewed Master of Public Administration program, provide policy research and teaching leadership and engage in fundraising and advancement activities in support of the School of Policy Studies.
The Chair and Directorship will be held on a five-year, renewable basis, and the Chair comes with a renewable research allocation to support the incumbent’s research activities.
The School of Policy Studies, founded in 1988, is one of Canada’s leading institutions of public policy research and teaching It offers a one-year Master of Public Administration (MPA) program to about 50 students each year. The School is also home to several leading policy research institutes, including The Centre for International and Defence Policy, the Institute for Intergovernmental Relations and The Queen’s Health Policy Council. The Stauffer Dunning Chair of Policy Studies is a prestigious research chair held by Canada’s leading public policy scholars.
Institution
Queen’s University has a long history of scholarship, discovery, and innovation that shapes our collective knowledge and helps address some of the world’s most pressing concerns. Home to more than 25,000 students, Queen’s offers a comprehensive research-intensive environment. Diverse perspectives and a wealth of experience enrich our students and faculty while a core part of our mission is to engage in international learning and research.
In 2023, for the third year in a row, Queen’s University has ranked in top 10 globally Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, securing the position of third worldwide and first in North America. The rankings measured over 1,700 post-secondary institutions on their work to advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
From Nobel Prize-winning research exploring the building blocks of the universe to cancer care and treatment to sustainable technologies, our university is tackling humanity’s most pressing challenges.
A member of the U15 group of Canadian research universities, Queen’s is home to a vibrant research community that includes 33 Canada Research Chairs and over 20 research institutes who work in partnership with communities, governments, and industry to advance research and innovation, making a measured impact on Canada and the world.
Faculty and their dependents are eligible for an extensive benefits package including prescription drug coverage, vision care, dental care, long term disability insurance, life insurance and access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program. Employees also participate in a pension plan. Tuition assistance is available for qualifying employees, their spouses and dependent children. Queen’s values families and is pleased to provide a ‘top up’ to government parental leave benefits for eligible employees on maternity/parental leave. In addition, Queen’s provides partial reimbursement for eligible daycare expenses for employees with dependent children in daycare. Details are set out in the Queen’s-QUFA Collective Agreement. For more information on employee benefits, see Queen’s Human Resources.
The City
The University is situated on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe, in historic Kingston on the shores of Lake Ontario. Queen’s is an integral part of the Kingston community, with the campus nestled in the core of the city, only a 10-minute walk to downtown. Kingston’s residents enjoy an outstanding quality of life with a wide range of cultural and creative opportunities, with access to many natural areas and proximity to vibrant First Nations Communities including Tyendinaga and Akwesasne. Kingston is a unique Canadian city of 125,000 with a distinct blend of history, recreation, industry, and learning. Kingston offers unique waterfront living with many recreational opportunities. It is within a two-and-a-half-hour drive (two-hour train ride) to the commercial, industrial and political hubs of Toronto, Montreal, and the nation’s capital, Ottawa, and a thirty-minute drive from the international bridge linking Ontario and upstate New York. The city is also the origin of the historic Rideau Canal system – a UNESCO International Heritage site, and is close to Frontenac Provincial Park, the Thousand Islands National Park, and the Frontenac Arch UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The Queen’s University Biological Station, north of the city, encompasses 34 km2 of diverse lands, affording premier learning and research opportunities. Visit Inclusive Queen’s for information on equity, diversity and inclusion resources and initiatives.
How to Apply
The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen’s is strongly committed to employment equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and encourages applications from Black, racialized/visible minority and Indigenous people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ+ persons. In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority, including any qualified individuals who have a valid legal work status in Canada. Please indicate in your application if you have a valid legal work status in Canada. Applications from all qualified candidates will be considered in the applicant pool.
In addition, the impact of certain circumstances that may legitimately affect a nominee’s record of research achievement will be given careful consideration when assessing the nominee’s research productivity. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions.
The University will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. If you require accommodation during the interview process, please contact Barbra Lalonde, Manager in the Faculty of Arts and Science at Barbra Lalonde: StaufferDunningChair@queensu.ca.
The deadline for applications is December 1, 2025.
Requirements
Candidates must have a PhD in a relevant field. The main criteria for selection are academic and teaching excellence. The successful candidate will provide evidence of high-quality scholarly output that demonstrates independent research and impact, such as peer-assessed publications, securing of external research funding, engagement with the policy process, and an ongoing commitment to academic excellence, as well as outstanding teaching contributions and an ongoing commitment to academic and pedagogical excellence in support of the School’s programs. Candidates must provide evidence of an ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and student-centered environment. The successful candidate will also be expected to make contributions through service to the School, the Faculty, the University, and/or the broader community. Candidates should outline their leadership and administrative experience in their cover letter. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Vaccination Requirements
Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status and provide proof that they were fully vaccinated or had an approved accommodation to engage in in-person University activities. These requirements were suspended effective May 1, 2022, but the University may reinstate them at any point.
