Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Occupational Policy Research

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Occupational Policy Research

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Occupational Policy Research

University Of British Columbia

UBC Vancouver Campus

9 hours ago

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  • Academic Job Category Faculty Non Bargaining Job Title Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Occupational Policy Research Department Partnership for Work, Health and Safety | School of Population and Public Health | Faculty of Medicine (Christopher McLeod) Posting End Date September 1, 2025 Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date. Job End Date September 30, 2026 The expected salary for this position $75,000 per annum. 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. The School of Population and Public Health (SPPH) is seeking a Post-Doctoral Fellow to support the Partnership for Work, Health and Safety (www.pwhs.ubc.ca) in the Faculty of Medicine at the Vancouver Campus of the University of British Columbia. This 1-year position with possibility of renewal will support a program of research on the evaluation of policies and programs designed to prevent work-related injury and illness as well as improving disability and return-to-work outcomes related to them. The position will be principally supervised by Dr. McLeod with additional supervision by Dr. Macpherson for specific projects; both are faculty of the Partnership for Work, Health and Safety (the Partnership). Housed within the Faculty of Medicine, the School of Population and Public Health (SPPH) is an innovative unit that encompasses many of the health-related groupings at UBC as a collaborative venture. The School is structured around four divisions: Occupational and Environmental Health; Health Services and Policy; Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health Practice; and Health in Populations. The resulting mix of professions and disciplines is seen as a means of connecting individuals and learners to galvanize the relationship between health research, public health and health services and to enhance learning. Operating within SPPH, the Partnership is an innovative research unit that combines rigorous work and health research with effective knowledge translation. The Partnership brings together policy-makers, researchers and data resources from national and international organizations to address current and emerging issues of work-related health in Canada. Our program of research is aimed at improving our understanding of the causes and consequences of injuries and illness, identifying high-risk industries and occupations, and investigating the impact of policies and procedures on worker health. Our collaboration, based on best practices of knowledge transfer, enables researchers and decision-makers to work together to identify relevant questions, understand data, and produce useful information to effectively inform policy and practice. The Partnership is founded on years of research experience and expertise working with workers’ compensation data from across Canada. It is an excellent environment for an early career scientist to contribute to a program of research on work and health, and workers’ compensation. The primary activities of the Postdoctoral Research Fellow include: Leads a research program focused in the subject of Policy Research and Analysis in the area of Work and Occupational Health grounded in qualitative methodologies, employing observational approaches such as interviews, focus groups, Participatory Action Research (PAR) and other ethnographic techniques to critically assess policies and programs aimed at preventing work-related injuries and illnesses, as well as enhancing disability management and return-to-work outcomes. Conducts analyses using appropriate statistical methods (such as specialized and innovative) for Partnership’s mixed-methods research studies Authors/co-authors manuscripts for peer-review publication Drafts, edits, and reviews technical reports and research briefs Presents research findings at conferences and workshops with academic and non-academic audiences and having regular engagement with decision-makers for translation of research evidence in to practice. Supervises analysts, research assistants, students and/or junior graduate students Participates in team meetings and contributing to Partnership academic and research activities Coordinates and assist with the preparation of new research grant application(s); Participate in other knowledge translation (KT) activities; and Participate in team meetings; Contributes to the Partnership for Work, Health and Safety academic activities and to the School of Population and Public Health academic community. The position reports to Dr. Chris McLeod. Work will be reviewed for soundness of approach, analysis, and manuscript preparation. The incumbent may receive specific guidance regarding research methods from the project investigators and collaborators. Consequence of Error/Judgement The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will work under strict confidentiality because of the nature of the data used in many of the Partnership's projects. Core research activities are dependent on principles of security and privacy, and on the integrity of the research enterprises. Any privacy breach or errors in judgment could lead to serious consequences for regulations and policies governing the health and safety and compensation of workers, and affect the reputation of the Project Lead, the Partnership, SPPH and other partners. Care must be exercised in designing and performing tasks to avoid inappropriate assumptions. Complexity of Duties: This position requires a considerable degree of research experience, creativity, industriousness, and independence to complete the research deliverables within the 12 months’ time period with an interdisciplinary team of investigators and collaborators. Accuracy and Accountability: Errors in judgement may have significant influence in the ability of the research team to meet critical deadlines, as well as compromise the results of research project. Poor decisions may be damaging to the reputation of the Principal Investigator, the School, and the University and could lead to incorrect or inappropriate policy recommendations being made. Incorrect qualitative analysis or interpretation of findings can adversely impact the results of a study, resulting in rejection of manuscripts. QUALIFICATIONS Qualified candidates will have completed a PhD within 5 years in a relevant discipline such as population and public health, occupational health/epidemiology, occupational science, or any health science field or social sciences (i.e., economics, sociology, political science, geography) with a focus on work health and/or public policy outcomes; experience working in occupational health research projects (preferred); and a background in applying qualitative statistical research methods. Ideally candidates will have at least one year of experience in policy research and two years of experience managing multiple research projects of various scopes and sizes. Experience in policy evaluation or mixed methods research is an asset, but not required. The following skills are required: Advanced understanding of, and proven experience using, advanced statistical analysis methods, as well as proficiency with related software (NVivo, QDA Miner, Provalis Research Text Analytics Software, ATLAS.ti, CAQDAS). Demonstrated experience collecting and using qualitative data for research purposes. Experience with writing scientific manuscripts in the field of public and work health, health policy and health service research or related social science journals. Sound theoretical and practical understanding of the linkages between public policy including but not limited to workers' compensation and work-related health outcomes. Excellent communication skills, including strong writing, research and interpersonal skills. Organizational skills including the ability to multi-task, while being accurate and keeping attention to detail. This position will be responsible for access, collection, use and disclosure of personal information in accordance with the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSBC 1996) and other UBC privacy and security policies. This position requires employees to work under strict confidentiality requirements; internal procedures and policies to protect personal information must be followed and adherence to these requirements will be regularly reviewed by the employer. The expected salary for this position is $75,000 per annum. The Faculty of Medicine is committed to offering equitable and competitive salaries, commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate. APPLICATION PROCEDURE Application packages consisting of cover letter, detailed curriculum vitae, and the names and contact info of 3 supervisory references should be submitted online at https://ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/ubcfacultyjobs (JR21751). Should you have any queries around this position, please contact Suhail Marino at Suhail.marino@ubc.ca. Review of applications will begin on September 2, 2025 and continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date for this position is October 1, 2025 or upon a date to be mutually agreed. We invite applications from qualified candidates who share our commitment to employment equity and inclusive excellence, and we welcome applications from candidates belonging to historically, persistently, or systemically marginalized groups: Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) Peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, and trans and non-binary people. The University is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for all members of its workforce. An inclusive work environment presumes an environment where differences are appreciated, recognized, and integrated into current structures, planning, and decision-making modes. Within this hiring process we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable process for all candidates (including but not limited to people with disabilities). Confidential accommodations are available on request. Please contact Suhail Marino via email at Suhail.marino@ubc.ca if you have any questions regarding accommodations or accessibility during the recruitment and hiring process or for more information and support, please visit UBC’s Centre for Workplace Accessibility website at https://hr.ubc.ca/health-and-wellbeing/workplace-accessibility/centre-workplace-accessibility or contact the Centre at workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca. With gratitude, we acknowledge that the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine and its distributed programs, which include four university academic campuses, are located on traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of First Nations Peoples and communities around the province. Our Vision: To Transform Health for Everyone. Ranked among the world’s top medical schools with the fifth-largest MD enrollment in North America, the UBC Faculty of Medicine is a leader in both the science and the practice of medicine. Across British Columbia, more than 12,000 faculty and staff are training the next generation of doctors and health care professionals, making remarkable discoveries, and helping to create the pathways to better health for our communities at home and around the world. The Faculty - comprised of approximately 2,200 administrative support, technical/research and management and professional staff, as well approximately 650 full-time academic and over 10,000 clinical faculty members - is composed of 19 academic basic science and/or clinical departments, three schools, and 24 research centres and institutes. Together with its University and Health Authority partners, the Faculty delivers innovative programs and conducts research in the areas of health and life sciences. Faculty, staff and trainees are located at university campuses, clinical academic campuses in hospital settings and other regionally based centres across the province. UBC - One of the World's Leading Universities. As one of the world's leading universities, the University of British Columbia creates an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship, advances a civil and sustainable society, and supports outstanding research to serve the people of British Columbia, Canada and the world. UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. UBC - One of the World's Leading Universities As one of the world's leading universities, the University of British Columbia creates an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship, advances a civil and sustainable society, and supports outstanding research to serve the people of British Columbia, Canada and the world. UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, and/or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. If you have any accommodation or accessibility needs during the job application process, please contact the Centre for Workplace Accessibility at workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca.