City : Hamilton

Category : Other

Industry : Education

Employer : McMaster University

Should the successful applicant be a Unifor Unit 1 bargaining unit member, who meets the eligibility conditions of Article 19.02 of the Unifor Unit 1 Collective Agreement, then the Limited Term Assignment will be defined as a Career Growth Opportunity in accordance with Article 19 of the Unifor Local 5555 Unit 1 Collective Agreement.

Research Assistant (I)

JD 0436

Unit/Project Description: The Circles of Care Project, a collaborative opportunity between the McMaster University Department of Medicine, Six Nations Internal Medicine Rapid Assessment Clinic, and the Indigenous Health Learning Lodge, as part of the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Calls to action 23 and 24 aims to address the ongoing educational needs of medical learning and health care professionals to respect and integrate Indigenous healing practices and ensure mandatory Indigenous Health Education. Abiding by the principles of the Two Row Wampum and Indigenous Ways of Knowing of local Indigenous communities, multiple views are critical to this work, including Indigenous Research Methodologies and practices.  We are currently seeking a part time, Research Assistant (I) to engage in a research process guided by OCAP (R) and CARE principles to gather and analyze data of focus groups, interviews and program evaluation.  Familiarity with qualitative research, Indigenous Health Research Methodologies and NVivo would be an asset.

Job Summary: Responsible for organizing and administering one or more research projects within required deadlines under the direction of a Principal Investigator or project leader.

Purpose and Key Functions:

• Oversee the collection, entry, verification, management, analysis, and reporting of data.
• Use statistical software to analyze data and interpret results.
• Design and maintain databases, data collection forms, error checking methods and related programs for efficient collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Modify and reconfigure databases to ensure the optimal storage of data and minimize data entry complexities.
• Troubleshoot moderately complex computer problems.
• Write data management and operations documentation for the project.
• Liaise between the project centre and remote project sites and personnel.
• Conduct structured project participant interviews.
• Ensure that the relevant research methodology is applied and all research material is handled in accordance with established protocols, policies, and procedures.
• Participate in the development of promotional strategies and related materials to encourage participation and support for research projects.
• Develop presentations and present information and training sessions to project personnel and project participants.
• Keep project participants informed of project progress through regular reports and newsletters.
• Gather and compile information and data required for the preparation of scientific papers, abstracts, and graphs.
• Conduct literature searches.
• Oversee the extraction and compilation of data required for reports and disseminate data to research groups and collaborating partners.
• Implement and maintain the research project budget. Create financial projections and make adjustments to the research project budget throughout the fiscal year.
• Exercise appropriate budget controls, monitor, and reconcile accounts.
• Write a variety of letters and memos.
• Participate in research project meetings and propose recommendations for procedure modifications and development in the areas of data management, quality control, and assurance.
• Write, update, and archive data management and quality assurance conventions.
• Respond to inquiries received from project personnel regarding relevant project issues and procedures.

Supervision:

• Provide direction to others in how to carry out work tasks.
• Provide orientation and show procedures to others.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study.
• Requires 2 years of relevant experience.

Assets:

• Familiarity with Indigenous Health Research Methodologies, and an understanding of the First Nations Principles of Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession (OCAP®) is considered an asset.
• Strong interpersonal skills and cultural humility when working with Indigenous communities, including Elders, traditional healers, and youth.
• Experience in community-based participatory research (CBPR) or mixed-methods research, especially in educational or health-related settings.

Additional Information:

The successful candidate must have/demonstrate:

• Operates within the principles of cultural safety; and is knowledgeable of Indigenous Peoples cultures
• Support Indigenous community engagement activities, including coordination with Elders, Knowledge Holders, and the Six Nations Department of Well-being, ensuring culturally respectful communication and logistics.
• Knowledge and experience with systematic review methods:
  • Implementing methods as outlined in a systematic review protocol.
  • Screening literature search results.
  • Understanding bias and performing risk of bias assessments.
  • Data extraction from included articles, performing meta-analysis.
  • Involved in writing a draft review report. 
• Experience in using quality appraisal tools for guidelines.
• High attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Strong written and oral communications skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a research team environment.
• Advanced computer skills in Microsoft Office, Word, and Excel

In accordance with McMaster's Indigenous Ancestry Verification Guidelines, candidates from this designated group are invited to self-identify in their cover letter, as part of the application process.

We thank you for your application.  Please note that only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.