Research Assistant (Graduate Student)

University of Calgary; Calgary; Hybrid; CAD 28,000 - 39,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work option

Flexible schedule

Job summary

The University of Calgary seeks a Graduate Student Research Assistant for the CERC Indigenous Planetary Well-being program. The role involves literature reviews, writing, and synthesis tasks while supporting climate and Indigenous knowledge research.

Ideal candidates are enrolled UCalgary graduate students with strong writing, planning, and collaboration skills, capable of working remotely part-time (≈10 hrs/week) with flexible scheduling.

Qualifications

• Current University of Calgary graduate student with relevant focus.
• Excellent writing and interpersonal skills.
• Understanding Indigenous knowledge and research methods.

Responsibilities

• Conduct literature reviews, write annotations and summaries, and lead or assist on writing tasks.
• Review findings and collaborate with the research team in meetings.
• Assist with organization, document management, and references.
• Participate in training on literature reviews and Indigenous research approaches.
• Contribute to program objectives and Indigenous-related training.

Skills

Academic writing

Literature reviews

Indigenous knowledge

Education

Graduate student (enrolled) in relevant field

Tools

Excel

Zotero

EndNote

Job description

Description

The Department of Earth, Energy and Environment in the Faculty of Science invites applications for a Graduate Student Research Assistant - Research - EEE. This part-time position is for approximately 3 months with the possibility of extension.

The Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) research program in Indigenous Planetary Well-being seeks to inform how humanity can reconcile its relationships with the Earth by learning from Indigenous peoples and acting on their knowledge, advice and experience. The CERC program generates understanding of, and builds supports, frameworks and tools for, Indigenous leadership in climate and water justice. As part of this work, the research program contributes to national and international climate change assessment processes.

Our team is seeking a current University of Calgary graduate student that is interested in a part-time fall/winter 2026 research assistant position. Students will assist in research focused on Indigenous climate and water justice, Indigenous Knowledge (or Traditional Ecological Knowledge), ecosystems and biodiversity, and other related environmental science topics. The students will engage in research, writing and analysis tasks, including writing and review tasks to support the CERC¿s contributions to national and international climate change assessment processes. Responsibilities include conducting literature reviews, preparing annotations and summaries, writing short briefs and written outputs, and contributing to other tasks under the direction of the CERC research team.

The research assistant may participate in training(s) related to annotating, systematic and scoping reviews, and Indigenous related trainings offered by the University. Their responsibilities will include searching for relevant literature, assessing the quality/relevance of the articles found, and summarizing and interpreting the findings. The RA will review and share findings, work with other members of the CERC research program, and participate in team meetings.

The research assistant will keep track of their time spent on each activity and respond and coordinate with the team regularly. They will have the potential to work remotely and on a flexible schedule, for approximately 10 hours a week, and are expected to have excellent research skills, writing skills, and strong time management to support independent work.

Students must be currently enrolled University of Calgary graduate students for Fall 2026, and have the support/approval of their supervisor, if applicable.

This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Specialist/Advisor Job Family, Phase 1.

Reports to: Carina Burroughs, CERC Program Manager

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

• Conduct literature reviews, write annotations and summaries, and lead or assist on other writing and synthesis tasks.
• Review findings and work collaboratively with the research team, including attending regular team and individual meetings.
• Assist with organizational tasks in support of research, including creating or contributing to document and reference management.
• Participate in training(s) related to conducting literature reviews, Indigenous research methodologies and approaches, and other research tasks.
• Participate in Indigenous cultural awareness training and Indigenous research.
• Contribute to other tasks relating to the overall program research objectives.

Qualifications / Requirements:

• Current graduate student at the University of Calgary with a degree and/or research focus in Indigenous Studies, Environmental Science, Health, Climate, Education, or other related areas.
• Excellent writing skills and strong interpersonal skills.
• Understanding of Indigenous cultures and Indigenous knowledge systems and ways of knowing.
• Knowledge of Indigenous research and/or willingness to learn.
• Experience in conducting reviews, annotated bibliographies, and other literature search tasks using academic search engines, and/or a willingness to learn.
• Experience analyzing, synthesizing, and summarizing sources.
• Strong analytical and writing abilities.
• Strong computer skills.
• Knowledge of national and international climate change assessment processes is an asset.
• Knowledge of software for reference and data management including Excel, Zotero, EndNote etc. are assets.
• Able to communicate effectively and collaborate with a team.

Application Deadline:

rolling, with a priority deadline of September 15, 2026

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy ii' taa'poh'to'p committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments ([e-mail]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture ([e-mail]).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.