Infrastructure Project Specialist

Competition 1857

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 is a part of the Association of the Academic Staff of the University of Alberta (AASUA).

In accordance with the Trust/Research Academic Staff Agreement, this position offers a comprehensive benefits package found on our Benefits Overview page and an annual salary range of $76,135 to $85,660. This position has an approximate end date of March 31, 2028.

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 First Peoples 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 of Medicine & Dentistry

The Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta is one of the world's elite academic health sciences centres, where top students are taught by award-winning educators and mentored by renowned scientists in a dynamic learning environment.We have 21 departments, two stand-alone divisions, 7 research institutes, 15 research centres, and 10 research groups. Our state-of-the-art labs and teaching facilities include award-winning teachers, medical students who have scored near or at the top on national medical licensing exams, and alumni who are making a difference in the health of the world's people.

We conduct our teaching, research and patient care in accordance with the highest international standards. We work with our partners in education, research and health care for the greater good of the local, regional and global community.

Position 

This position will primarily lead the implementation of funded infrastructure projects (post-award) and provide support to infrastructure projects during the grant development stage (pre-award) in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry (FoMD). Working directly with investigators/researchers, this position provides administrative, financial and reporting oversight and project management support during the implementation of infrastructure awards. They will act as the project liaison and ensure timely implementation of the project to fulfill sponsor requirements. This position also coordinates critical infrastructure analysis and reporting that will contribute to annual reports and strategic business planning procedures for the Office of Research and the FoMD Core Research Facilities. Finally, this position will provide program coordination for internal funding selection processes in the FoMD Office of Research

Duties 

Infrastructure Application and Project Support:

• Works directly with research teams leading large-scale grant applications and provides proposal coordination support including obtaining and organizing project documentation, liaising with internal units to obtain team-specific metrics, reviewing draft applications, tracking timelines, and agency-specific requirements.
• Works directly with research teams awarded large-scale infrastructure projects and oversees project implementation including organizing documentation, coordinating and tracking multi-million-dollar infrastructure budgets, and engaging vendors, subject matter experts and university procurement groups to inform purchasing decisions.
• Coordinates infrastructure project meetings and takes meeting minutes as required.
• Acts as the project liaison and coordinates with internal units (e.g. FoMD Facility Planning & Projects, Facilities and Operations, Research Administrative Services, FoMD Core Research Facilities, etc.) and external entities (e.g. contractors, infrastructure vendors, external institutions, etc.) to ensure timely execution and implementation of the infrastructure award.
• Implements tracking mechanisms and compiles relevant project data and documentation throughout the project lifecycle to ensure compliance with agency-specific and University requirements.
• Proactively identifies and mitigates issues that may affect timely project implementation.
• Leads external infrastructure award reporting, including writing draft reports and financial justifications for review by project investigators.

Infrastructure Reporting:

• In collaboration with the Manager, Core Research Facilities, leads the collection, curation and analysis of internal and external data to demonstrate the impact of infrastructure investments and core facilities in FoMD.
• Administers and updates the FoMD Research Resource Database and internal databases tracking core research facility infrastructure and other infrastructure requests.
• Updates external facing infrastructure registries (e.g. CFI Navigator) as required.
• Supports PPMS-Stratocore administration for users and core personnel (updating user accounts, organization of core policies and fees, and troubleshooting). Provides PPMS superadmin coverage as needed.

Program Coordination:

• With the Director, Research & Innovation, coordinates internal FoMD funding competitions and internal selections. This includes planning and release of the call information; acting as a point of contact for information; gathering and disseminating information to review panels; and acting as a scientific officer at review panels to draft decision correspondence for applicants.

Minimum Qualifications

• MSc in health research required, PhD preferred; equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.
• 3-5 years of experience overseeing and coordinating complex or multi-member team research projects is required.
• 1-2 years of experience in data management and analysis required.
• 1-2 years of experience managing research budgets required.
• Working knowledge of relevant computer applications (Microsoft Office Suite and Google Suite) required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including negotiation skills, is required.
• Superior ability to communicate and coordinate activities with colleagues, researchers and external partners is required.
• Superior organizational and project implementation skills is required.
• Ability to multitask and successfully meet deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with University procurement processes is an asset.
• Experience with University internal systems (e.g. PeopleSoft) is an asset.
• Experience and demonstrated understanding of Canada Foundation for Innovation awards is an asset.
• Experience with application programs for data access, reporting and analysis an asset.