Research Coordinator, Ubc Mhealth Lab

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Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

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At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary
The UBC mHealth Lab, led by Dr. Richard Lester, is a pioneering research program focused on the research, development, and evaluation of digital health solutions in both local and global settings. We are seeking a highly motivated and organized Research Coordinator to support a diverse portfolio of projects spanning Canada, the US, South America, and Sub-Saharan Africa. This role will involve coordinating a significant new Gates Foundation funded project aimed at supporting the Rwanda Ministry of Health in adopting technologies and evaluating a national Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) study to improve capacity and outcomes. Additionally, the Research Coordinator will contribute to other ongoing projects in areas such as HIV, TB, chronic diseases, mental health, and wellness. A key developing area of research in the lab is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare and public health, including the development and testing of Natural Language Processing (NLP) models to assist with patient-healthcare provider communications in multiple languages to ensure digital health equity. The lab also conducts key research in the management of outbreaks. A key aspect of this position will be to facilitate the bridge between research findings and the commercialization pathway for digital health products, including WelTel, to ensure their scalability and sustainability. The Research Coordinator will work under the general direction of Dr. Lester and will be primarily based at the VGH Research Pavilion.

Organizational Status
The Research Coordinator reports directly to Dr. Richard Lester, Principal Investigator of the UBC mHealth Lab. The role may involve interaction with other researchers, clinicians, technical staff, students, and external collaborators both within UBC and at national and international partner institutions. The Research Coordinator may also assign and check the work of technicians, support staff, or students as required by specific projects.

Work Performed

Under the general direction of Dr. Lester, the Research Coordinator will be responsible for performing specific elements of professional research work and tasks related to project coordination and development. This will include, but is not limited to:

• Project Coordination:
  • Coordinating the day-to-day operations of assigned research projects, including the new Gates Foundation funded project in Rwanda and projects related to outbreak management and AI in healthcare.
  • Developing and maintaining project timelines, work plans, and communication strategies.
  • Organizing and facilitating project meetings with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Ensuring adherence to ethical guidelines, regulatory requirements, and study protocols.
  • Managing project-related documentation and databases.
  • Coordinating the acquisition of information from multiple sources and individuals across different project sites and countries.
• Research Support:
  • Participating in the development and modification of research protocols and study materials, including those related to AI/NLP model testing and outbreak investigation.
  • Contributing to the development of data collection instruments and procedures, including those for multilingual communication analysis.
  • Providing input into the recruitment of research participants and the conduct of surveys and data extraction, as needed.
  • Performing with data management, cleaning, and preliminary analyses, including data related to AI model performance and outbreak trends.
  • Contributing to the preparation of reports, presentations, and scientific publications, including those disseminating findings on AI applications and outbreak management strategies.
• Grant and Contract Support:
  • Preparing, composing, editing, and proofreading of grant applications, contracts, academic proposals, and other scientific communications, including those focused on AI in healthcare and outbreak preparedness.
  • Investigating potential funding sources relevant to the Lab's research areas, including those supporting AI development and public health initiatives.
• Facilitating Research to Commercialization:
  • Supporting efforts to translate research findings into viable digital health products and services, such as WelTel, and AI-powered communication tools.
  • Collaborating in the development of strategies for the scale and sustainability of digital health innovations, including those utilizing AI and addressing outbreak management.
  • Liaising with relevant stakeholders in the commercialization process, as required.
• Travel:
  • Willingness and ability to travel to project sites in Canada, the US, South America, and Sub-Saharan Africa, including Rwanda, as required by project needs and funding, potentially including travel for outbreak response or AI implementation projects.
• Other Duties:
  • Performing other related duties as required to support the goals of the UBC mHealth Lab, including tasks specific to AI and outbreak-related research activities.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
The Research Coordinator exercises judgment in determining work methods for assigned tasks and is responsible for the timely and accurate completion of these tasks. The work is carried out within established policies, procedures, and standards.

Supervision Received
Works under the general direction of Dr. Richard Lester. Work progress and completed tasks will be reviewed against task objectives and conformity to established standards.

Supervision Given
May assign and check the work of technicians, support staff, or students involved in specific projects, potentially including those assisting with AI model development or outbreak data analysis.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of two years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one's own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one's own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., public health, health sciences, social sciences, computer science with a health focus, linguistics, data science).
• Minimum of two years of related experience in research coordination, project management, or a related field.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Excellent organizational, communication (written and verbal), and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills.1
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience coordinating international research projects, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
• Experience with digital health research and development, including AI and NLP applications in healthcare.
• Familiarity with research ethics and regulatory processes, including those related to AI and data privacy.
• Experience with grant writing and funding applications, particularly those related to technology and public health.
• Knowledge of data management and analysis software, including experience with datasets relevant to AI/NLP or epidemiology.
• Experience in facilitating the translation of research into practical applications or commercialization, including digital health tools and AI-driven solutions.
• Experience or knowledge in outbreak management or infectious disease epidemiology.
• Cross-cultural communication skills and sensitivity, particularly experience working with diverse linguistic populations.

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices2 and perspectives that are critical to teaching, learning and research. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically and/or are currently underrepresented, including Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, persons who identify as women, and persons of diverse sexual orientation or gender identity.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.3