Job Description

This competition is open to all applicants however; internal candidates and applicants who were former employees of the University of Alberta will be given priority consideration before external candidates. Please log in to verify your internal candidate status.

This position has an initial appointment of 1 year.

Location - This position offers the flexibility of being performed in-person at the University of Alberta or remotely, as many project components are conducted through virtual platforms. Travel will be required to the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo for community-based activities.

Reporting to the Principal Investigator, the Research Associate will work collaboratively with Indigenous community partners, research staff, students, and national collaborators to advance high-quality, community-engaged research. In this role you will contribute to study coordination, research ethics, data collection and analysis, knowledge mobilization, reporting, and dissemination activities. The ideal candidate has strong research and project management skills, as well as the ability to work independently and with a high degree of autonomy in a complex, community-engaged research environment.

Responsibilities

Under the direction of Dr. Stephanie Montesanti, Director of the Collaborative Applied Research for Equity in Health Policy and Systems (CARE) Research Lab, the Research Associate provides leadership and coordination for complex research, analysis, and knowledge mobilization activities associated with the Indigenous Healthy Life Trajectories Initiative (I-HeLTI) and other partnered health research initiatives in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB).

Research Leadership

• Collaborates with the Principal Investigator, community partners, and research team members to develop research questions, study protocols, data collection tools, workplans, and project deliverables.
• Coordinates the day-to-day implementation of research projects, including research ethics submissions and renewals, participant recruitment, data collection, data management, analysis, reporting, and dissemination activities.
• Leads and supports the development of a community-informed cross-sectional survey examining Indigenous health, wellbeing, and related social, cultural, and health system factors within the RMWB.
• Contributes to the planning and development of a longitudinal Indigenous birth cohort study, including study design, protocol development, participant recruitment strategies, data collection procedures, and longitudinal evaluation frameworks.
• Leads and supports ongoing administrative health data analyses for the Better Together Project in RMWB.
• Supports the implementation of Indigenous research and data governance principles, including adherence to community protocols, OCAP® principles, and relevant ethical guidelines for research involving Indigenous Peoples.
• Contributes to the preparation of community reports, technical reports, data briefs, academic manuscripts, presentations, and other dissemination products.
• Participates in CARE Research Lab activities, including team meetings, methodological discussions, trainee mentorship, and professional development initiatives.

Student Mentorship

• Provides guidance and support to research assistants, graduate students, and project coordinators on the projects as needed.
• Leads or contributes to internal (Lab) training initiatives (e.g., methods workshops, journal clubs).

Grant Development

• Contributes to the development of competitive grant applications and contract proposals, including drafting workplans and timelines (e.g., Gantt charts), assisting with methods/study design, coordinating supporting documentation (e.g., letters of support), and proposal editing.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Doctor of Philosophy. A graduate degree in Epidemiology, Public Health Sciences, or a related field is preferred.
• Requires 5-7 years of experience independently coordinating large research projects, with preference given to those with experience with quantitative research and formal training in statistics.
• 3-5 years of experience in program development and management related to maternal and child health or perinatal health research.
• 3-5 years of experience in reporting to multiple stakeholders and supervisors.
• Expertise in developmental, maternal, and child health research.
• Knowledge and understanding of healthcare research and Indigenous health research. Knowledge of evolving best practices in research methods generally, and Indigenous research methods specifically.
• Experience coordinating community-based or participatory research projects would be an asset.

Engagement & Communication

• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Strong writing skills for academic outputs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Leadership and Management Skills

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including managing competing priorities and deadlines.
• Advanced skills in problem-solving, critical analysis, and management.
• Ability to set priorities and manage workload across several projects, take initiative, and work with accountability.
• Strong commitment to client service with a positive and professional approach.
• Ability to travel periodically within Alberta, including to Indigenous communities in the RMWB.

Application Instructions

Click "Apply Now" to submit the following:

• Curriculum vitae
• Cover letter
• List of publications
• A sample of your academic writing

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package with an annual salary range of $83,195 to $93,603.

The terms and conditions of this appointment are governed by Schedule E of the Collective Agreement between the Board of Governors of the University of Alberta and the Association of the Academic Staff of the University of Alberta.