Research And Publications Assistant (Scientific)

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

This position has an end date of one year plus a day and offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed at: Faculty & Staff Benefits .

Working for 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 teeming with change makers, community builders, and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to more than 40,000 students in 200+ undergraduate and 500+ graduate programs, over 13,000 faculty and staff, 260,000 alumni worldwide and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for over a decade.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross section of people—from our students and stakeholders, to our renowned researchers and innovators who are quite literally curing diseases, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger, and more just.

About The Research Group

The Research and Publications Assistant (Scientific) provides research publications support to the team of the Indigenous and Global Health Research Group (IGHRG) to ensure the priorities of the IGHRG are carried out.

The IGHRG is led by Dr. Sangita Sharma, Canada Research Chair in Population Health and Professor in Indigenous and Global Health Research in the Department of Medicine at the University of Alberta and is a multi-disciplinary research group of 25+ staff. Dr. Sharma and the team have an extensive international background working with over 22 populations in various countries worldwide but now primarily focus on working with Indigenous and/or ethnic minority communities in Alberta, Northwest Territories (NT), and Nunavut (NU). The IGHRG is currently undertaking nine large research grants, seven funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and one by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Current funded projects include: assessing health and wellness and access to healthcare services with Indigenous seniors and Elders living in NT; maternal and infant health care and outcomes for Indigenous communities in NT; identifying the barriers to and opportunities for improving access to healthcare services for Indigenous communities in NT to inform culturally appropriate programming to improve patient experiences; capturing the anticipated and unanticipated consequences of COVID-19 preventive measures with Indigenous communities in NU and NT; and working with NT Indigenous communities to understand the perspectives of community members toward HPV and HPV vaccination, along with attitudes towards and experience with the COVID-19 vaccine in NT, including the overall safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine. All ongoing projects are exciting opportunities to contribute to the global pandemic and toward improving the health and wellness of Indigenous communities and community members during a dynamic and challenging situation.

Position

Reporting to the Senior Administrative Lead and working closely with the Executive Director and Dr. Sharma this position is accountable for providing a full range of research support services, anticipating and prioritizing needs, proactively resolving issues, assisting on the management of deliverable deadlines and ensuring timely preparation for upcoming events and commitments.

The incumbent will work independently and will require sound judgment, common sense and an ability to work under challenging time constraints and conditions due to the many priorities and issues within the IGHRG. This position requires a high degree of professionalism, diplomacy, flexibility, and exceptional interpersonal skills.

Duties

• Assists with booking travel for the IGHRG team and purchasing supplies
• Works closely and cooperatively with all project staff and IGHRG team members on research administration tasks
• Assists with coding of transcripts and preparation of qualitative data
• Transcribes confidential recorded interviews with research participants
• Verifies and ensures the accuracy and consistency of numeric data in texts and tables for scientific publications and presentations
• Works directly with journals to thoroughly review manuscript proof documents ahead of publication
• Involved in the preparation and/or formatting of PowerPoint presentations
• Participates in preparing briefing notes, gathering information, and assisting with annual report submissions for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Public Health Agency of Canada
• Assists with updates to the IGHRG website as needed
• Assists with following up with research project partners and IGHRG internal and external contacts
• Assists with editing, reviewing of tables, formatting and re-formatting following all journal requirements and submission of scientific manuscripts to journals for publication
• Assists with the compilation of statistics and information and drafts summary reports (e.g. reports, common CVs)
• Researches background information for Dr. Sharma and the team using a variety of methods such as online searches and contacting external sources
• Ensures culturally appropriate terminology is utilized specific to the Indigenous communities in all publications and reports
• Assists with proof-reading and fine tuning of reports and correspondence

Qualifications

• Excellent communication and highly refined people skills with a proven ability to work with sensitive and confidential materials
• Advanced time-management and organizational skills with high attention to detail and accuracy
• Excellent spelling, grammar, editorial, and proofreading skills
• Excellent numerical/mathematical data presentation skills
• Knowledge of University of Alberta policies and procedures an asset
• High School Diploma required; preferably a college diploma or equivalent related administrative experience, ideally in a group research setting
• Understanding of Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action and protocols for working with Indigenous communities in NT and NU
• Computer proficiency using MS Office applications (Word, Access, PowerPoint, Excel), e- mail & scheduling software (Google Apps), Zoom, and other virtual conferencing programs