Research Assistant

Competition 1545

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position has a term length of one year plus one day and offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed on our Benefits Overview page.

Location - Work primarily takes place at Peter Lougheed Centre, Calgary.

Working at the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all FirstPeoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is a community of knowledge seekers, change makers and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to over 14,000 faculty and staff, more than 40,000 students and a growing community of 300,000 alumni worldwide.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross-section of people — from our students and community members, to our renowned researchers and innovators, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger and more just. Learn more.

Working for the Faculty 

The School of Public Health integrates the strengths of faculty, staff, adjuncts and instructors involved in research, graduate education and various initiatives to engage communities.

Ours is a non-departmentalized faculty made up of several administrative and academic groups, including our centres and research teams. Together, these groups work to fulfill our mission to create knowledge, educate public health professionals and to advance the public's health.

Position 

The Inner City Health and Wellness Program (ICHWP), located at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, focuses on research and knowledge mobilization activities that promote patient-centered care for people who use drugs and those experiencing health and social inequities (e.g., a lack of safe housing, poverty). ICHWP conducts applied health services research using a variety of methodologies including patient outcome evaluations, survey studies, quantitative studies, chart reviews, process evaluations, focused ethnographies and other qualitative methods, and policy analyses.

We are seeking a full-time research assistant, working under the supervision of Dr. Elaine Hyshka (ICHWP Scientific Director) and Dr Katherine Rittenbach (Assistant Professor, University of Calgary) to support the program’s research activities. This will include screening, participant recruitment, administering questionnaires, data entry, reporting, and other research-related activities as requested to support the program. Ensuring compliance with grant requirements, regulatory bodies, ethics, data management protocols and other standards is critical. The research assistant will work in collaboration with the research team, hospital and community-based partners, patients, community members and health professionals.

This position is ideal for someone with strong interpersonal skills, community-based research training, and experience working with people who have been structurally marginalized. Past experience conducting research surveys and working with people who use drugs is an asset. We are especially interested in candidates with exceptional attention to detail and a clear ability to work independently. This position will be based primarily at the Peter Lougheed Centre in Calgary and occasional travel to Edmonton may be required.

Duties 

• Responsible for screening, recruitment, and enrolment of potential study participants - this includes identifying eligible participants, obtaining written informed consent, and administering study instruments.
• Data entry and verification - entering study information into secure data platforms.
• Participates in study-related meetings - this includes research team meetings and meetings with community members and advisory groups.
• Adheres to research best practices - understanding and adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), International Conference on Harmonization (ICH), Good Clinical Practices (GCPs), and Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS-2) and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Study documentation - ensures that all documentation is accurate, complete, and updated as required.
• Ethics and administrative approvals - assists with obtaining or updating study approvals as needed.
• Draft study-related documents - reports, SOPs, grants, and publications.
• Performs other research-related duties as requested.

Minimum Qualifications

• Understanding of a harm reduction and trauma-informed approach when working with people who use substances or those who have been structurally marginalized.
• A high level of attention to detail and ability to work independently is required.
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills are necessary.
• The ability to practice in a culturally safe manner, particularly with those who identify as Indigenous, is required.
• University undergraduate degree.
• Police information and vulnerable sector checks are required (results will be reviewed on a "case by case" basis and successful applicants will be reimbursed for this cost).

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience interviewing people for research studies.
• Experience working with people who use drugs and communities who have been structurally marginalized.
• Experience with the REDCap software system for data entry.
• Familiarity with community resources.