Research Ethics Analyst

IWK Health; Halifax; Hybrid; CAD 34,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

IWK Health in Halifax is seeking a Research Ethics Analyst to consolidate emerging concerns and develop resources for ethical data access and OPOR governance.

You will create SOPs, guide researchers on PHI handling, and disseminate ethics information regularly, reporting to the Research Ethics Lead. This role involves collaboration in a hybrid setting with Monday–Friday hours.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a health-related field with strong ethics background.
• TCPS2 training completed.
• OPOR PowerTrials and PowerChart experience desired.
• Experience in a research environment; clinical research is an asset.
• Knowledge of PHI privacy regulations and related policies.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills; able to prioritize multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Develop research ethics resources and SOPs for OPOR and ethics in research lifecycle.
• Create guidance for ethical access, collection, usage and storage of PHI.
• Explain OPOR PowerTrials and related ethics considerations to researchers.
• Identify existing resources to address ethics concerns within OPOR.
• Deliver regular education sessions for researchers and REB members.
• Serve as primary contact for OPOR and PowerTrials guidance; liaison with mentors.
• Meet with Research Ethics Lead to share updates and address challenges.

Skills

Health degree

Project Management

OPOR PowerTrials

PowerChart

TCPS2 training

Research experience

Clinical research

PHI privacy regulations

Organization & processes

Multi-project prioritization

Communication & rapport

Independence & initiative

MS Office & IT tools

Analytical & problem-solving

Pharmacy & lab knowledge

Education

Health-related degree (Bachelor's or Master's)

TCPS2 training certificate

Tools

OPOR PowerTrials

PowerChart

MS Office

Job description

Company: IWK Health

Req ID: 225379

Department/Program: REB Ethics , Research Services

Location: Halifax

Type of Employment: Temporary Hourly FT long-assignment (100% FTE) from September 2026 until March 2027 x 1 position(s)

Start Date: September 14, 2026

Union Status: Research, Management/Non Union Bargaining Unit

Compensation: $24.4006 - $30.5002 /hour

Closing Date: August 24, 2026 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia . People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values , and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.

Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.

Opportunity

The Research Ethics Analyst (REA) will consolidate emerging concerns from the research community as they relate to research ethics in the research life cycle. This position will involve the development of shared resources, guidelines, SOPs and internal processes that support researchers with ethical data access and collection, data matching, data storage/retention across a range of electronic formats, and other issues unique to research ethics within the new electronic health record environment. The REA will help researchers navigate One Person One Record (OPOR) related data structures, workflows, and governance requirements within the scope of ethical guidelines (TCPS2) and institutional and provincial policies. The REA will be responsible for disseminating ethics-specific information around the use of OPOR in a research context to the research community on a regular basis. The REA reports to the Research Ethics Lead.

Responsibilities Include But Are Not Limited To

Development of Research Ethics Resources

• Identify ethical barriers and facilitators to inform the development of ethics-related guidance documents.
• Develop new/update existing SOPs and create comprehensive guidance documents for conducting ethical research within the OPOR environment such as guides that support ethical access, collection, usage and storage of personal health information (PHI).
• Facilitate clear understanding of OPOR Power Trials and relevant ethical considerations with the research community.
• Identify existing resources to promote a broader understanding of ethical concerns around research within the OPOR environment.
• Develop and facilitate regular education sessions for researchers, research coordinators and Research Ethics Board members.

Research Ethics Liaison

• Serve as primary contact for guidance around OPOR and PowerTrials.
• Meet with OPOR Research Mentors to share emerging concerns and develop strategies for mitigation.
• Create a clear pathway to support researchers conducting projects within the OPOR environment.
• Provide regular updates on results of meetings to the Research Ethics Team.
• Meet regularly with Research Ethics Lead to share updates and identify potential challenges.

Hours of Work

Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours weekly

Hybrid position; required to be onsite regularly

Your Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree in a health-related field with a strong research and research ethics background
• Project Management skills considered an asset
• Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience will be considered
• OPOR PowerTrials and PowerChart experience required
• Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS2) training required
• Experience in a research environment required
• Experience in clinical research environment is an asset
• Understanding of institutional and provincial regulations around Privacy as it relates to Personal Health Information (PHI)
• Excellent organizational and process management skills with a demonstrated ability to prioritize work appropriately, and establish and meet timelines
• Proven ability to prioritize and work effectively on multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to build rapport and trust while dealing with complex issues in a demanding and dynamic environment
• Ability to work independently and take initiative
• Ability to work with a broad range of internal and external information system tools and electronic processing systems as well as MS Office, internet and email
• Demonstrates analytical and problem-solving skills
• Knowledge of pharmacy and laboratory research processes is an asset

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

This is a Management/Non Union bargaining unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.

An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.

If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.