Research Assistant, Psychiatry

University of Calgary; Calgary; On-site; CAD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Calgary’s Department of Psychiatry invites applications for a Research Assistant. This full-time fixed-term position (about 1 year, with potential extension) supports clinical trials involving human subjects, including recruitment, data collection (questionnaires, behavioral tasks, psychophysiology, and neuroimaging), data management, and regulatory oversight.

Reporting to the Principal Investigator, you will assist with manuscript preparation, literature reviews, and study

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Human Biology, or related field required.
• MSc degree preferable.
• Experience in neuroscience or psychology research; exposure to neuroimaging/psychophysiology desired.
• Experience with Health Canada-regulated clinical trials preferred.
• Completion of human subjects and clinical trial training modules (ICH GCP, TCPS 2)
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks and clinical trial demands.
• Strong communication, teamwork and judgment within guidelines.
• Willingness to learn and take on new challenges.
• Proficiency in MS Office; knowledge of statistics or programming a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement experiments under PI supervision.
• Collect human data via questionnaires, behavioral tasks, psychophysiology, and neuroimaging.
• Collect biological samples as needed (e.g., blood, urine).
• Interact with study participants safely and respectfully.
• Ensure CHREB and Health Canada compliance.
• Conduct literature reviews and data collection for manuscripts.
• Train staff and students in equipment and protocols.
• Communicate progress and maintain rapport with staff and supervisor.

Skills

Neuroscience/psychology research

Regulatory frameworks (Health Canada)

Clinical trial training (ICH GCP, TCPS

Microsoft Office (Word/Excel/Outlook)

Statistical analysis (R, SAS, SPSS) or

Programming (MATLAB, Python)

Strong communication and teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Human Biology, or related field

MSc degree preferable

Tools

R

SAS

SPSS

MATLAB

Python

Job description

Description

The Department of Psychiatry in the Cumming School of Medicine invites applications for a Research Assistant. This Full-time Fixed Termposition is for approximately 1 year (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.

This position reports to the Principal Investigator.

The primary role for the Research Assistant will be to assist with clinical trials involving human research subjects, including participant recruitment, data collection (questionnaires, behavioral tasks, psychophysiology, and/or neuroimaging), data management, and regulatory oversight. The Research Assistant will also play a role in other aspects of research, including preparation of manuscripts, literature reviews, and/or study protocols.

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

• Under general supervision & direction of the PI, develop and implement original experiments within the guidelines of the research
• Collection of various types of human research data, including questionnaires, behavioral tasks, psychophysiology, and neuroimaging
• Collection of various biological samples (e.g. blood, urine, etc.)
• Interact with study participants in a safe and respectful manner according to established procedures
• Ensure adherence to CHREB and Health Canada guidelines
• Conduct literature review, surveys, data collection, and other research for use in scholarly publications when required to
• Reliable and safe operation of all laboratory equipment
• Train other staff and students in the operation of equipment and laboratory protocols
• Establish and maintain effective, productive relationships with staff, peers, immediate supervisor and senior management and with the campus community
• Manage own time effectively and ensure immediate reports to manager is kept informed of activities, and progress of work
• Demonstrate strong communication, team and customer service skills, and an ability to exercise judgment within established guidelines

Qualifications / Requirements:

• Bachelors Degree in Neuroscience, Psychology, Human Biology, or related field required; MSc degree preferable
• Demonstrated experience in neuroscience or psychology research; exposure to behavioral pharmacology, neuroimaging, and/or psychophysiology strongly desired
• Experience working within Health Canada-regulated clinical trials required; preference given to individuals with exposure to research with controlled substances and related regulatory frameworks
• Completion of human subjects and clinical trial training modules, including ICH GCP, TCPS 2, and related programs required; preference given to individuals with clinical trial management training certificates
• Experience with regulatory (e.g., Health Canada) frameworks as well as other clinical trial demands (e.g., budgets, recruitment, scheduling) strongly desired
• Demonstrated strong communication, team and participant service skills, and an ability to exercise judgment within established guidelines
• Must be open to learning and development, and be willing to accept new challenges and assignments
• Intermediate to advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint); demonstrated experience in statistical analysis (r, SAS, SPSS) or scientific computer programming (matlab, python, etc.) is desirable
• A positive attitude and the ability to work independently and as part of a team are critical to success

Application Deadline:

September 4, 2026

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

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

For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.

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 the 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.