Description
Electrical & Software Engineering in the Schulich School of Engineering invites applications for a Research Assistant. This Fixed Term Recurring Part-time position is for approximately 4 months (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.
The SENSE project is a multi-year research program at the University of Calgary investigating the use of consumer-grade wearable devices to detect occupational stress in nursing staff. The project combines biosignal acquisition from wearables such as Apple and Garmin Smartwatches, machine learning models for stress classification, and field deployment with healthcare partners. The work has implications for nurse well-being, retention, and patient safety in Canadian acute care settings.
The successful candidate will report to the principal investigator and work directly with graduate students and clinical collaborators. The role offers an opportunity to contribute to peer-reviewed publications and to develop expertise in digital health, wearable signal processing, and clinical research operations.
Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):
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Configure, distribute, and recover study devices including Apple Watch units, Polar H10 chest straps, and paired iPhones.
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Train participants on device wear, charging routines, and study app use.
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Troubleshoot device pairing, syncing, and data upload issues during the study period.
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Maintain an inventory of study hardware and consumables.
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Export biosignal data from HealthKit, the Garmin Connect SDK, and the study backend.
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Run preprocessing pipelines for heart rate, beat-to-beat interval, and accelerometer data.
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Perform quality checks on per-burst RMSSD and related time-domain heart rate variability features.
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Flag and document data anomalies, missing windows, and device-level inconsistencies.
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Prepare clean datasets and documentation for downstream modeling by graduate student collaborators.
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Maintain study documentation including standard operating procedures, version-controlled data dictionaries, and recruitment logs.
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Support preparation of ethics renewals, amendments, and progress reports.
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Contribute to manuscripts, posters, and presentations as appropriate.
Qualifications / Requirements:
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Completed undergraduate degree in nursing, kinesiology, biomedical engineering, computer science, health sciences, psychology, or a closely related field.
- Candidates currently enrolled in a graduate program in a related discipline will also be considered.
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Demonstrated experience handling research participants, including consent and adherence tracking.
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Working knowledge of Python language for data handling.
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Familiarity with spreadsheet tools and version control such as Git.
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Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.
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Ability to work independently, manage time across multiple tasks, and meet deadlines in a research environment.
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Prior experience with wearable devices used in research, such as Apple Watch, Garmin, Polar, or Empatica.
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Familiarity with Apple HealthKit data structures, Bluetooth Low Energy heart rate services, or chest strap data export formats.
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Exposure to heart rate variability analysis, biosignal preprocessing, or physiological data quality control.
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Coursework or work experience in clinical research, healthcare settings, or human subjects research ethics.
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Experience with Linux command line, Jupyter notebooks, or Pandas.
Application Deadline: June 09, 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 Technical Job Family, Phase 1.
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 ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture ([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.
