The Vice President, Research and Scientific Director (VP & SD) is a key executive leadership position accountable for driving excellence in research at Lawson Research Institute (Lawson), the hospital-based research institute of St. Joseph's Health Care London. The VP & SD reports to the President and CEO and is a member of the Senior Leadership Team of St. Joseph's Health Care London. This key role works with the Board of Directors of the Lawson Research Institute to provide strategic and operational leadership by articulating organizational needs and plans and advising on strategy development and implementation.
The VP & SD will be accountable for strengthening St. Joseph's Research Strategy, aimed at building on the strengths of the organization and increasing integration of research excellence with clinical services, strengthening knowledge translation and improving patient care. The VP & SD will play a critical role as an Ambassador for St. Joseph's research and academic endeavors in relation to Western University and other academic partners, partner hospitals and the broader regional, provincial, national and international research landscape.
Recruiting, developing, mentoring and retaining key professional and technical scientific and research staff focused on a team-based, multidisciplinary approach that brings together the right resources to translate research into clinical care will continue to be a key priority going forward. The VP & SD will play a key role in overseeing the operational activities of the researchers, including oversight of all reporting, research grant and awards program management, peer review processes and knowledge translation activities. In addition, the VP & SD will be key to seeking and acquiring external financial support for St. Joseph?s research and academic priorities.
The VP & SD will provide expertise and support to St. Joseph's clinical programs in the identification, implementation and evaluation of evidence-based practice. This includes knowledge translation and knowledge mobilization to inform policy and practice, as well as building the profile and value of research as an important partner across the organization. The provision of patient-centered care built on a foundation of research and established best practices represents an organizational priority. The continued support and leadership provided by the VP & SD, as part of the Senior Leadership Team, will be important to create constructive and collaborative partnerships internally and with other health providers and to successfully enable impactful organizational change through research and academics.
The time commitment for the role is negotiable but is targeted at approximately 3-4 days per week.
Essential Qualifications:
- PhD, MD, or equivalent with previous experience of research leadership within a University or Research-Intensive Hospital
- Experience as Associate or Full Professor or equivalent with a recognized academic or research institution
- An established track record with research scholarship, including a strong publication record and knowledge translation activities
- A distinguished record of successful extramural funding with an established track record as a Principal Investigator of CIHR or other competitive funded research projects
- Exceptional collaborative leadership skills as evidenced by several years of experience overseeing complex research projects, including supervision of scientific and support staff
- Demonstrated ability to work in collaborative interdisciplinary research teams including with administrative and clinical partners
- Proven skills in leadership, mentorship, and student supervision
- Proven ability to work with health care systems and community health agencies in research efforts
- Experience in applied research program development.
- Ability to communicate effectively with academic, technical, leadership, and clinical audiences
- Demonstrated experience as a values-based leader who models and champions personal and organizational values
- Capable of building credibility, understanding, and trust within the external research/academic community to assist St. Joseph's/Lawson in meeting its strategic directions
- Demonstrated leadership success in a multi-stakeholder environment that includes diverse teams, projects, scientists, and research platforms.
- Senior level knowledge of key management practices for leadership - people, processes, and technology
- Broad understanding of changing priorities, trends, legislative requirements and/or other internal and external emerging issues and their potential impacts on goals, priorities, and activities across the organization
- Self-directed with a capacity for managing, executing, and evaluating many complex and competing projects and initiatives in evolving, changing, and stressful environments
- Flexibility and a tolerance for ambiguity in a constantly evolving organization and health environment.
- Ability to communicate and advocate for the importance and value of hospital-based research within the hospital, the London academic community, and to elected representatives and the community at large.
- Leadership experience with research committees or advocacy tables at a provincial and/or national level
- A proven understanding of the importance of a research pipeline encompassing both pre-clinical and clinical research
As part of the Senior Leadership team, the VP & SD is required to periodically perform administrator on-call duties that include assuming corporate leadership accountability during an emergency situation.
Immunization Requirements
- Provide vaccination records or proof of immunity against measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chicken pox), Hepatitis B, COVID-19 and influenza.
- Provide documentation of the Tuberculosis skin testing
Posting date: August 14, 2026
Submission deadline: September 14, 2026
Jennifer Pasichnyk, Human Resources