Postdoctoral Scholar, Child Health Indicators and Service Delivery, School of Public Policy and Cumming School of Medicine

Position Description

Area:         Health Policy and Faculty of Medicine
Duration:     One-year with possibility of renewal
Start date:     January 2022
Salary:         55,000 $CAD per annum, plus University of Calgary Plan C health benefits

The School of Public Policy and the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary are accepting applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar (PDS). This role will lead research to identify a core set of indicators of child and youth health and well-being relevant to children who are vulnerable in Alberta and map these indicators to relevant policies. 

Job Description:
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 indicators of child health and well-being. This position focuses on addressing this gap by developing 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. Supervision will be provided by: (1) Dr. Brent Hagel, Cumming School of Medicine (2) Dr. Jennifer Zwicker, Director of Health Policy, School of Public Policy. This appointment is embedded in a research program with extensive connections to local community partners and national research networks.  

The successful incumbent will work closely with partners and with community stakeholders and contribute to refining the research questions and methods. There will be opportunity to lead a multi-pronged program of research to identify relevant indicators of child health and well-being, develop consensus on indicators relevant to vulnerable children and families in Alberta and recommend approaches for developing 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. 

Opportunities for applied training is 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). 

The position requires independent analysis and research, within a team approach in a fast moving and changing environment, often involving multiple stakeholders to: 

• Refine research questions and methods according to their expertise and interest within the project parameters
• Lead the design and implementation of at least two of the sub-studies in the above-described research program
• Actively seek additional, external funding opportunities at local, provincial and national levels
• Actively contribute to the development of peer-reviewed publications related to the studies undertaken as part of the PDS appointment
• Provide leadership on knowledge translation activities
• Provide leadership and mentorship at weekly research team meeting, including supervision of trainees and support staff 
• Undertake additional training

Qualifications:

• Recent PhD* in health sciences, health services research, or a related field, completed within the last 3 years (or will be complete upon appointment start date)
• High level of effective organizational, time management and personal initiative skills
• Proven ability to design and complete research studies of complex issues
• Experience with research software (STATA preferred, NVivo preferred) as well as Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
• Strong team player
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, especially in scientific writing
• Proven ability to deliver high quality publications and presentations
• 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

Asset Qualifications

• Previous experience in the study of child health or disability or medical/psychosocial complexity 
• Previous experience in working with rapid or scoping reviews, measurement and evaluation and mixed methods approaches 

This is a one-year appointment with the opportunity for renewal based on satisfactory performance. 

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

Application details:  

For full consideration, please submit your application on or before February 15 11:59 PM MDT via email to Drs. Brent E. Hagel [email protected] and Jennifer Zwicker [email protected],
Please submit your application as a single PDF file with the subject line: Postdoctoral application – [Your name]. All applications must include:

• Statement of interest (limit 1 page) summarizing your relevant experience, career goals, and description of how postdoc training will contribute to these goals
• current curriculum vitae (CV); 
• official or unofficial copy of diploma(s)/university certificate(s); and
• Two (2) writing samples (published or unpublished) that best exemplify your scholarly work, along with an explanation of your role in each sample.
• contact information including email addresses for two (2) references to support the application (reference letters will be required for final decisions)

The review of applications will begin immediately and continue until a successful candidate is hired.

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

Only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted further. In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada, although others are encouraged to apply.

Additional Information

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 and all we have to offer, view our Postdoc Careers website.

COVIDSafe Campus Strategy

The University has implemented a new Vaccination Directive that requires all faculty and staff to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by January 1, 2022. You will be required to upload proof of vaccination prior to commencing your duties. Please review the COVIDSafe Campus website for further information and access to additional resources.

About the University of Calgary

The University of Calgary is Canada’s leading next-generation university – a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude. Located in the nation’s most enterprising city, the university is making tremendous progress on its Eyes High journey to be recognized as one of Canada’s top five research universities, grounded in innovative learning and teaching and fully integrated with the community it both serves and leads. The University of Calgary inspires and supports discovery, creativity and innovation across all disciplines. 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 in line with the foundational goals of Eyes High, 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 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 professional success while they are here.