Postdoctoral Fellow | Temporary Full Time (1.0 FTE) | CHEO Research Institute

Compensation Pay Range:

$0.00-$0.00

Summary:

Please send your resume with a cover letter to Dr. Hajer Nakua through the following link: https://redcap.link/5tz0osdw . Although we appreciate the interest of all candidates, only candidates invited for interviews will be contacted. No phone calls please.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Posting # - RI-26-044

Posting Period – September 29th to October 13th, 2026

POSITION: Postdoctoral Fellow

Nakua Research Group, Precision Child and Youth Mental Health

New Position

TERM: 1.0 FTE, 2-year contract with possibility of renewal

SALARY: $26.00 - $31.00 per hour, will be commensurate with skills and experience

REPORTS TO: Dr. Hajer Nakua, Scientist

The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute Inc. (“CHEO RI”) is the research arm of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario – Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre (“CHEO”) and an affiliated research institute of the University of Ottawa.

We respectfully acknowledge that CHEO RI is located on the unceded, traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabek People, who have lived on and cared for this land since time immemorial. We honour their enduring presence and the ways their culture and stewardship have shaped and continue to nurture this land. CHEO RI also recognizes and values the historic and ongoing contributions of all First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

CHEO is a deeply trusted institution and workplace, widely regarded as a cornerstone of our community. CHEO RI advances this legacy by generating new knowledge and evidence to support CHEO in delivering world‑class care to children and youth. Our mission is to connect exceptional talent and innovative technologies to pursue life‑changing research for every child, youth, and family in our community and beyond.

CHEO RI has an immediate requirement for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Neuroimaging.

The Nakua Research Group, housed within the CHEO RI’s Precision Child and Youth Mental Health (PCYMH) Collaboratory, is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow to support its neuroimaging research program. The lab investigates the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the intergenerational transmission of psychiatric symptoms, using large population-based cohorts and lab-specific studies collected at CHEO, The Royal, the University of Ottawa, and collaborating sites. The successful candidate will lead research projects and studies investigating intergenerational markers of child brain and behavioural development using large publicly available datasets.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will work in an interdisciplinary environment integrating multimodal neuroimaging, clinical, and biological data, in close collaboration with clinicians, neuroscientists, and international research consortia. Responsibilities include leading the analytical design, data analysis, and interpretation of findings that will be published and presented in local and international conferences. Expertise in human neuroimaging analysis, imaging pipelines, biostatistics, and big data analysis is required.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• •Lead research studies pertaining to the intergenerational transmission of neurobiology and behaviour by integrating multimodal neuroimaging and behavioral data.
• •Implement advanced multivariate, prediction models, and cluster-based analyses on various intergenerational and infant brain development datasets, such as the Healthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) dataset.
• •Contribute to the maintenance of the neuroimaging infrastructure and pipelines (e.g., fMRIPrep, BIDS, etc.) within the research group.
• •Contribute to post-processing analyses for MRI data across studies (e.g., calculating functional connectivity of resting state functional MRI acquisitions).
• •Mentor undergraduate and graduate trainees in developing and executing their research projects.
• •Design, implement, and oversee bioinformatic and analytical approaches for the analysis of multidimensional datasets (including multimodal neuroimaging, genetic, clinical, environmental data).
• •Represent the research team at national and international conferences and academic meetings.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Essential

• •PhD in neuroimaging and/or bioinformatics or a closely related discipline
• •Statistical expertise in analyzing large multidimensional datasets
• •Strong scientific writing skills, with experience preparing manuscripts for submission to high-impact journals
• •Experience with omics and data-driven analyses
• •Experience with multivariate and advanced statistics
• •Proficiency in bioinformatics and computer skills – R, high throughput data analysis, sequencing

Preferred

• •Experience working with neuroimaging pipelines (e.g., MRIQC, fMRIPrep, BIDs)
• •Experience with methodological development, assessment, and innovation pertaining to neuroimaging research
• •Experience storing and analyzing data using computer clusters, such as the Digital Resource Alliance Canada computing cluster
• •Strong written and verbal communication skills

WORKING CONDITIONS

• •Hybrid work model (with a daily schedule (7.5 hours per day) between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm)
• •Able to be flexible with working hours to meet deadlines
• •May require occasional travel for conferences or meetings, with advance notice provided

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• •Eligible to work in Canada;
• •Compliance with CHEO RI’s occupational health, immunization, and health‑surveillance requirements, as applicable to the role and work environment.
• •Completion of a Police Record Check, in accordance with institutional and regulatory requirements.

TO APPLY

Please send a complete CV and cover letter to Dr. Hajer Nakua through this link: https://redcap.link/5tz0osdw . Please ensure that your cover letter and CV are uploaded in a single document which is saved as FIRST NAME, LAST NAME - Postdoctoral Application .

The CHEO Research Institute values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and barrier‑free workplace where individuals are supported to bring their authentic selves to work. This commitment begins with our hiring practices, and we welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) , accommodations are available throughout the recruitment and selection process. Applicants requiring accommodation may contact Human Resources at researchhr@cheo.on.ca.

The CHEO Research Institute is dedicated to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion across all areas of our work, including research, education and career development, and patient, family, and donor partnerships. We value diverse lived experiences and non‑traditional career paths, as well as strengths such as resilience, collaboration, and relationship‑building. We strongly encourage applications from members of racialized and Indigenous communities, persons with disabilities, individuals of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, and others who bring the skills and perspectives needed to engage meaningfully with diverse communities.

CHEO Research Institute does not use artificial intelligence during the selection and recruitment process.

Unless otherwise indicated, the primary work location is 401 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario (K1H 8L1) . Applicants must be legally eligible to work in Canada. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

CHEO Research Institute Inc. – Human Resources Department

researchhr@cheo.on.ca

401 Smyth Road

Ottawa (Ontario) K1H 8L1, CANADA

DESCRIPTION DE POSTE

Numéro d’affichage - #RI-26-044

Période d’affichage – du 29 septembre au 13 octobre, 2026

POSTE: Boursière ou boursier de recherches postdoctorales

Le groupe de recherche de Dre. Nakua

Nouveau position

DURÉE: Temps plein, (1,0 ETP), contrat de deux (2) ans avec possibilité de renouvellement

SALAIRE: 26,00$ – 31,00$/