Position Title: Two-Year Post-Doctoral Scholar
Annual Salary: $61,500 plus benefits and vacation
Hours: Full-Time (35 hours/week)
Start and end dates: July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2028
Location: The Balsillie School of International Affairs in Waterloo, ON
Reports to: Dr. Adam Molnar, Associate Professor
Department: Sociology and Legal Studies, University of Waterloo
Education: Must hold a PhD
Posting closes: May 15, 2026
This position is open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.
The Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA) is an institute for advanced research, education, and outreach in the fields of global governance and international public policy. Founded in 2007 by philanthropist Jim Balsillie, the BSIA is an equal collaboration among the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), the University of Waterloo (UW), and Wilfrid Laurier University (Laurier). Home to approximately 100 graduate students, the School offers four programs through its partner institutions: a PhD in Global Governance, a Master of International Public Policy, a Master of Arts in Global Governance, and a Master of Development Practice.
The BSIA has grown significantly since its inception, doubling its enrollment, adding a journal (the Balsillie Papers), certificate-based professional development courses (Balsillie Executive Institute), and a $5-million Technology Governance Initiative to its portfolio, while continuing to offer 75+ public events at the School each year.
Position Summary
The BSIA is seeking one post-doctoral scholar to serve as research coordinator for its Disruptive Technologies: Canada-UK Research Partnership research program in collaboration with CIGI, the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in the UK, and the BSIA. The post-doctoral scholarship is funded by Mitacs. The successful candidate will be affiliated with the University of Waterloo and based at the BSIA.
It’s the research project’s broad aim is to draw on good practice to date from two close and trusted middle power allies to develop frameworks relating to a wide range of disruptive technologies, especially those that have the potential to compromise national security. Disruptive technologies include but are not limited to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Quantum Technologies, Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Semiconductor and Microprocessor Chips, Future Telecoms (5G and 6G), Blockchain Technology, Internet of Things Technology, Outer Space, and Data Governance. Broadly speaking, existing multilateral export controls designed for a previous technological era (physical hardware, nuclear non-proliferation) fail to regulate intangible dual-use technologies like AI, creating a critical security gap. This research examines how Canada and the UK are impacted by, and can shape, international legal frameworks to govern these commercial innovations effectively.
The key objectives of the two-year research program are to gauge the efficacy of current efforts in Canada and the UK to govern a wide range of dual-use technologies; and propose new and innovative governance frameworks with respect to dual-use technologies. The research program will focus on four broad thematic areas: artificial intelligence; opportunities for collaboration with China; the role of private industry in dual-use technology governance; and national strategies and standards for the adoption and governance of dual-use technologies.
The post-doctoral scholar will be responsible for the following activities and outputs:
- Managing the program’s research activities;
- Generating the scholarly and non-academic literature reviews;
- Helping to set the agendas for workshops in Canada and the UK;
- Contributing to the program’s publications, including serving as lead author for at least one of the thematic reports and the final report;
- Disseminating research findings to academic and policymaking audiences; and
- Formulating content for short courses and masterclasses offered through the Balsillie Executive Institute, the executive training arm of the BSIA.
Accountabilities
- The post-doctoral scholar will work under the supervision of Dr. Adam Molnar and will work closely with the BSIA Director, Dr. Ann Fitz-Gerald.
Qualifications
- Candidates must have completed a PhD in a relevant social sciences discipline (i.e. International Relations, International Security, Political Science, Global Governance) or Computer Science, Data Sciences or related scientific discipline within the last 5 years to be eligible to hold Mitacs funding.
If this position interests you, we encourage you to submit a cover letter and CV in one PDF file to the attention of Tiffany Bradley at info@balsillieschool.ca by Friday, May 15, 2026.
We encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+. The Balsillie School is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application or interview accommodation requests, please contact info@balsillieschool.ca.
**Due to the anticipated number of applications we will receive, we will only be contacting those candidates selected for an interview. Please note that AI tools are not used in our application review process. To ensure a fair and authentic review, all submissions will be assessed by our hiring team**