Description
Area: Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine
Duration: One year with renewal
Start Date: October 5, 2026
Location: Alberta Children's Hospital
Salary: $51,000-60,000 per annum (plus benefits)
The Department of Paediatrics in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary is accepting applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar (PDS). This Full-time Fixed Term position is for approximately 1 year (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.
This position reports to the Principle Investigator of the for the CCIPNR: From Care to Cure project, an interdisciplinary research initiative focused on improving outcomes for children and youth with complex chronic inflammatory and kidney diseases through integration of routine clinical care with innovative research infrastructure, patient-reported outcomes, education interventions, and health system evaluation to support precision medicine approaches, strengthen clinical trial readiness, and generate high-quality data to inform current and future care. The PDS supervision will be provided by Dr. Marinka Twilt, Professor and Pediatric Rheumatologist; and Dr. Silviu Grisaru, Associate Professor and Section Chief in Nephrology, Cumming School of Medicine. This fellowship is embedded in a research program with extensive connections to local community partners, national and international research networks.
Job Description:
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 multi-pronged program of research to assess use of patient reported outcome measures, patient education concepts and evaluation approaches across sectors for youth with rheumatic diseases, mental health concerns and/or other disability. Clinical trial design will be used to assess interventional education programs. Quantitative analysis will apply statistical and economic approaches to survey data collection and qualitative analysis will draw on perspectives from focus groups and interviews with participants. Research outcomes will inform policy development for health services and evaluation. The PDS will work closely with national and international researchers and with community stakeholders.
PDS Responsibilities:
- 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 meetings, including supervision of trainees
- and support staff
- Undertake additional training
Opportunities for applied training is available, related to statistical methods, clinical trials, 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:
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PhD in health sciences, health services research, or a related field, completed within the last 7 years (or will be completed upon PDS 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)
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Strong team player
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, especially in scientific writing
- Proven ability to deliver high quality publications and presentations
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Understanding of experimental design and scientific process and evaluative and qualitative methodologies
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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
Application Details:
Apply via the UCalgary Careers web portal. 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
- Curriculum Vitae
- List of two (2) references (reference letters will be required for final decisions)
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Two (2) writing samples (published or unpublished) that best exemplify your scholarly work, along with an explanation of your role in each sample
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.
With a growing urban Indigenous population of approximately 50,000 people, there are several Indigenous organizations and many events and ceremonies taking place in the city throughout the year.
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]).
