Postdoctoral Scholar, Health Policy & Cumming School of Medicine

Description

Area: Health Policy & Cumming School of Medicine

Duration: 1 year with renewal

Start Date: January 2, 2025

Salary: $65,000 CAD per annum, plus University of Calgary Plan C health benefits

The School of Public Policy and Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary is accepting applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar (PDS) in Child and Youth Health Policy. 

Children can experience vulnerabilities and resiliency factors (biologic or environmental) in their developmental trajectory that impact their well-being. Cross-ministry policy and services have an important role in improving health and well-being outcomes; however, the current Alberta child and youth services sector lacks strategy and links between development trajectories, environmental factors and child health and well-being. Indicators can help simplify the complex information concerning the child health and well-being environment and policy nexus by identifying modifiable factors that impact child health and wellness. These indicators can then be used to turn population data into relevant information for decision-makers and the public. Currently, Alberta does not have cross-sectoral indicators of child health and well-being. The research group has carried out an environmental scan and scoping review to gather and synthesize relevant domains, concepts and indicators in the literature. This PDS position focuses on the next steps of identifying key indicators through a systematic consensus process and identifying evidence-based policies and prevention strategies to improve child health and well-being. 

This work will have an important role in supporting researchers, community partners and government to work together and build capacity to integrate indicators into measurement and monitoring of service delivery. This research program is embedded within Theme 3 of the One Child Every Child initiative which is a Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) initiative, with a vision for all Canadian children to be the healthiest, most empowered and thriving in the world. One Child Every Child is a Parallel Paths project that has Indigenous and non-Indigenous Paths. All members of the program will perform training on work with Indigenous people, communities and data. Experience with Indigenous community-based work is an asset for members of the OCEC research team.

PDS supervision will be provided by: (1) Dr. Jennifer Zwicker, Director of Health Policy, School of Public Policy and (2) Dr. Brent Hagel, Cumming School of Medicine. This fellowship is embedded in a research program with extensive connections to local community partners and national research networks.

Job Description:

The PDS will lead research to develop monitoring reports using a core set of indicators of child and youth health and well-being relevant to children who are vulnerable in Alberta. The PDS will also engage in an environmental scan and policy mapping of policies relevant to child health and wellbeing. 

The position requires independent analysis and research, within a team approach in a fast-moving and changing environment, often involving multiple stakeholders. The PDS will contribute to refining the research questions and methods and will have the opportunity to lead a consensus-process to develop a monitoring report for child health and well-being, relevant to vulnerable children and families in Alberta and recommend approaches for developing cross-ministerial policy in Alberta that fosters resilience and growth for vulnerable children. Research outcomes will inform policy development for child health and social services and evaluation and the PDS will work closely with partners and with community and government stakeholders.

Responsibilities include:

• Refine research questions and methods in relation to implementing a stakeholder consensus process to identify key indicators on child health and well-being in Alberta.
• Lead the design and implementation of at least one sub-study in the above-described research program.
• Actively contribute to the development of peer-reviewed publications related to the studies undertaken as part of the PDS appointment.
• Provide leadership on knowledge mobilization activities.
• Provide leadership and mentorship in relation to the stakeholder consensus process, including possible supervision of trainees and support staff. 
• Undertake additional training- such as those listed below or otherwise.

Presentation and communication of research and research results to a variety of audiences and in different venues is also involved (i.e. presentations at conferences, workshops, team meetings as well as in various written publications). Peak times will occur near deadlines for reporting analysis and results to project stakeholders.
Opportunities for applied training are available, related to statistical methods, qualitative inquiry and stakeholder engagement, policy analysis, grant writing, student supervision, knowledge translation of clinical research into practice and policy and multi-stakeholder collaboration with a range of investigators (policy analysts, epidemiologists, psychologists, qualitative researchers, legal analysts, statisticians and health service agencies).

Qualifications:

¿ PhD in health sciences, health services research, or a related field, completed within the last 5 years (or will be complete upon PDS start date).
¿ Proven ability to design and complete research studies of complex issues; Policy research experience preferred.
¿ Experience in qualitative methods (interviews, focus groups) and carrying out stakeholder consensus processes; Experience with the Delphi processes is considered an asset.
¿ Proven ability to deliver high quality publications and presentations.
¿ Experience with knowledge mobilization to different stakeholders an asset.
¿ Understanding of experimental design and scientific process and evaluative and qualitative methodologies.
¿ Strong track record of scholarly activities including publication of research findings in reputable peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.
¿ Experience in applying for external grants and awards.
¿ Previous experience in the study of child health or disability or medical/psychosocial complexity would be an asset.
¿ Previous experience in working with rapid or scoping reviews, measurement and evaluation and mixed methods approaches would be an asset.
¿ High level of effective organizational, time management and personal initiative skills.
¿ Experience with research software (STATA preferred, NVivo preferred) as well as Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
¿ Excellent oral and written communication skills, especially in scientific writing.
¿ Strong interpersonal skills and a team player.

Please review the Postdoc Eligibility Guidelines for more information prior to applying for this position.

Application Details:

• Statement of interest (limit 1 page) summarizing your relevant experience, career goals, and description of how postdoc training will contribute to these goals.
• Curriculum Vitae.
• List of two (2) references (reference letters will be required for final decisions) who are familiar with your scholarly work.
• Two (2) writing samples (published or unpublished) that best exemplify your scholarly work, along with an explanation of your role in each sample.

Applications will be considered until the position is filled.

Please contact to Drs. Jennifer Zwicker [email protected] and Brent E. Hagel [email protected], if you have any questions.

About One Child Every Child

In 2023, the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) invested $125 million in University of Calgary's One Child Every Child: A Transformational Child Health Research Initiative. This ground-breaking initiative will transform child health research in Canada, promote Indigenous-led knowledge creation and self-determination, and drive discovery and innovation. It will bring together researchers, community partners, health-care providers, equity deserving groups, educators, trainees, stakeholders and Indigenous communities to build the foundation for global excellence and leadership in research to enable every child and community to thrive.

The terms and conditions of employment are covered under the UCalgary and PDAC Collective Agreement. To find out more about postdoctoral scholar program at the University of Calgary visit our Postdocs website.  

To learn more about postdoctoral scholar opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Postdoc 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.

About Calgary, Alberta

Calgary is one of the world's cleanest cities and has been named one of the world's most livable cities for years. Calgary is a city of leaders' in business, community, philanthropy and volunteerism. Calgarians benefit from the strongest economy in the nation and enjoy more days of sunshine per year than any other major Canadian city. Calgary is less than an hour's drive from the Rocky Mountains and boasts the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy 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.

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 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources ([email protected]).