EDI Research Assistant

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Post End Date:

April 18, 2025 at 11:59 PM

This job advertisement is to fill an existing vacancy in the Temporary Research Positions (Employee Group)

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Research Assistant

within the Human Rights and Equity (HRE) Office

Anticipated start date: August 19th

Number of positions available: 3

Hourly Rate: 3rd yr complete – $17.20, 4th yr complete – $22.40, MA complete – $27.50, PhD – $31.00

Join the Human Rights and Equity Office!

HRE is a resource for all Brock community members, including students, staff, and faculty. HRE addresses human rights, harassment and discrimination that are connected to the Ontario Human Rights Code, and all job applicants are encouraged to review the HRE website. HRE upholds human rights laws and policies, and provides equity services to staff, faculty, and students by advocating on behalf of individuals and groups of people, by providing education through workshops and other venues, and by offering guidance to those seeking to implement equity in their own working and learning spaces at Brock. HRE sees great value in the peer-to-peer leadership model and student advocacy regarding human rights, as student leadership creates a more inclusive, safer campus for everyone. 

The Human Rights and Equity office seeks three Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Research Assistants to support the promotion and implementation of general HRE programming, events and workshops. EDI Research Assistants will provide coordination and administration support to the HRE Manager of EDI Education and Outreach. Individuals will be offered a 35-week contract of 10hrs/week from August 2025 through April 2026 at the St. Catharines campus of Brock University. Successful candidates are expected to be available for both online and in-person program delivery (workshops and events) at the St. Catharines campus of Brock University. Some evenings and weekends will be required. The successful candidates will receive fulsome orientation and training, including job expectations, on issues related to human rights, harassment and discrimination in Ontario, as well as necessary information about Brock University. HRE Research Assistants will report to and work daily with the HRE Manager of EDI Education and Outreach. If the candidate expresses an interest in developing specific skills, the HRE Manager of EDI Education and Outreach will work to facilitate this.

Duties & Responsibilities

General HRE Education and Event Planning

• Support the development and facilitation of general HRE and EDI workshops to increase awareness of Human Rights & Equity and available supports and resources at Brock.
• Provide in-person or online support for an array of prominent HRE events, programs and workshops (e.g., International Women’s Day, Black Student Symposium, Pride events, December 6) to ensure smooth operations and address any issues that arise.
• Coordinate room bookings, equipment rentals, and other necessary arrangements for events and workshops.
• Engage in ongoing reading and learning on relevant issues related to Human Rights & Equity and share this learning with the EDI Manager to suggest and co-create new resources for the Brock.

Outreach and Engagement

• Tabling for HRE – Engage in information sharing at Brock throughout the year, including greeting students, distributing education and awareness materials, and answering questions
• Liaising and collaborating with campus and community partners and underrepresented student groups to create connections, partner on programs and initiatives, and affirm communities.
• Assist in drafting and distributing program materials, including flyers, newsletters, and social media posts.
• Monitor the HRE Days of Significance calendar and develop and repost social media content.

Administrative Support:

• Provide general administrative support for meetings and events, including preparation and setup for meetings and taking minutes during meetings to support documentation of discussions and decisions.
• Support the financial administration of HRE events and workshops through the processing of expense reports, invoices and receipts.
• Utilize data management tools to track program and event metrics and outcomes.

Accountability and Reporting

• Note that there will be mandatory, in-person training for a week at the end of August (August 27 to September 1, 10am -2pm), and then held on one weekend in October, November, February, March and April (October 4, November 8, January 24, March 7 and April 11, 10am – 2pm).
• Accountability for time worked will be implemented through the use of time sheets. All Research Assistants will need to fill out a Biweekly HRE report sheet and discuss it with their supervisor to track the progress of the respective programming and to monitor their professional growth.

Qualifications

Experience:

• Commitment to promote awareness on human rights and equity issues.
• Proven experience in planning, organizing, and executing programs, events, or workshops.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to coordinate multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.
• Understands and supports Human Rights, Anti-Oppression, Anti-Racism, and Decolonial work through lived, theoretical, and practical methods.
• An interest in this field can be demonstrated through voluntary, activist or advocacy activities
• Preference will be given for individuals with lived experience, such as members of Black, Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, Disabled, or other marginalized communities.

Eligibility

To be eligible, candidates must:

• Be a current Brock University student as of September 2024;
• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have a valid Student Work permit, or be a person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment;
• Have a valid Social Insurance Number or valid Study permit at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations;
• Provide a clear Vulnerable Person Police Check upon hiring

Other Required Skills:

• Personal Intercommunication skills
• Advanced public presentation skills
• Social media content development and delivery
• Proficiency in documentation
• Ability to follow protocol for reporting incidents
• Graphic design for publicity campaigns
• Developing educational messaging
• Outreach and student engagement
• Critical thinking skills
• Time management
• Ability to work in collaboration with a dynamic team and take initiative to lead projects

We are committed to offering flexible work arrangements where possible as outlined in our Flexible Work Arrangement Policy. As a student-centered organization, all employees are required to work on campus as needed.

Brock University is committed to creating a respectful and equitable workplace. We strive to foster a culture of diversity and inclusion in our work and learning environments. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and actively encourage applications from women, people with disabilities, members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, Indigenous Peoples, people who identify as Black, African and/or Caribbean, as racialized and/or as from ethnic and cultural minority groups, and other underrepresented demographic groups at Brock and in the Niagara region. Brock also recognizes intersectionality and the interconnected identities, histories, and experiences of these aforementioned groups.

We are committed to inclusive and barrier-free recruitment, and we accommodate the needs of applicants throughout all stages of the recruitment process, as outlined in our Employment Accommodation Policy and consistent with the requirements of the Ontario Human Rights Code. Please contact talent@brocku.ca if you require a disability related accommodation so we can ensure your participation needs are met.

Brock University does not use AI Technology at any stage of the recruitment process.

We appreciate all applications received. Candidates that are selected for an interview will be contacted.

Learn more about Brock University by visiting www.brocku.ca.

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