Research Associate, Surgery

University of Calgary; Calgary; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Surgery at the University of Calgary is seeking a Research Associate to support the K2i Lab's health services research program in surgical oncology. This full-time fixed-term 6-month role (with potential extension) reports to the Principal Investigator and involves data collection, analysis, and manuscript preparation.

Responsibilities include coordinating the patient and family advisory council, performing literature syntheses, managing databases, and assisting with ethics

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in health-related field with 2 years relevant work experience or Master's degree in health-related field (epidemiology or health services research).
• Experience with patient and family advisory councils and knowledge of policies and procedures for patient and family engagement in research.
• Knowledge of at least one health-related research method - qualitative, quantitative, statistics/epidemiology, or knowledge synthesis.
• Experience with knowledge mobilization and dissemination to varied audiences; implementation science is an asset.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills are essential.
• Excellent organization skills; ability to work independently and multitask.
• Attention to detail; high level of time management and teamwork.
• Experience writing ethics submissions and grant applications is an asset.
• Strong interpersonal skills and professional demeanor; collaboration with patients, researchers, students and other collaborators.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel, Planner, Teams) and Canva is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate activities related to the patient and family advisory council and liaise with council members.
• Conduct research including knowledge syntheses, data management, interviews and focus groups, and data analyses.
• Assist with ethics submissions and grant applications for new projects.
• Prepare reports and manuscripts from research activities.
• Assist with social media strategy and website updates for knowledge mobilization.
• Contribute to design of research processes including recruitment and data analysis methods.
• Collaborate with internal and external collaborators and maintain productive relationships.
• Manage time effectively and keep the Principal Investigator informed of progress.
• Demonstrate strong communication, teamwork, and customer service within guidelines.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Time management

Teamwork

Interpersonal skills

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Customer service

Education

Bachelor's degree in health-related field

Master's degree in health-related field (epidemiology or health services research)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Canva

Job description

Description

The Department of Surgery in the Cumming School of Medicine invites applications for a Research Associate. This Full-time Fixed Termposition is for approximately 6 months (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.

This position reports to the Principal Investigator.

Under the general supervision and direction of the Principal Investigator, the Research Associate will perform research-related duties to support the K2i Lab's health services research program in surgical oncology. The K2i Lab is looking for someone with a passion patient and family engagement who is eager to contribute to the team's fast-paced program of research, while taking opportunities to grow professionally. In addition to supporting an active patient and family advisory council, the Research Associate will assist in all stages of research projects; from developing funding application and ethics applications, to data collection and analysis, to writing manuscripts and reports. Research projects may include: evidence synthesis (systematic and scoping reviews), prospective and retrospective cohort studies, implementation and quality improvement studies, and qualitative interviews and focus groups.

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

• Coordinate activities related to the patient and family advisory council and liaise with members of the council
• Conduct research, which may include knowledge syntheses, managing and maintaining databases (data cleaning and good data management procedures), conducting interviews and focus groups and assisting with all types of analyses
• Assist with ethics submissions and grant applications for new research projects
• Prepare reports and write manuscripts resulting from research activities
• Assist with social media strategy and posts, and website updates for the purpose of knowledge mobilization
• Participate in design and development of research processes including identification of methodologies, recruitment strategies, and data analysis processes
• Collaborate and work with internal and external collaborators. Establishes and maintains effective, productive relationships with staff, peers, immediate supervisor and senior management and with the campus community
• Manages time effectively and ensures Principal Investigator is kept informed of activities, and progress of work
• Demonstrated strong communication, team and customer service skills, and an ability to exercise judgment within established guidelines

Qualifications / Requirements:

• A Bachelors degree in health-related field with 2 years relevant work experience or Masters degree in health related field (epidemiology or health services research)
• Experience with patient and family advisory councils and knowledge of policies and procedures for patient and family engagement in research
• Knowledge and experience with at least one health-related research method - could be qualitative, quantitative research methods, statistics and epidemiology, knowledge synthesis
• Experience with knowledge mobilization (including disseminating evidence to varied audiences, and implementation science) is an asset
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills is essential
• Excellent organization skills, including the ability to work independently and to multitask
• Excellent attention to detail is a must
• High level of effective time management, personal initiative and teamwork
• Experience writing ethics submissions and grant applications an asset
• Strong team skills as this position will have a high degree of interaction/contact with patients, researchers, students and other collaborators
• Strong interpersonal skills and professional demeanor
• Ability to thrive and deliver results in a fast-paced team environment
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel,Planner, Teams, etc.
• Advanced skills in Canva and related platforms
• Knowledge of the University of Calgary core business systems is an asset

Application Deadline: October 1, 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.

This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Specialist/Advisor Job Family, Phase 2.

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 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.