University of Lethbridge bars white applicants from genomics research chair job
The university justified the race-based hiring restriction by citing “underrepresentation of racialized scholars."
Author: Cosmin Dzsurdzsa
The University of Lethbridge is openly restricting applicants for a prestigious federally backed genomics research position exclusively to what it calls “racialized individuals,” according to a newly posted job advertisement.
The posting, seeking candidates for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in “Genomics in Precision Health,” states that “only applicants who self-identify as a racialized individual will be considered for this CRC opportunity.”
The university justified the race-based hiring restriction by citing “underrepresentation of racialized scholars” and referencing Section 10.1 of the Alberta Human Rights Act.
The position itself focuses on advanced biomedical research topics including cancer therapeutics, pharmacogenomics, neurodegenerative diseases, genomics, personalized medicine and aging-related illnesses.
Applicants are also required to submit a statement outlining their experience advancing “equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization” as part of the hiring process.
The Canada Research Chairs program, funded by the federal government, has increasingly adopted equity-based hiring targets in recent years under Ottawa’s diversity mandates.
The posting remains open until filled, with the first review of applications scheduled to begin in August 2026.