UBC Research and Evaluation Scientist

Please refer to http://scimedinfo.blogspot.com/2009/03/applying-for-research-staff-positions.html for online application process

Job ID: 5296
Location: Vancouver - Hospital Site
Employment Group: Management&Professional (AAPS)
Job Category: Research
Classification Title: Research, Level C
Business Title: Research and Evaluation Scientist
Department: Respiratory Medicine Division
Salary: $50,097.00 - $60,140.00 (Annual)
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Desired Start Date: 2009/05/06
Job End Date: 2010/11/05 Possibility of Extension: Yes
Funding Type: Grant Funded
Closing Date: 2009/05/05
Available Openings: 1
Job Summary
The Division of Respiratory Medicine is seeking an individual, as Research and Evaluation Scientist, to join our nationally and internationally-recognized Lung Centre. The successful candidate will join a dynamic research group committed to provide excellence in contract research services to government, private and public corporations and associations. Primary responsibilities include: supervision (e.g., developing, coordinating, and evaluating) of all the research projects registries, grants, clinical trials, health promotion/health literacy projects, and government and industry contracts in the Centre.
Organizational Status
The ideal candidate will have a clear understanding of the principles of health promotion/ health literacy and behavior change. We are looking for a strong communicator who can build relationships with community groups within and outside of UBC/VCH, using a collaborative and consultative style. The position requires excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage a number of concurrent clinical and health promotion projects. The position maintains an existing set of programs while conducting community needs assessment and feasibility studies to determine suggestions for new programming. This position reports directly to the Head of UBC Division of Respiratory Medicine who will check and evaluate the work of the research scientist. This position may supervise up to one full-time and two half-time Research Assistant and may also provide assignments and direction to part-time research facilitators and interviewers and/or contract research staff.
Work Performed
The Research and Evaluation Scientist has lead responsibility for existing and future clinical and health promotion/health literacy projects within The Lung Centre. The major primary responsibilities include: Fostering scientific excellence: - Creating networking, collaboration, and business development with community organizations and funders for existing and new research and health initiatives, using most relevant communication modes. - Developing strategies to strengthen the Centre's research program, by applying evidence-based practical approved approaches. - Facilitating interdisciplinary collaborative research within hospitals, pharmaceutical industry, government, and other funding agencies, applying relevant management and research partnership approaches. - Developing projects that bridge the Centre with other health/medical settings by improving collaboration, developing research priorities, arranging major conferences and seminars. Communications: 1) External The Research and Evaluation Scientist will be involved in regular meetings with the executive committee of lung health program, representatives of pharmaceutical companies, funding agencies, research institutes, collaborators, ongoing interactions with the UBC Industry Liaison Office (UILO), clinical trials sponsors, industry and other stakeholders representatives, other governmental and regulatory bodies, Ethics Review and Approval Boards, as well as establishing and maintaining relationships with other research institutes and networks. 2) Internal The Research and Evaluation Scientist will be involved in regular and ongoing interactions within the director of the Lung Centre, within other hospitals and health/medical settings attached to UBC, with clinic manager, administrative personnel, investigators, educators, coordinators at the Lung Centre, and other health care settings as required. Research Data Management/Collection/Evaluation: - Oversees study documentation from application to approval stages and final reports, and ensures that responsible research staff are meeting all requirements at all institutional levels - Ensures and monitor accurate and timely data collection, handling of subject records including: audit process, education and training of study personnel and trainees, and maintains evaluation programs to achieve quality assurance by applying the most appropriate evaluation models (both process and outcome evaluation) - Performs descriptive and analytical data analyses and interpretation on collected data, applying the most relevant and advanced qualitative and quantitative statistical models Strategic Planning: - Designs and updates project processes and protocols to improve the efficiency of data collection and research parameters - Assesses the progress and impact of the projects at timely intervals and recommends alternative approaches to problem solving - Creates an environment that foster growth, development, productivity as team objectives, by applying appropriate managerial techniques. Research Development/New Initiatives: - Develops research methodology; assists in writing grants, research ethics, and other documentation associated with the grant applications/ research projects by using the relevant knowledge - Ensures research activities are appropriately managed according to The Lung Centre guidelines and UBC ethics for clinical and health promotion/health literacy research, agreements, and contracts - Collaborates with other research team members in the development of new protocols, conceptual frameworks, and infrastructure team grants, by using the most advanced knowledge, tools, and principles Operations: Administrative/Financial: - Develops, implements, maintains and updates administrative and financial policies, practices, and procedures of the Clinical Trials Platform, (CTP) and health promotion/health literacy projects, using cost-effective and cost benefit approaches - Maintains an inventory of educational resources and materials. Health materials/information Development: - Designs and develops educational and audiovisual materials for interventional research and presentations, applying Popular Theater Workshop model - Designs and develops a research website for the Center linked to the Division of Respiratory Medicine at UBC - Designs and develops a monthly print and online newsletter for the Center Performs other related duties: - Day-to-day management of the activities of the Clinical Trials Platform (CTP) and health promotion/health literacy projects of The Lung Center - Providing operational leadership; developing and implementing strategic plans for the new asthma and COPD health projects - Preparation of ethical review applications, review of protocols and agreements, contracts for ethical integrity and accuracy - Management of regulatory documentation around the study approval, amendments, and renewal process - Operational management of the financial and administrative services of the core technical unit including study budget setup and monitoring and management of research space, supplies and equipments - Development of new and on-going research initiatives with emphasis on the Clinical Trials, health literacy, and health promotion, in particular within minority groups and disadvantaged populations - Providing technical support within the research team A significant portion of work activities will be in an office setting at The Lung Centre.
Supervision Received
This position reports directly to the Head of UBC Respiratory Medicine Division, who will check and evaluate the work of the research scientist. Work is performed under the general supervision of the Director, The Lung Centre within established program criteria and other guidelines. The position will keep the Director informed of ongoing activities and will consult with the Director on major problem areas or deviations from established program objectives.
Supervision Given
This position may supervise up to one full-time and two half-time Research Assistant and may also provide assignments and direction to part-time research facilitators and interviewers and/or contract research staff. The individual will represent the Lung Centre with private and government agencies.
Consequence of Error/Judgement
The ideal candidate will have a clear understanding of the principles of health promotion/ health literacy and behavior change. We are looking for a strong communicator who can build relationships with community groups within and outside of UBC/VCH, using a collaborative and consultative style. The position requires excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage a number of concurrent clinical and health promotion projects. The position maintains an existing set of programs while conducting community needs assessment and feasibility studies to determine suggestions for new programming. In addition, the position is responsible for developing health education materials and information, including planning, budgeting, developing coordinating, and delivering of audio-visual materials, in particular patient self-management video clips in English and the languages of the ethno-cultural communities depending on the existing and future projects, and performing other related duties. The position will keep the Director informed of ongoing activities and will consult with the Director on major problem areas or deviations from established program objectives. The individual will represent The Lung Centre with private and government agencies.
Qualifications
Post-graduate degree in a relevant discipline. Post-graduate degree in Health Management, Health Economics, Health Sciences, Health Education, or Health Promotion preferred. Degree or diploma in accounting and research evaluation/measurement an asset. 4 years relevant experience. Experience with supervision. Research experience related to clinical research, preferably in clinical trials applications in a hospital, and research environment, health care organization or related settings. Experience with qualitative and quantitative projects in population health, in particular chronic disease- related study. Experience in organizing major national and international level health conferences. Experience working with global and international organizations and agencies to conduct collaborative health research. Working experience in writing and publishing peer-reviewed manuscripts from the findings of projects essential. Recent experience of developing and delivering health promotion programs and services aimed at diverse ethno-cultural communities in BC and Canada on disease control and management, in particular in the area of respiratory health. Extensive knowledge and experience in applying the concepts of Popular Theater Workshop in the development of patient-education audio-visual materials. Working knowledge of social non-medical determinants of chronic diseases; including gender, age, culture/ethnicity, employment, education and literacy/health literacy level, and income (SES). Strong background and knowledge of the SPSS/SAS and N-VIVO/Atlas-5 statistical software package in applied research, including collecting, entering, analyzing, and interpreting both quantitative data (using SPSS or SAS) and qualitative data (using NVIVO or Atlas-5), by applying the most advanced statistical methods. Knowledge and experience in developing educational materials in audio-visual format, in particular video clips, related to self-management of chronic disease (patient self- education materials). Knowledge and experience in conducting community focus groups and personal interviews with community members and key-informants, in particular with ethno-cultural communities. Knowledge and experience to developing a research and training unit to investigate the link between socio-cultural and environmental factors and non-communicable chronic disease. Knowledge of the medical and health care system in BC and Canada. Health economic knowledge and skills to perform cost-benefit and cost-effective analyses. Familiarity with health education, health promotion, and health literacy concepts and models/theories essential. Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing. Ability to gather, record, and organize information. Ability to effectively use computers and computer software. Ability to write reports, manuals, and protocols for national and provincial research initiatives and grants. Ability to maintain accuracy and attention to detail. Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities. Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines. Ability to analyze problems, identify key information and issues, and effectively resolve. Ability to make thoughtful, informed, and thorough decisions. Ability to assess training requirements and develop, coordinate, lead, and evaluate training. Ability to identify, obtain, and effectively manage organizational resources. Ability to exercise sound judgment. Good contact networks with newcomer communities in BC, including: Chinese, Farsi-speaking, Latin-American, Korean, and Punjabi communities for involving community members, health care professionals, leaders and key informants from the ethno-cultural communities in the ongoing and future studies. Ability to work effectively independently and in a team environment.
UBC hires on the basis of merit is committed to employment equity, and encourages all qualified individuals to apply. However, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.