Postdoctoral Fellow in Evaluation

Competition 1615

While this position welcomes applications from the public, please note that preference will be given to current employees at the University of Alberta. Please log in to verify your internal candidate status.

This position has an initial term length of one year with the possibility of extension and offers a benefits package found at Postdoctoral Fellows Benefits.

Location - Work primarily takes place at North Campus Edmonton.

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 School of Public Health

The Community-University Partnership for the Study of Children, Youth, and Families (CUP) at the University of Alberta is a unique collaboration of researchers, practitioners, community organizations, funders, and policymakers across Alberta. The Evaluation Capacity Network (ECN) is an SSHRC-funded national interdisciplinary and intersectoral partnership, housed within CUP, that aims to advance evaluation practices within the early childhood field, and social sector more broadly. The ECN bridges community-university evaluation gaps, serving as a central space where students, researchers, government, and community organizations can share and access evaluation expertise, resources, capacity-building opportunities, and networks.

Position 

The ECN is recruiting a Postdoctoral Fellow in Evaluation (PDF) who is interested in exploring a program of research related to one or more of the partnership’s four thematic areas: i) community-driven and culturally responsive evaluation; ii) innovations in evaluation capacity building; iii) decolonizing evaluation, and iv) evidence for action (i.e., increasing the value and use of evidence for decision making to improve practice, programs and policy).

The PDF will participate fully in research and related scholarly activities including community engagement dialogues, partnership development and maintenance, student mentorship, teaching, leading research and evaluation initiatives, grant writing, evaluation training and capacity building, knowledge mobilization (e.g., publications, presentations), and project management.

The PDF will be offered a supportive environment under the supervision of Dr. Rebecca Gokiert(ECN Project Director & CUP Associate Director), that emphasizes gaining and enhancing skills, critical and innovative thinking, while working independently and collaboratively within the team. With quality training and career development being a top priority of the ECN, the postdoctoral fellow will have access to opportunities that build skills and networks that will make them employable in postsecondary, government, and social sectors.

Duties 

Research and Evaluation

• Provides expertise in community-based participatory research and evaluation design and methodology.
• Develops and implements capacity-building opportunities in evaluation.
• Provides support in teaching graduate-level evaluation courses.
• Co-creates partnership evaluation frameworks and monitors partnership impact.
• Leads knowledge mobilization activities with a strong focus on co-publishing and co-presenting.
• Organizes and co-facilitates public dialogues, online forums, and symposiums. 

Partner & Community Engagement

• Responds to community requests for evaluation support.
• Supports collaborative work with partners (community, government, and/or academic).
• Monitors the environment of public policy, trends, and issues relevant to evaluation and the partners.
• Monitors partner engagement and supports network development.
• Coordinates and supports communication between governance committees.
• Builds a network of municipal, provincial, and national practitioners, researchers, and thought leaders in evaluation and/or early childhood. 

Funding and Mentorship

• Secure funding opportunities in order to enhance capacity-building initiatives and innovative projects aligning with the project’s thematic areas.
• Provides guidance and mentorship to graduate/undergraduate research assistants, thesis and practicum/internship students, and research volunteers.

Minimum Qualifications

• Applicants must possess a doctoral degree (PhD) in a relevant discipline (e.g., psychology, education, public health, sociology).
• Experience as an engaged scholar with research interests related to children, youth, families and/or communities.
• Experience in community-based research and/or evaluation
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; exceptional writing skills.
• Experience teaching and/or facilitating workshops.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative research and analytical skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Able to work to tight timeframes and be highly organized.
• Able to work in a team environment with extensive collaboration and interaction with students and other community partners.
• Strong computer skills, with expertise in statistical analysis and software platforms.
• Candidates should have an excellent academic record, the beginning of a publication record, and a planned research program.