Senior Research Associate

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Job Type:

Employee

Duration in Months (for fixed-term jobs):

24

Job Family:

Research

# of Open Positions:

1

Faculty/Service – Department:

School of Political Studies_Monica Gattinger_PM

Campus:

Main Campus

Union Affiliation:

N/A

Date Posted:

February 17, 2025

Applications must be received BEFORE:

February 28, 2025

Hours per week:

35

Salary Grade:

Non-Union Grade NR8 – 35 hrs

Salary Range:

$91,917.00 – $114,078.00

About the Faculty of Social Sciences

The FSS comprises nine departments, schools and institutes, which offer undergraduate, masters and doctoral programs in both English and French. With its 10,000 students, 260 full-time professors, and wide array of programs and research centres, the Faculty of Social Sciences plays a key role at the heart of the University of Ottawa. Its graduate students are supervised by excellent researchers and undertake cutting-edge research in the Faculty’s masters and Ph.D. programs. Along with its complement of about 100 administrative employees, the faculty is proud to provide a collaborative working environment that inspires new ideas, encourages creative ingenuity, and promotes excellence.

This position supports the work of Positive Energy, a research and engagement program led by Professor Monica Gattinger. Positive Energy uses the convening power of the university to bring together academic researchers and senior decision-makers from industry, government, Indigenous organizations and environmental groups to determine how to strengthen public and investor confidence in energy decision-making that helps meet Canada’s economic, environmental and security objectives. The research program comprises rigorous solution-focused studies on energy regulation, energy security, intergovernmental relations and public opinion.

Purpose:

Working at a senior level, the incumbent helps to translate Positive Energy’s overarching research program objectives into operational research activities. Responsible for coordination of ongoing research projects within Positive Energy’s research program scope. Independently conducts and coordinates complex research projects. Supports knowledge mobilization. 

Tasks and duties:

Research project conceptualization / development 

• Performs needs assessments and/or consults with members of the Positive Energy network in order to determine the types of research and information that are required to pursue Positive Energy’s mandate. 
• Helps to conceptualize, plan, develop, design and conduct complex qualitative and/or quantitative research projects in the energy sector in Canada. 
• Works with the research team to develop hypotheses and theories about how to strengthen public and investor confidence in energy policy and regulatory decision-making. 

Research project definition 

• Works with the research team to design research projects using appropriate and creative investigative methodologies – may involve the use of quantitative and/or qualitative methods and may include both pilot and development work; Methodologies include quantitative surveys and questionnaires, participant observation, elite interviews (face‐to-face, telephone and online), literature reviews, Internet‐based and library research, document analysis, case studies or other investigative techniques. 

Data Management and Analysis

• Coordinates information management and records retention for research studies (e.g., ensuring Positive Energy has copies of research files of research assistants and other researchers).

Project management

• Monitors on-going project performance, timelines, milestones, and reporting obligations. Reports project progress to Positive Energy Chair on a regular basis.
• Maintains relationships with researchers to monitor progress. Chairs weekly meetings with research team; chairs weekly meetings with communications and resourcing team.
• Identifies budgetary requirements, both financial and human resources, for achieving project objectives.
• Compares project progress to expenditures to assess feasibility of achieving project milestones on time and on budget.
• Ensures that all internal and external reporting obligations are met.
• Coordinates and sees to the completion of peer review processes.

Project Administration

• Oversees project administrative functions, including monitoring for execution and compliance.
• Provides support to knowledge mobilization and information dissemination activities. Helps draft research results for publication or presentation.
• Conceives, oversees the organization of, and implements research dissemination events including conferences, seminars, workshops (e.g., Positive Energy conferences and workshops)
• Presents and disseminates research results, both orally and in writing (e.g., participates in panel discussions, drafts communication materials).

Promote impact of research work and results 

• Promotes impact of research results by such activities as: advising external bodies (e.g., submissions to government consultation processes); contributing to engagement activities and informing public debate as appropriate; coordinating multidisciplinary knowledge mobilization activities; offering research-based briefings. 

Knowledge, skills, education and experience:

• Ph.D. in a relevant discipline with at least five (5) years of practical experience as a senior researcher.
• Knowledge, experience and expertise in energy policy and regulation, public and investor confidence in government decision-making, Indigenous participation in energy projects, and co-production of research studies with non-academic partners.
• Demonstrated project management experience at a senior level.
• Excellent organizational, leadership, problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Judgement in choosing best protocol/adapting procedures to meet changing needs.
• Computer skills to aid in research, analysis and data presentation.
• Excellent interpersonal, technical, research and communications skills (written/oral).
• Ability to manage teams and people.
• Demonstrated understanding of the complexities of working with multiple researchers and stakeholders to design, author, manage and disseminate research studies.
• Advanced written and verbal skills in English.
• Bilingualism (English-French), spoken and written, would be an asset.

Key Competencies at uOttawa:

Here are the required competencies for all or our employees at uOttawa: 

Planning: Organize in time a series of actions or events in order to realize an objective or a project. Plan and organize own work and priorities in regular daily activities.

Initiative: Demonstrate creativity and initiative to suggest improvements and encourage positive results. Is proactive and self-starting. Show availability and willingness to go above and beyond whenever it is possible.

Client Service Orientation: Help or serve others to meet their needs. This implies anticipating and identifying the needs of internal and external clients and finding solutions on how to meet them.

Teamwork and Cooperation: Cooperate and work well with other members of the team to reach common goal(s). Accept and give constructive feedback. Able to adjust own behaviour to reach the goals of the team.

The University of Ottawa embraces diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We are passionate about our people and committed to employment equity. We foster a culture of respect, teamwork and inclusion, where collaboration, innovation, and creativity fuel our quest for research and teaching excellence. While all qualified persons are invited to apply, we welcome applications from qualified Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women and LGBTQIA2S+ persons. The University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible, barrier-free work environment. The University is also committed to working with applicants with disabilities requesting accommodation during the recruitment, assessment and selection processes. Applicants with disabilities may contact [email protected] to communicate the accommodation need. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Note: if this is a union position: The hiring process will be governed by the current collective agreement related to the union affiliation noted above; you can click here to find out more.

If this is a front-line position with responsibilities to interact with students, selected candidates must be rated at the Low Advanced proficiency level or higher for both oral comprehension and reading comprehension in their second official language. The rating is determined by a proficiency test designed by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as defined in Policy 129 – Covid-19 Vaccination. This policy was suspended effective May 1, 2022 but may be reinstated at any point in the future depending on public health guidelines and the recommendations of experts.

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