Research Associate* (EXPIRED)

The Program on Ethics & Policy for Innovation (PEPI) is based in the Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities, at McMaster University, Canada. The Program is focused on applied ethics research, and prioritizes identifying and addressing ethical challenges, ethics-related risk, and policy gaps that have the potential to undermine the impact of life-saving technologies and interventions in Global Health and Development. For additional information, see http://pepi.mcmaster.ca/ .

The Research Associate will be responsible for supporting the Program’s active portfolio of projects, by leading in-depth research, critical analysis, high-quality & efficient synthesis, and providing timely recommendations on a wide range of topics. This position is intended for candidates with a PhD in Philosophy (with a specialization in bioethics) or candidates with an MD/JD who also have training and experience in applied ethics research. The candidate should have a specialized area of research and substantial expertise, with a track record of publication. The successful candidate will develop specific outputs and deliverables on a project-by-project basis, as related to the Program’s portfolio of work.   This position is a limited-term contract for approximately 22 months, ending June 2018 (position is dependent on grant funding).

We are especially interested in a candidate with research interests in one or more of the following areas:

•    Data Ethics (Data Governance and Data Sharing)

•    Introducing Innovation in LMIC Settings (Clinical & Field Trials)

•    The Ethics of Infectious Disease Management (Public Health Ethics)

•    Sex and Gender in Global Health Research (Enabling Women & Girls

Applicants whose research interests fall outside of the four above-listed areas, but still strongly align with PEPI’s overall focus, are also encouraged to apply.

Job Summary:   

Responsible for planning, managing, and overseeing a large, multi-site, multi-disciplinary research program, with the potential to compose, lead, and conduct research as an independent investigator or as a co-investigator within a faculty member's program. Develops collaborations and partnerships with research user groups to help shape research directions and ensure effective research transfer.

Purpose and Key Functions:   

•    Initiate, design, and lead a research program.

•    Formulate research questions and generate and test hypotheses.

•    Make significant contributions to the design of a research program to answer questions and solve complex research problems.

•    Publish results as first author in scientific peer-reviewed journals.

•    Author scientific papers, funding proposals, and abstracts.

•    Write research proposals, submit proposals to external funding agencies, and secure funding to conduct research through grants and contracts.

•    Plan and coordinate all aspects of a major research program across multiple sites.

•    Develop inter-disciplinary, inter-institutional, and inter-sectoral research collaborations.

•    Negotiate research agreements and subcontracts to meet site and coordinating centre requirements.

•    Develop budget for a research program.

•    Implement and maintain a research program budget. Create financial projections and make adjustments to a research program budget throughout the fiscal year.

•    Troubleshoot problems at all stages of program development and implementation and modify protocol or program procedures to address challenges.

•    Participate with a team in the development and authoring of research protocols.

•    Design a promotional strategy and related materials to encourage participation and support for a research program.

•    Conduct quantitative and qualitative program participant interviews.

•    Facilitate focus group sessions with program participants.

•    Coordinate and manage the collection, delivery, entry, verification, analysis, and reporting of data.

•    Oversee the design of data management systems.

•    Apply specialized knowledge and scientific principles to review, critically appraise and interpret published literature.

•    Develop estimates of time and resources for a research program.

•    Use statistical software to analyze complex data and interpret results.

•    Liaise between the program centre and remote program sites and personnel.

•    Develop presentations and present at meetings, seminars, and conferences.

•    Conduct literature searches.

Supervision:   

•    Provide lead hand supervision and is responsible for the quality and quantity of work of others.

•    Ongoing responsibility for supervising up to 9 casual employees at any one time.

Requirements:   

•    Doctoral degree in a relevant field of study.

•    Requires 7 years of relevant experience.

Assets:

PhD in Philosophy (with a specialization in bioethics) or MD/JD with training and experience in applied ethics research.

Post-graduate work experience in ethics research.

Proven record of: data analysis, preparation of manuscripts, publishing in scientific journals (preferred as lead or senior author), presenting independent research findings at national and international venues.

Ability to lead project teams and communicate well with team members.

Ability to work well independently while also being an excellent team player and an information resource to colleagues.

Ability to work in a dynamic environment and to prioritize effectively.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and applicable scientific software.

Supervisory and mentorship experience.

Experience working in one or more of the following will be an asset: in a consulting or other client-service environment; in a Global Health or Global Development context; in a complex policy environment.

Must be flexible to work beyond the job description at times, as work demands.

Flexibility to occasionally work on different schedules, to adjust for off-hour requirements (the Program works with various international organizations/individuals who operate in different time-zones).

Availability to travel internationally.