At the Upstream Lab, our research is driven by a commitment to advancing health equity and addressing the social determinants of health. Our work focuses on four key areas: (1) integrating health and social care by addressing individuals’ social needs within healthcare settings; (2) population health management; (3) using data to enable proactive care; and (4) conducting clinical and health systems trials.
We are currently seeking two full-time, permanent Research Coordinator IIs to support several exciting projects within the lab:
Data Science: The Research Coordinator will play a key role in the day-to-day coordination of multiple data science initiatives. These include sub-studies within the PREPARED project focused on using AI to extract information on social needs from electronic medical records, analyzing access to primary care through geographic and distance-based measures, and advancing primary care data infrastructure. The Coordinator will work closely with Data Analysts and investigators to support the successful execution of these projects.
Social Determinants of Health and Cancer Outcomes: The Research Coordinator will support a project examining how individual-level social determinants of health (SDH) influence cancer outcomes and contribute to inequities in care within a health systems organization. This includes supporting the development of a survey instrument to measure key SDH among patients with cancer and coordinating a prospective cohort study exploring how SDH and clinical factors interact to impact access to care, quality of care, and patient outcomes.
Responsibilities include managing Research Ethics Board (REB) submissions, maintaining REDCap databases, supporting Research Assistants, assisting with contracts and ICES documentation, and overseeing participant recruitment, data collection, staff training, and overall project coordination. There will also be opportunities to contribute to additional projects across the Upstream Lab beyond the core data science portfolio.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Independently plan and coordinate research projects, including oversight of timelines, resources, day-to-day operations, and study activities.
- Prepare and manage REB submissions, including initial applications, protocol amendments, annual renewals, protocol deviations, adverse event reporting, and consent form development/revisions.
- Develop, implement, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), study documentation, and training materials.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for study-related inquiries from internal teams, external sites, collaborators, and stakeholders.
- Conduct quantitative and qualitative research activities, including survey development, interview guide design, participant screening and recruitment, data collection, transcription, coding, and data cleaning.
- Coordinate participant recruitment and follow-up through clinics, mail-outs, referrals, and community outreach strategies.
- Support the preparation and review of research protocols, grant applications, proposals, and study reports.
- Maintain accurate study documentation in accordance with Good Documentation Practices and institutional standards.
- Coordinate and present research findings through reports, presentations, abstracts, manuscripts, and other knowledge translation activities.
- Organize and facilitate study meetings, investigator meetings, and steering committee sessions.
- Conduct literature reviews and support qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
- Prepare and submit research contracts and institutional documentation, including ICES-related materials where applicable.
- Manage study honoraria, reimbursements, petty cash, and financial reconciliations.
- Supervise, train, and support Research Assistants, students, and collaborators, including onboarding and delegation of responsibilities.
- Foster collaboration, team development, and research capacity building across projects.
- Monitor compliance with research regulations, quality standards, institutional policies, and safety protocols.
Qualifications
- Minimum Bachelor’s degree in a health sciences or related field, with at least 3 years of relevant research experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Master’s degree preferred.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating and implementing research protocols, including participant recruitment, informed consent, data collection, and protocol compliance.
- Experience managing REB submissions, including initial applications, amendments, renewals, and protocol deviations.
- Experience with ICES processes and administrative health data is considered a strong asset for the Data Science portfolio .
- Strong qualitative research skills, including designing interview guides, facilitating focus groups and interviews, transcription, coding, and thematic analysis using software such as NVivo or Dedoose for Social Determinants of Health and Cancer Outcomes project
- Experience engaging and conducting research with structurally vulnerable and medically complex populations, including individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability, substance use disorders, severe mental illness, low health literacy, and language barriers.
- Skilled in trauma-informed, culturally safe, and patient-centered approaches to recruitment, consent, and data collection, with an emphasis on relationship-building and maintaining trust with marginalized communities.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic environment.
- Demonstrated initiative, adaptability, and ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
- Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail.
- Experience with knowledge translation and communicating research findings to diverse audiences, including clinicians, policymakers, and community stakeholders.
- GCP, Health Canada Division 5, and TCPS certification required (or willingness to complete within two weeks of hire).
- Strong background in quantitative methods considered an asset.
- Bilingualism (French/English) and/or proficiency in another language is considered an asset
Unity Health Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We strive to provide a recruitment process that is barrier-free and in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. We understand that you may require an accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process. When you are contacted, please inform the Talent Acquisition Specialist and we will work with you to meet your accommodation needs. We want to emphasize that all accommodation requests are handled with the utmost confidentiality, respecting your privacy and dignity.
