Research Associate (Limited Term – 1 Year)

Date Posted: 01/24/2025

Req ID:41414

Faculty/Division: Faculty of Social Work

Department: Faculty of Social Work

Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

About Us

The Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto is distinguished by its emphasis on the integration of research and practice in both the classroom and its practicum education. As the oldest school of social work in Canada, FIFSW has been on the cutting edge of education, policy, research and practice for more than 100 years.

Recognized as one of the leading social work research Faculties in North America, FIFSW is highly involved in promoting excellence in social work practice and policy development. Teaching in the Faculty is enriched by the internationally recognized research of faculty members which is designed to help governments, agencies and communities effectively address real world challenges.

Your Opportunity

The Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, invites applications for the position of Research Associate (Limited Term) for a PhD-prepared researcher with extensive experience in child welfare or child mental health research and program evaluation. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing a program evaluation project funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The project will evaluate existing culturally-based health promotion interventions currently being delivered to overrepresented groups in child welfare at partnering child welfare agencies. This candidate will oversee all phases of the project, including, planning, implementation, data collection, analysis, and reporting. They will work closely with agency and academic partners and will lead a small team of student researchers in conducting the intervention research and program evaluation. The ideal candidate will have experience in project management, program evaluation and a strong understanding of child welfare or child mental health systems. The candidate will lead and mentor team members on an array of knowledge dissemination activities that will result from the project.

This role is not currently eligible for a hybrid work arrangement, pursuant to University policies and guidelines, including but not limited to the University of Toronto’s Alternative Work Arrangements Guideline.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the design, execution and management of program evaluation efforts, ensuring alignment with project goals, timelines and outcomes.
• Co-develop with child welfare agency partners the evaluation frameworks, including the creation of logic models, evaluation plans, data collection strategies, and analysis methods.
• Coordinate data collection and analysis, ensuring integrity and quality of evaluation data.
• Oversee the evaluation activities across multiple programs at the partner child welfare agencies.
• Manage the project timelines, budget, and deliverables.
• Ensure all evaluation processes adhere to ethical standards and best practices.

Minimum Qualifications:

EDUCATION:

• PhD in social work, public health, public policy, psychology or a related field with a focus on child welfare or child mental health.

EXPERIENCE:

• A minimum of four (4) years of experience in research project management.
• A minimum of two (2) years of child welfare or child mental health experience.
• Experience supporting the program evaluation process through logic models, evaluation plans, data collection strategies, and analysis methods.
• In-depth knowledge of systems, policies and practices related to child welfare or child mental health in a Canadian context. 
• Experience working with child welfare agencies.
• Strong research project management skills including managing budgets, with the ability to manage multiple evaluation projects at partnering agencies simultaneously.
• Knowledge of ethical standards and best practices for program evaluations.
• Experience mentoring students and working with other researchers in data collection, analyses, and knowledge dissemination.

SKILLS:

• Experience with intervention research methods.
• Familiarity with data management software and statistical analysis tools (e.g., SPSS, SAS, NVivo, Excel).

OTHER:

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines
• Proven ability to deal with people in a tactful and effective manner
• Demonstrated sound judgment in decision making
• Excellent organizational and time management skills

Closing Date: 02/03/2025,11:59PM ET

Employee Group: Research Associate 

Appointment Type: Grant – Term 

Schedule: Full-Time

Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: R01 — Research Associates (Limited Term): $52,574 – $98,576

Job Category: Research Administration & Teaching

Note: 1 year term from date of hire

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