Research Coordinator

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

Job End Date

Starting wage between $5526.42 - $6276.17/month

Job Description – Research Coordinator

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 Description Summary
The Research Coordinator’s primary responsibility is to enable a Principal Investigator (PI) in the Centre for Health Behaviour Change to work more efficiently and energetically on research endeavors, by creatively and reliably managing the administration of their research and related activities.

This position provides essential liaison between the PI, research staff and trainees, other research labs within the Centre for Health Behaviour Change and the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, the School of Health and Exercise Sciences, the Office of Research Services (ORS), the Research Finance team, not-for-profit organizations/research partners, and the research community, both within and outside of UBC. The role requires discrete handling of confidential situations, as well as mature, independent decision making, to prioritize tasks and problems for the members of the research group, to keep research projects on-track and on-time, and to help maximize research productivity. Towards this goal, the incumbent develops lab and project policies, procedures and systems, prepares research, ethics, funding application, and financial reports and documents, develops and disseminates knowledge-translation products, collects, manages, and analyzes research data, trains and supervises personnel, and keeps the PI apprised of issues, activities and opportunities.
Organizational Status
The School of Health and Exercise Sciences is consistently ranked as one of the top schools internationally. It is one of the largest Schools of this type in Canada with over 20 full-time academic staff members who are widely published internationally. The School has an established reputation for research and teaching excellence and is extremely well-positioned for significant growth and impact in local, national and global communities through collaborative educational, research, training, and outreach activities.

The Research Coordinator may be asked to liaise with community partner organizations, certification bodies, employers, donors and other scientific and health professionals from national and international committees and organizations.

The Research Coordinator will also work with staff in Research Finance, Financial Services, Supply Management, Office of Research Services, Centre for Scholarly Communication, and the University-Industry Liaison Office
Work Performed

• Manages a wide range of projects, activities and events, to maximize research efficiency for the PI.
• Participates in the conceptualization and implementation of research projects.
• Supports the preparation of research ethics applications, amendments and reports.
• Collaborates in the establishment of project timelines, milestones and deliverables.
• Oversees project progress, liaises with other departments, university researchers, and community partners as necessary, and ensures that timelines are met by aligning project plans with execution. Follows up and recommends action as necessary to help ensure project targets and deliverables are met.
• Develops and implements plans and plots logistics for national and international research projects, researches and develops information storage systems, and recommends task management amongst the PI’s research team.
• Responds to and prioritizes inquiries and requests; anticipates and monitors deadlines.
• Researches and synthesises information from a variety of sources to be used by the PI.
• Analyzes, generates, and edits reports and presentations for a variety of academic purposes using various sources and tools.
• Develops and implements participant recruitment strategies; maintains a data-base of potential study participants and maintains communications with those individuals.
• Coordinates, manages, and implements the collection, delivery, entry, verification, analysis, and reporting of qualitative and quantitative data.
• Oversee the design and maintenance of databases, data collection forms, error checking methods, and related programmes for collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Applies specialized knowledge and scientific principles to review, critically appraise and interpret published literature.
• Develops and maintains Open Science Framework pages and other relevant repositories (e.g., UBC cIRcle repository) for research materials and outputs
• Implements the dissemination of knowledge products (supports partnerships with community groups, coordinates novel e-health tools/programs, plans opportunities to profile new knowledge products, conducts and disseminates surveys etc.)
• Oversees knowledge mobilization product development/infographic design for all projects.
• Deliver presentations at meetings, seminars, and conferences as required.
• Provides administrative oversight for grant proposal and submissions including coordinating co-investigator forms and materials, preparing, composing, editing and proofing documents such as grant applications, funding proposals, contracts, academic proposals, and scientific communications.
• Prepares sections of ethics applications and amendments, scientific papers and book chapters, reports, and abstracts.
• Prepares internal and external communications; lab website management, social media channels, Teams messaging, and newsletters
• Responsible for the administration and delivery of the letter of proficiency
• Benchmarks appropriate process and procedure results to ensure consistency and efficiency with project management.
• Researches, negotiates and ensures expedient delivery of equipment and services through the UBC procurement process. Works closely with Research Finance team for guidance and approvals and to ensure timely sharing of information. Identifies educational discounts and in-kind contributions.
• Researches best practices for critical processes (such as procurement, international shipping and customs concerns) at peer universities, reports on options for increased efficiency within the research group and share decisions with Research Finance team.
• Coordinates and participates in the selection of research project participants and non-invasive data collection from study participants when necessary
• Manages the processes of lab documentation, and ensures annual review of research-related policies.
• Advises faculty and research associates on UBC administrative policies and procedures.
• Coordinates website upgrades, including overall content design.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
Manages conflicting demands and exercises judgment in establishing priorities, timelines and work methods. Tact and discretion in dealing with confidential and sensitive matters is essential. Errors in judgment will reflect negatively on the research group, FHSD and UBC. Delays in research project timelines, goals and deliverables could negatively impact the reputations of the University and the research quality.
Supervision Received
Reports to the Principal Investigator. Receives work direction from research faculty. Work is reviewed in terms of enabled faculty efficiency, against task objectives and standards, which necessitates adherence to policies and procedures, timely completion, and effectiveness of result.
Supervision Given

• Assigns and checks work of technicians, support staff and students.
• Co-supervises undergraduate thesis students.
• Manages onboarding of practicum students.
• Trains and supervises Joy Active personnel (e.g., staff, volunteers, and Seed2Stem students): onboarding, gym orientation, procedures and duties, exercise protocols and testing procedures, and emergency procedures

Qualifications
Minimum

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.
• Minimum of two years experience or the 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

• Knowledge of university policies and procedures, as well as experience working with researchers is preferred.
• Experience developing and implementing administrative management systems is desirable.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects/tasks as well as multiple deadlines, prioritize effectively and adapt quickly and efficiently to change.
• Ability to analyze problems, identify key information and issues, and effectively resolve them
• Ability to work effectively independently and in a team environment.
• Must have strong oral and written communication, interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Ability to maintain accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to use word processing, spreadsheet, database and presentation applications at an intermediate level.
• Experience with Adobe Acrobat & Illustrator is a plus.
• Ability to gather, record, and organize information; to create and maintain record and filing systems
• Ability to receive and act on constructive feedback.
• Ability to work flexible hours