The Graduate School of International Studies (l’École supérieure d’études internationales – ESEI) at Université Laval, located in Québec City, Canada, is a centre of excellence in multidisciplinary research and teaching on international issues.
ESEI is currently seeking a faculty member whose research focuses on global inequalities and trade. The successful candidate will hold the Research Chair in Global Inequalities and Trade.
The competition is open to candidates from all disciplines relevant to this field. Applications from economics, law, geography, history, sociology, management, political science, and other relevant disciplines are particularly encouraged.
International trade structures power relations among developed countries, emerging economies, and least developed countries, as well as power dynamics among actors within societies. It has a direct impact on the lives of hundreds of millions of people and on their aspirations for a more equitable world. The Chair’s research will examine the reciprocal relationships between the governance of international economic and diplomatic relations, on the one hand, and inequalities, on the other, in the context of the reconfiguration of the emerging world order.
The Chair’s research may address, but is not limited to, the following issues: the role of financial institutions in addressing global economic inequalities (e.g., sovereign debt restructuring); the links between international aid, export-led growth, and human development; the role of sovereign wealth funds and the financialization of the economy in the unequal distribution of wealth and democratic backsliding; the impact of market opening and multinational corporations on local populations; and the preservation of an inclusive multilateral trading system.
In addition to its research activities, the Chair will develop an innovative teaching program based on simulations of negotiations and coordinated action within international organizations working in the fields of international development and trade (IMF, UNDP, WTO, etc.). These initiatives will raise students’ awareness of the importance of multilateral cooperation in reducing inequalities among countries.
A research advisor will support the Chairholder in developing, planning, and submitting research grant applications, while helping to maximize the Chair’s outreach and knowledge mobilization activities. Funding will also be available to support doctoral scholarships associated with the Chair.
The successful candidate will join the Graduate School of International Studies as a regular faculty member beginning June 1, 2027, and no later than September 1, 2027. The appointment may be made at any academic rank, in accordance with the Collective Agreement between Université Laval and the Syndicat des professeurs et professeures de l’Université Laval (SPUL).
Duties include :
• Teaching at the graduate level;
• Supervising graduate students in the context of master’s research papers, master’s theses, and doctoral dissertations;
• Conducting research and publishing on global inequalities and trade;
• Participating in teaching and administrative activities associated with ESEI;
• Performing any other activities provided for under the Collective Agreement between Université Laval and SPUL.
Selection Criteria :
• Ability to teach in French within three years of appointment;
• A PhD in a field relevant to global inequalities and trade;
• Applications from doctoral candidates who are nearing completion of their dissertation will be considered, provided that a letter from the department chair confirming the expected date of dissertation submission or defence is included;
• A strong commitment to multi/interdisciplinary research and teaching, demonstrated through academic training, a research program, teaching experience, or collaborations;
• An excellent research record, including publications in peer-reviewed journals considered among the leading journals in the candidate’s field, or demonstrated potential to develop an excellent research record for candidates at an early career stage;
• University-level teaching experience;
• A record of securing research funding from granting agencies in the candidate’s field, or demonstrated potential to obtain such funding in the near future;
• Ability to teach a graduate-level research methods course. Proficiency in mixed methods would be an asset;
• Demonstrated involvement in national and international research networks would be an asset;
• Research experience in the Global South would be an asset.
Employment Conditions :
• Regular, full-time position;
• Salary commensurate with recognized experience, with benefits, in accordance with the Collective Agreement between Université Laval and SPUL.
Applications :
• Application deadline: October 31, 2026
• Start date: June 1, 2027 (no later than September 1, 2027)
The application file must include:
A. A cover letter demonstrating, in particular, the candidate’s commitment to multi/interdisciplinary research and international studies;
B. A curriculum vitae;
C. A document of no more than two pages describing a five-year research chair program;
D. One sample of the candidate’s publications.
Valuing equity, diversity, and excellence, Université Laval is firmly committed to providing all its staff with a work and living environment characterized by an inclusive culture. For Université Laval, diversity is a source of strength, and we encourage qualified individuals of all origins, genders, sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, as well as individuals with disabilities, to apply.
Université Laval also adheres to an employment equity program for women, members of visible or ethnic minorities, Indigenous peoples, and individuals with disabilities. To this end, all applicants will be invited to complete a confidential self-identification form upon submission of their application.
All applications will be processed confidentially.
Applications must be sent to:
Jonathan Paquin
Directeur
École supérieure d’études internationales
Université Laval
recrutement.esei@ulaval.ca
To apply, send a message to recrutement.esei@ulaval.ca. (See posting for details.)