Research Assistant/ Technician 3

Job Category

Job Profile

Job Title

Department

Compensation Range

Posting End Date

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

This is a 6-month term position with the possibility of an extension

This role is expected to start in Grade 6, Step 1

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

The Research Assistant will play an active role to support team members and the conduct of research within the Reproductive Population Health Data Research Team led by Dr. Laura Schummers and located within the Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. This will largely on a CIHR-funded program of research examining impacts of policy and practice change on reproductive population health using quantitative methods from epidemiology and health policy and patient-oriented research methods to engage patients, policy and system leaders, and clinicians throughout the research. This includes studies on optimal pregnancy spacing, abortion safety and access, contraception access, early pregnancy loss, and methodological work to create conception cohorts using population-based administrative health data.

The Research Assistant will contribute to supporting the team's research activities including analysis of population-based health administrative data using appropriate statistical software, preparing analytic protocols, submission of grant applications, knowledge translation activities, and support to the team for logistical aspects of manuscript writing and submission. The Research Assistant will work closely with the team members and relevant stakeholders and partners to support all aspects of the work of the team, including undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, the team research coordinator, statistician, coinvestigators, and research team partners (including patient partners, policymakers, and health system leaders).

The Research Assistant will support Dr. Schummers and the team Research Coordinator on a range of activities, including protocol and budget development, literature reviews and use of bibliographic software, writing of progress reports and manuscripts, working on ethics applications, setting up surveys in REDCap/Qualtrics, and assisting the Research Coordinator to ensure accurate financial reporting for all grant and research activities. This position requires a high level of independence, and interpersonal skills. The position also requires great attention to detail and basic knowledge of UBC administrative policies (or willingness to learn), and a willingness to adapt to changing procedures and policies.

Organizational Status

The Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE) is the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science's multidisciplinary group of outcomes researchers specializing in epidemiology, health economics, health services research, and pharmacy practice research. Research conducted by CORE faculty members is directly aligned with the Faculty's Health Outcomes theme. The Research Assistant will report overall to the Principal Investigator of this research group within CORE, Dr. Laura Schummers https://pharmsci.ubc.ca/directory/laura-schummers, and will be under the direct supervision of the team Research Coordinator.

Work Performed

Specific activities include:

• Coordinate and support meetings of investigators, staff, and/or trainees.

• Assist with preparation of research ethics applications, project budgets and expense tracking, and other supporting documents for research projects.

• Assist with financial reporting to funding agencies for all grant activities.

• Assist with keeping the PI Canadian Common CV up to date.

• Assist with submission and review of manuscripts to scholarly journals.

• Assist with processing expenses in Workday for all personnel.

• Review and synthesize literature relevant to research projects.

• Draft and review/revise analytic plans for research studies, primarily using population-based health administrative data, including variable definitions based on coding systems such as ICD9 and ICD10 diagnostic codes, intervention codes, and billing codes.

• Assist with data requests to population-based data stewards (eg Population Data BC, Perinatal Services BC, ICES in Ontario, Health Data Research Network and related provincial data stewards from other collaborating provinces)

• Support team statistician to develop and implement statistical analysis plans for research studies.

• Assist with manuscript preparation for submission to peer-reviewed journals, including literature reviews, referencing, copy editing, drafting some sections.

• Conduct data analysis under supervision of team PI and statistician using statistical software (SAS, R, Stata) and geographical software (GIS).

• Assist with interpretation of findings using quantitative methods and various data types.

• Draft abstracts, reports, and conference submissions and presentations.

• Assist with the writing, editing and submission of grant applications.

• Assist with the coordination and planning of a reproductive health patient advisory council, including meeting council members, assisting with program-wide and project-specific patient engagement activities, supporting patient and public partners as needed to engage in research meetings and pursue professional development activities.

• Assisting undergraduate and graduate students with their research tasks.

• Draft updates to the team website.

• Perform other related duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

The Research Assistant is responsible for engaging with stakeholders such as health care providers performing abortion services in a culturally sensitive and respectful manner. This position requires working effectively within an organizational structure and involves a high degree of self-direction, the ability to work to tight timelines, and strong interpersonal skills. Poor decisions and errors in judgment could result in delayed completion of projects or inappropriate planning, result in financial loss, and damage the reputation of the Reproductive Population Health Data Research team, CORE, or the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The Research Assistant must exercise cultural sensitivity, patience, good will, tact, judgment, and discretion in working with various stakeholders and collaborating with internal and external agencies. Knowledge and sensitivity to relevant clinical and public health issues is required. The Research Assistant is expected to communicate with staff, research investigators, and community/external agencies. Errors in decision-making may compromise the reputation of investigators and team members.

Supervision Received

The Research Assistant works as part of a research team but will receive relatively little direct day-to-day supervision. The Research Assistant must be able to identify circumstances that require consultation with appropriate associates - Principal Investigator, other researchers, or other staff - and must be able to seek out that consultation in a timely and professional manner.

The incumbent is required to use a high degree of initiative and professional judgement in carrying out responsibilities. Dr. Schummers, collaborating investigators, and the Research Coordinator will provide resources to support the Research Assistant's research activities.

Supervision Given
May oversee and direct the work of one or two employees at lower classifications in which case they are responsible for the accuracy, production, and control of the work unit.

Minimum Qualifications
Completion of a relevant technical program or a university degree in a relevant discipline and a minimum three years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one's own

• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one's own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor's degree desired and Master's degree in a relevant discipline (public health, epidemiology, health policy) preferred, or equivalent work experience in an academic, research or health care environment. Minimum of 2 years related experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Critical understanding of issues related to health and health care analysis.

• Ability to conduct statistical analyses of health-related data and/or surveys.

• Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary team.

• Excellent time-management skills and demonstrated ability to direct multiple projects.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Keen interest in reproductive health research, including abortion and contraception.

• Experience working within, collaborative environments. Computer experience and competency with Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and Endnote.

• Knowledge of quantitative methods and qualitative data analysis e.g., SAS, R, Stata and geographic software (ArcGIS) will be an asset.

• Excellent command of the English language with a strong ability to communicatee effectively both verbally and in writing.

• Ability to compose correspondence using clear concise business English.

• Ability to communicate information in a way that is understandable to a broad audience. Ability to multi-task, set priorities, time-manage, and problem-solve.

• Ability to identify problems early and elevate issues as appropriate.

• High degree of thoroughness, accuracy, and attention to detail.

• Ability to exercise tact and discretion.

• Ability to anticipate problems and issues and to plan. Ability to work in a fast-paced team environment.

• Ability to work independently and demonstrate high level of initiative and self-directedness.