Research Excellence Postdoctoral Fellows 2025/26

We are pleased to announce the recently launched Research Excellence Postdoctoral Fellows Program (REPFP) competition. Co-funded by UofT and DLSPH faculty PIs, the REPFP is a prestigious opportunity for early-career scholars. The program is designed for exceptional postdoctoral scholars eager to contribute to an innovative, vibrant and inclusive academic community that align with the DLSPH academic plan. DLSPH will award up to 5 REPFP awards over the next 3 years. More details on the award, eligibility and selection criteria can be found here.

The structure of the award is as follows:

An annual salary of $80,000 per year for two years plus benefits
An additional $10,000 in funding is provided annually for independent research set up as an expense account or research allowance

Co-Funding Requirements
Total award is $104,600*/year including salary, benefits and research allowance consisting of:

Provided by the University: $62,760*/year for 2 years
Provided by the PI-supervisor: $41,840*/year (2025/26 rate) from existing research funding held at DLSPH

*Note: PIs will be responsible for any additional employer costs that may be applicable as a result of future Collective Agreements

DLSPH Supervisor Eligibility
DLSPH will prioritize applications from supervisors who are full-time faculty members and whose primary employer is UofT. Supervisors can nominate a maximum of 2 candidates.

Important Dates

DLSPH Notice of Intent to Apply: 4:00 pm on Thursday, January 15, 2026
1. Complete this short form with the name of the prospective applicant and supervisor.
Complete Application Package:  4:00 pm on Monday, February 2, 2026
1. Faculty PI-supervisors should submit a complete PDF package labeled “Last name, First Name_REPFP_2026” to research.dlsph@utoronto.ca.

The package should include:

A completed submission form – download here.
A supervisor statement from the faculty supervisor (Max two pages)
Research or scholarship proposal from the nominee (Max two pages plus up to two additional pages for references/citations)
Training statement from the nominee (Max one page)
Nominee’s C.V. (No page restriction)
Description of the candidate’s research alignment with the DLSPH Academic plan (Max 1/2 page)
Description of the candidate’s considerations regarding inclusivity, diversity, equity, and/or accessibility in their proposed research program and approach to research

FAQ

Should the proposal describe an independent research project?

Fellows are expected to develop and lead their own research agenda, distinct from but complementary to their supervisor’s work, positioning them for future faculty appointments or leadership roles in research-intensive environments.

Is there any flexibility regarding the start date of the fellowship?

The fellowship must start between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027. Deferrals (up to six months) may be permitted.

If the applicant currently holds a postdoctoral fellowship from another source, would they be eligible?

Yes, the guidelines state that the candidate should “not have previously engaged in more than one postdoctoral appointment” so as long as they’ve completed only one by the time the REPF begins, they would meet this criteria.

Are faculty members who hold a DLSPH status appointment eligible to supervise an applicant?

Yes, status faculty are still eligible but the review committee will consider applications from full-time faculty members first. Also, the candidate must “be engaged as or seeking a position as a postdoctoral employee of the University of Toronto (teaching hospital postdocs are not employees of the university)” so the work must be done at U of T.