Research Officer, Urban Alliance

University of Calgary; Calgary; Hybrid; CAD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Calgary is seeking a full-time Research Officer, Urban Alliance, to provide advisory, operational, and administrative support for the ACWA program and related partnerships. The role reports to the Manager, Urban Alliance and requires strategic leadership in governance, data handling, and stakeholder collaboration.

The position emphasizes project management, confidentiality, and professional execution within a dynamic university environment, with a focus on Cities and Societies

Qualifications

• A post-graduate degree is required, with significant related academic experience in research, management, project development and administrative support.
• Solid knowledge of University policies relating to research and training, plus understanding of federal and provincial funding agencies.
• Demonstrable experience in supporting research and training-related activities.
• Several years of demonstrated research experience, preferably at a major university.
• Experience with community or industry research partnerships is a strong asset.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing workloads and deadlines.
• Ability to provide accurate information professionally and confidentially.
• Fast learner able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Proficiency with PeopleSoft and Microsoft Office suite.

Responsibilities

• Provides strategic leadership to support the ACWA research program.
• Supports components of the Urban Alliance strategic research partnership and the Transdisciplinary Scholarship areas of focus.
• Conducts research and composes documents, proposals, reports, and policy papers for the Office of the Vice-President (Research).
• Gathers, analyzes, and visualizes data with other units.
• Supports benchmarking and continual improvement with data analysis and stakeholder input.
• Oversees collection and retention of data for progress tracking of Urban Alliance and other initiatives.
• Leads workshops and events, and presents as needed.
• Manages the Urban Alliance website and acts as a senior resource to faculty and external stakeholders.

Skills

Quantitative ability

Written & verbal communication

Time management & organization

Interpersonal skills

Data analysis

Confidentiality & professionalism

Independent work

Teamwork

Education

Post-graduate degree

Tools

PeopleSoft

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

PowerPoint

SharePoint

Job description

Description

The Office of VP Research is currently seeking a Full-time Regular Research Officer.

The Research Officer, Urban Alliance, will report to the Manager, Urban Alliance. This position will have oversight and administrative responsibility for a wide range of strategic opportunities with a high volume of work. This role is responsible for providing advisory, operational, and administrative support to the Urban Alliance strategic research partnership and the Transdisciplinary Scholarship areas of focus, including but not limited to Cities and Societies. The role provides primary high-level support for the Advancing Canadian Water Assets (ACWA) research program. This role calls for project management, sound judgment, and the ability to understand dynamic, multifaceted initiatives.

This position is a full-time position that operates on a regular work week schedule (Monday to Friday) with occasional variances in start and end times, and may be expected to attend events or provide service outside normal working hours. The Research Officer is required to maintain complete confidentiality regarding all business matters, and to exercise a high degree of professionalism in the execution of their duties.

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

Strategic

• Provides strategic expertise and leadership to support the ACWA research program.
• Provides strategic expertise and leadership to support components of the Urban Alliance strategic research partnership, notably performance tracking and student experiential learning.
• Provides strategic expertise and leadership to support components of the Transdisciplinary Scholarship areas of focus.
• Researches and composes documents, proposals, reports, policy, and custom documents for the Office of the Vice-President (Research).
• Works with other units to gather, analyse, and visualize data.
• Supports research program benchmarking and continual improvement processes with data analysis, research into current trends, and development of recommendations based on input from faculty members and external stakeholders.

Operational

• Oversees collection and retention of business-critical data, such as data required for tracking and reporting progress of the Urban Alliance and other research initiatives.
• Organises and leads effective workshops and other events, and gives presentations as needed.
• Manages the Urban Alliance website.
• Acts as a senior resource to faculty members and external stakeholders affiliated with ACWA, the Urban Alliance partnership, and the Transdisciplinary Scholarship areas of focus.
• Oversees effective communication between experiential learning course instructors, students, and City of Calgary partners.

Qualifications / Requirements:

• A post-graduate degree is required, combined with significant related, progressive experience in an academic environment, specifically in research, management, project development and administrative support.
• Solid knowledge of University policies relating to research and training is required, along with an understanding of federal and provincial funding agencies.
• Demonstrable experience in supporting research and training-related activities is required.
• Several years of demonstrated research experience, preferably at a major university, would be considered a strong asset.
• Significant experience with community or industry research partnerships would be considered a strong asset.
• A high level of flexibility and ability to adapt to changing workloads and priorities required.
• Ability to provide accurate information professionally, courteously, and in a timely manner, respecting appropriate confidentiality, is required.
• Must be a fast learner, able to work independently with appropriate instruction and minimal supervision.
• Good working knowledge of University business systems, including PeopleSoft as well as Microsoft applications (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and SharePoint) is required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong time management, organisational, and interpersonal skills are required.
• Sound decision-making capabilities are required.
• Previous experience with report writing and data collection is required.
• Strong quantitative ability, including the ability to organize, analyze, summarize, and present complex data using spreadsheet software and similar tools.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work both independently and as part of a team within a large, complex, and dynamic organization.
• Ability to organise and lead effective workshops and information sessions would be considered a strong asset.

Application Deadline: October 2, 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 3.

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.