Postdoctoral Fellow Black [Queer] Health Studies

Dalhousie University; Halifax; On-site; CAD 55,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading university in Canada invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Black [Queer] Health Studies. This role focuses on researching and disrupting the health impacts of systemic anti-Black racism. Key responsibilities include conducting research, engaging with communities, and producing peer-reviewed publications. Applicants should hold a PhD in relevant fields and demonstrate expertise in Black Studies and community engagement. The position offers a salary range of $55,000 - $57,000 and prioritizes applicants from equity-deserving groups.

Benefits

Inclusive work environment

Research opportunities

Supportive community engagement

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant field such as Black Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Public Health, etc.
• Demonstrated expertise in Black Studies and/or Black Feminist, Queer, and/or Trans Studies.
• Experience developing or delivering anti-racist, queer- and trans-affirming educational content.

Responsibilities

• Conduct independent and collaborative research on Black [Queer] Health Studies.
• Engage with community organizations and policymakers.
• Produce high-quality peer-reviewed publications and knowledge mobilization outputs.

Skills

Research experience in Black Studies

Community engagement

Anti-racist education

Excellent communication skills

Familiarity with decolonial research methodologies

Education

PhD in Black Studies, Gender Studies, Public Health

Job description

Postdoctoral Fellow – Black [Queer] Health Studies

Position Title: Postdoctoral Fellow – Black [Queer] Health Studies

Posting Number: PTAP3151P

Department/Unit: Nursing

Location: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Job Summary & Key Responsibilities

In this research program, the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (CIHR) Black Health Studies seeks to understand current practices and challenges in healthcare systems serving diverse Black and Black 2SLGBTQIA+ populations and communities locally, nationally, and globally, further developing methodological approaches for the interdisciplinary / transdisciplinary intersections of Black Studies and confronting interlocking conditions of anti-Black racism in health systems research; expanding training on the foundations of intersectional Black health and anti-racism practices, and equipping the next generation of research trainees with the experiences and expertise needed to contribute to dismantling anti-Black racism and structures of white supremacy in healthcare. Ultimately, this research program will equip health system stakeholders with the competence to effectively support the health of diverse Black and Black 2SLGBTQIA+ communities by informing practice and impacting policy.

The Tier 1 Canada Research Chair (CIHR), Back Health Studies, Dr. OmiSoore Dryden, invites applications for a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Black [Queer] Health Studies. This fellowship focuses on theorizing and actively disrupting the health impacts of systemic anti-Black racism, with a particular emphasis on Black queer and trans experiences in health, medicine, and healthcare systems. It will support innovative, community-engaged research that critically examines how structural anti-Black racism, colonialism, and heteronormativity shape health knowledge, care systems, and outcomes for Black and Black 2SLGBTQIA+ communities locally and globally.

The Fellow will join a transdisciplinary and community-engaged research environment that centres subjugated knowledges, develops transformative anti-racist practices, and advances Black [Queer] Health Studies as both a theoretical and practical project.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct independent and collaborative research on Black [Queer] Health Studies, with emphasis on how anti-Black racism/homophobia/transphobia shapes diagnostics, clinical decision-making, health education, and health policy.
• Engage with community organizations, health practitioners, and policymakers to shape research impact.
• Centre the experiences of Black women (cis and trans) and Black 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in all phases of research, including design, data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
• Produce high-quality peer-reviewed publications and knowledge mobilization outputs (e.g., articles, reports, workshops, policy briefs, community toolkits, and public scholarship).
• Participate in and help organize seminars, reading groups, public events, and collaborative projects within the unit.

Qualifications

PhD in a relevant field such as Black Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, Public Health, Sociology, Medical Anthropology, Health Humanities, Education, or a related discipline.

• Demonstrated expertise and research experience in Black Studies and/or Black Feminist, Queer, and/or Trans Studies, with clear engagement with health, medicine, or healthcare systems.
• A research record (or clear potential) that shows commitment to Centring Black women (cis and trans) and Black 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and to resisting heteropatriarchal and conservative constructions of Blackness.
• Familiarity with theories within Black Studies, Black Feminist Thought, Black Queer Diasporic Analytics, and abolitionist or transformative justice approaches.
• Evidence of ability to work collaboratively with communities, practitioners, and/or policymakers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to present research to academic, professional, and community audiences.
• Experience with community-based, participatory, or decolonial research methodologies.
• Experience developing or delivering anti-racist, queer- and trans-affirming educational content for a variety of audiences.
• Demonstrated record of knowledge mobilization beyond academia (e.g., community workshops, policy engagement, advocacy, digital media, zines).

Fellowship Focus

• Critically interrogating the production and deployment of biomedical knowledge and practice through anti-racist, queer-affirming, and decolonial lenses.
• Acknowledging the inseparability of race, gender, sexuality, and structural power in shaping health inequities.
• Centring the lived experiences, community knowledge, and epistemologies of Black and Black 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples in the pursuit of equitable health policy and practice.
• Black Data governance, and data sovereignty.

Salary Range / Pay Rate

$55,000 - $57,000.

Additional Information

Note: The position is located at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Priority will be given to Black and African Nova Scotian candidates and people of colour. This is in keeping with the principles of Dalhousie’s Employment Equity Policy and the nature of this position.

Dalhousie University commits to achieving inclusive excellence through continually championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The university encourages applications from Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (especially Mi’kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), and members of other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community. In accordance with our Employment Equity Policy, preference will be given in hiring processes to candidates who self-identify as members of one or more of the equity‑deserving groups listed above. For more information, including details related to our Employment Equity Policy and Plan and definitions of equity‑deserving groups, please visit www.dal.ca/hiringfordiversity.

If you require any support for the purpose of accommodation, such as technical aids or alternative arrangements, please let us know of these needs and how we can be of assistance. Dalhousie University is committed to ensuring all candidates have full, fair, and equitable participation in the hiring process. Our complete Accommodation Policy can be viewed here.

Term of Appointment

2 years, anticipated start date January 2026.