Research Coordinator

Competition 1617

This competition is open to all applicants however; internal candidates and applicants who were former employees of the University of Alberta in the past 18 months will be given priority consideration before external candidates. Please log in to verify your internal candidate status.

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

This position has an end date of December 5, 2025, and offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed on our Benefits Overview page.

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 Community-University Partnership for the Study of Children, Youth, and Families (CUP)

The Community-University Partnership for the Study of Children, Youth, and Families (CUP) is a unique collaboration among the University of Alberta, community agencies, and organizations in and around Edmonton and across Alberta. We are committed to improving the development of children, youth, families and communities by creating and mobilizing evidence-informed knowledge that impacts programs, practices, and policies. CUP has a 20-plus-year history of collaborative community-based research experience. CUP is led by a steering committee comprised of over 25 leaders from municipal and provincial government, not-for-profit agencies, school boards, and foundations. CUP provides research and evaluation support to community partners whose areas of interest and inquiry fit within CUP's strategic plan. 

Position 

Under the supervision and guidance of the Associate Director of CUP, the Research Coordinator manages the projects that the Associate Director is lead on. In particular, the Associate Director is the lead of the Evaluation Capacity Network (https://www.evaluationcapacitynetwork.com/), which is focused on building the evaluation capacity of the early childhood and social serving sector more broadly.

The Research Coordinator is responsible for contributing to research and evaluation activities (including project design, management, data collection, analysis and research dissemination). Additionally, the Research Coordinator will contribute to a larger team of researchers and students and will be responsible for facilitating communication between team members, manage/coordinate the day-to-day operations of the projects and manage the overall milestones and study targets to ensure projects' completion. 

Duties 

• Develops and monitors workplan activities, and deliverables, in collaboration with the Associate Director or other project managers/leads to ensure project deliverables are met in a timely, cost-efficient manner.
• Reports on project milestone progress and completion to the Associate Director
• Responsible for the development of data collection tools and coordinates the project team to facilitate data collection. Establish and maintain appropriate procedures and protocols for data collection and information management. 
• Provides expertise in scoping review methods
• Conduct analysis of quantitative and/or qualitative data using appropriate software and techniques (e.g., SPSS, NVivo)
• Prepares knowledge translation dissemination products including research posters, PowerPoint presentations, abstracts and research reports.  Translates technical and/or analytical results into useful information for community partners.  
• Collaborates on research designs and manages the implementation of the research process between the community and the university.
• Supports grant sourcing process by researching application guidelines and processes for grants, awards and other funding sources and ensures compliance with those guidelines and policies. Supports grant writing application activities including writing content and coordinating expert contributions
• Drafts budgets and budget justifications for successful grant applications.
• Contributes to ethics applications by editing, and formatting. Submits and maintains ethics approvals as required and updates as necessary.
• Develops strategy for and conducts literature reviews and environmental scans as it relates to current or new projects.
• Initiates and coordinates meetings to communicate the progress and outcomes of the projects with community partners
• Connects with partners from community organizations.
• Coordinates large partner meetings and networking events including travel, accommodations, venue, refreshments, IT requirements including video conferencing, and participant expense reimbursements.
• Supports opportunities for collaboration with community members in conducting research; liaising between the project team and the community
• Assists with communications to internal and external stakeholders; may liaise with community leaders and members.
• Prepares written progress and final reports for community partners and funders.
• Supervises, mentors, and manages activities and daily work assignments of casual support staff, graduate students and volunteers as appropriate.
• Assists in the hiring, training, and direction of Research Assistants, Grad students, and/or other contributors to the project as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• An undergraduate degree and significant experience in a discipline related to the social determinants of health (e.g. Education, Anthropology, Human Ecology, Nursing, Psychology, Public Health, or Sociology).
• Project management experience in a research environment as well as experience supervising staff.
• Experience in community-based research, evaluation, and/or knowledge mobilization.Experience managing data collection and analysis in a research program/project.
• Experience with qualitative and quantitative research/evaluation data collection, analysis, management and mobilization.
• Experience in collaborating and communicating with interdisciplinary partners from various organizations and sectors.
• Ability to work with a high degree of independence in a team environment.
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills. The ideal candidate must be able to prioritize and manage the diverse workload to meet the high demands of the job and the multiple concurrent projects, be flexible and highly organized, and have the ability to work within tight deadlines.  

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD preferred.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills including the ability to listen and communicate effectively and sensitively, including cross-cultural sensitivity.
• Previous work experience with the University and familiarity with university policies and functions relative to research administration.
• Experience working in interdisciplinary settings and teams with an ability to effectively coordinate the work and inputs of multiple people and groups.
• Strong research grant writing skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to follow detailed protocols with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work independently with little guidance in a team environment.
• Willingness to travel around the City of Edmonton for data collection and meetings.
• Sensitivity to ethical issues, especially privacy and confidentiality.