Postdoctoral Fellowship

This position is a part of the Association of the Academic Staff of the University of Alberta (AASUA).

This position offers a benefits package found at Postdoctoral Fellows Benefits .

This position has a term length of 12 months.

Location

Work primarily takes place at North Campus Edmonton. This role is in-person.

Working for the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is teeming with change makers, community builders, and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to more than 40,000 students in 200+ undergraduate and 500+ graduate programs, over 13,000 faculty and staff, 260,000 alumni worldwide and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for over a decade.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross section of people—from our students and stakeholders, to our renowned researchers and innovators who are quite literally curing diseases, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger, and more just.

Working for the Department/Faculty

Dr. Shannon MacDonald is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Nursing and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta. 

The Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta is one of the largest nursing education institutions in Canada. We are recognized as a leader in research, shaping nursing practice and policy at national and international levels.  

The University of Alberta School of Public Health is a non-departmentalized faculty made up of several administrative and academic groups who work together to engage communities and advance the public's health.

Position

The Fellow will work under the supervision of Dr. Shannon MacDonald. Her applied immunization research program focuses on vaccine uptake and safety, with an emphasis on addressing system-level barriers and supports to achieving high immunization coverage, especially in under-served populations. Her research team consists of a Research Program Coordinator, Research Administrative Support, and a Senior Research and Engagement Lead, alongside various graduate students and undergraduate honors students. 

The Fellow’s primary project(s) will be in the area of understanding the impact of the pandemic on routine vaccinations. While this will be the area of focus, there is also opportunity to develop and lead additional work of interest to the Fellow. This work uses large administrative health datasets, requiring strengths in biostatistics and epidemiology. Under the mentorship of Dr. MacDonald, the Fellow will be conducting data management and analysis, interpretation, and presentation of findings (publications, reports, presentations). There will be opportunity for the Fellow to develop leadership and project management skill and participate in grant preparation, as well as to collaborate with clinicians and policy makers as integrated knowledge users in the research process. 

This full-time position is available for a period of one year, starting in September 2023. The fellowship includes the possibility of renewal, contingent on satisfactory performance and funding availability. The fellow will be expected to seek external postdoctoral funding through sources such as CIHR, CIRN, WCHRI, and Alberta Innovates. The Fellow will receive a yearly salary ranging between $60,000-65,000, dependent on qualifications and experience, with some extended health benefits, university office space, use of appropriate computational services, and full access to university libraries. An additional $5,000 will be available for knowledge translation activities, including conference travel.

Duties

• Prepare research protocols, including detailed analytic plans 

• Prepare data for analysis (e.g. cleaning, linking, and recoding) 

• Establish/manage data files and undertake metadata documentation 

• Analyze data using basic and advanced statistical methods such as multivariable, multilevel, and time series approaches 

• Data visualization (e.g. generating tables, graphs, and charts) for publication and presentation 

• Interpret and clearly communicate results verbally and in writing 

• Write and edit methodological and statistical content for manuscripts and abstracts 

• Assist with grant writing as necessary 

Minimum Qualifications

• PhD in epidemiology, biostatistics, health services research, or a related field 

• Experience with using a variety of statistical software (e.g., SAS, STATA, R, SPSS) and in advanced multivariable modeling techniques 

• A high level of proficiency in statistical analyses with large administrative health datasets 

• Strong competencies in MS Office software 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated abilities as a team player 

• Detail oriented with strong problem finding, resolution and documentation skills 

• Ability to relocate to Edmonton is essential 

Preferred Qualifications 

• A background in vaccine epidemiology is an asset
  

Note: Online applications are accepted until midnight Mountain Standard Time of the closing date.