Knowledge Broker to Improve Pain in Children and Families, Anaesthesia

Description

The Department of Anaesthesia in the Cumming School of Medicine invites applications for a Knowledge Broker to Improve Pain in Children and Families. This Full-time Fixed Term position is for approximately 12 months (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.

This individual should have a passion for improving pediatric pain and working with diverse partners (in hospitals and in communities) to bridge the gap between research knowledge and practice and policy. This individual is a highly skilled science communicator, change champion, and relationship builder.  

This individual leads knowledge mobilization, community engagement, implementation, and related research activities for two grant-funded projects related to children¿s pain management in Alberta and nationally. These projects focus on diverse groups of children, youth, and families with lived experience with acute and chronic pain, as well as neurodevelopmental disabilities and/or mental health issues across community- and hospital-based settings. This individual will contribute to a team that centers principles of accessibility, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

This position will require some multi-site travel, with time spent at the Alberta Children's Hospital, the Department of Psychology (Education Tower), and various community sites.  

Reporting to the Principal Investigator.

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

Create and Synthesize Research Evidence

• Identify emerging research, critically appraise quality of evidence, and synthesize the current, available research evidence on pediatric pain management
• Synthesize local community and patient data with general and specific research knowledge to identify opportunities to assist users in translating the evidence into locally relevant recommendations for policy and practice
• Support the development of related research projects and funding applications
• Consult on evidence adaptation within the local and national context
• Follow a framework of planned action to guide knowledge use in practice settings

Develop Relationships and Engage in Strategic Networking

• Facilitate knowledge exchange and ongoing dialogue between researchers, health professionals, administrators, policy makers, patients (children and youth) and family members
• Continuously establish, build and sustain productive working relationships with organizational partners, identify common goals to contribute to collective efforts, and understand their existing knowledge base and assess readiness or capacity for change
• Engage and support project partners access, adapt, and implement evidence
• Work to support institutional, regional, and national activities
• Identify knowledge users to champion efforts and support project goals
  Work collaboratively with the other team members locally and nationally (i.e., SKIP¿s Administrative Centre and project sites)

Build Capacity to Facilitate Organizational Change

• Support knowledge mobilization activities and partnerships within and across clinical, research, and policy domains to improve the generation and use of research knowledge
• Empower partners through capacity development through the provision of resources, training, and mentoring within Canadian health institutions
• Lead collaborative efforts to facilitate organizational change by removing barriers to evidence-based decision-making and promoting a culture that values the use of the best available science in policy and practice

Catalyze Change and Implement Evidence into Practice

• Lead and facilitate execution for knowledge mobilization activities
• Initiate, develop, and implement activity plans and strategies as they relate to  identified priorities
• Prepare knowledge mobilization tools and tailor resources to address stakeholder needs or local context
• Support evidence implementation in collaboration with partners 
• Monitor the implementation process, evaluate knowledge mobilization progress, and support sustainability of knowledge mobilization efforts

Support Project Oversight and Accountability

• Lead and oversee regular reporting on project activities on a regular basis and lead annual reporting and evaluation efforts

Qualifications / Requirements:

• A minimum of Master's-level education in a relevant health-related discipline (e.g., Nursing, Psychology, Physiotherapy, Public Health, etc.)
• Strong understanding of related and intersecting fields, including child health, community engagement, complex health systems change, implementation science, knowledge mobilization/translation, and quality improvement and evaluation, and healthcare system dynamics
• Experience leading collaborative projects with researchers, health professionals, partners and/or other interested groups/organizations, including patients and families
• Expertise in gathering evidence, critically appraising the validity of research findings and quality of evidence, synthesizing information, and interpreting the information in terms of the bigger picture
• Demonstrated project management expertise
• High organizational, analytical, and problem solving skills
• Superior interpersonal, communication, and motivational skills
• Specialized practical and theoretical understanding of all aspects of knowledge mobilization (e.g., generation, synthesis, product development, knowledge translation and exchange, dissemination, management, evaluation)
• Experience in developing and implementing knowledge mobilization plans, activities, and products, and health systems change
• A demonstrated passion for the promotion of child health and genuine interest in up-to-date research evidence
• Ability to take initiative independently and to work as part of a collaborative team
• Ability to interpret and identify key results from health research, and to summarize research findings in plain language
• Experience and skill in digital and social media communications is an asset
• Ability to engage diverse audiences and build partnerships and collaborations among diverse groups and organizations and across a variety of sectors
• Skilled mediator and team builder
• Bilingualism (English/French) is preferred

Application Deadline:  March 27, 2025

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 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 Institutional Commitments ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources ([email protected]).

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.