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Indigenous Disability Health Research Assistant

Department: Faculty of Community Services
Position supervisor: Dr. Karen Soldatic, Canada Excellence Research Chair - Health Equity and Community Wellbeing
Contract length: August 5, 2024 - December 18, 2024
Hours of work per week: 21 (3 days, on campus)
Position type: Research Assistant
Rate of pay: $28/hr

About Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)

At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. Integral to this path is the placement of equity, diversity and inclusion as fundamental to our institutional culture. Our current academic plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.

Toronto Metropolitan University welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada, we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+. Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

As an employer, we are working towards a people first culture and are proud to have been selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and a Greater Toronto’s Top Employer for 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. To learn more about our work environment, colleagues, leaders, students and innovative educational environment, visit www.torontomu.ca, check out @TorontoMet (external link) , @TorontoMetHR (external link)  and @ECItorontomet (external link)  on Twitter, and visit our LinkedIn company page (external link) .

About the program/department/team

CERC - Health Equity and Community Wellbeing

The Canada Excellence Research Chair in Health Equity and Community Wellbeing (CERC) program is a transformative research initiative that employs an engaged community partnership approach to expand our understanding, practice, and delivery of health outcomes for all members of our communities.

The CERC in Health Equity and Community Wellbeing is led by professor Karen Soldatic. Collaborating closely with a network of health-care institutions, service providers, and civil society organizations, the program aims for a paradigm shift – one that challenges a siloed, expert-driven approach to health and well-being and moves instead towards a community-engaged, preventative model of well-being.

Uniquely applying a critical disability lens, the research program aims to not only reduce health disparities that are inextricable from their social contexts, but to embed community knowledge into health-care institutions, systems and models of delivery. Visit https://www.torontomu.ca/cerc-health-equity/about/ for more information.

The opportunity

This is a paid masters student research assistant position working in collaboration with Indigenous, First Nations, Métis and Inuit community partners. The aim is to develop your capacity to apply rigorous health equity research approaches to real world health justice issues that impact upon the experiences and outcomes for Indigenous community members with disability in Canada. 

We are seeking a completed or near completed master’s student undertaking research with a focus on Indigenous disability healthcare accessibility and equity.  Candidates with a particular interest in regional, rural and remote community disability health issues are encouraged to apply.

The student’s research must align with the CERC Health Equity & Community Wellbeing’s ethical commitments to Indigenous rights, sovereignty and resurgence and disability health justice framework. The student is expected to contribute knowledge translation activities that promote the policy and advocacy goals of the CERC Health Equity and Community Wellbeing and the CERC community partners.

Location: CERC Health Equity and Community Wellbeing Offices in Downtown Toronto. 

Some travel to rural and remote communities will be required for periods up to 5 – 10 working days.

Indigenous, First Nations, Métis and Inuit students are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

  • Demonstrated ongoing completion or near completion of a research masters program of relevance (Public Health, Nursing, Indigenous Rights, Disability Studies, Nutrition, Public Policy and Administration, etc)
  • Demonstrated engagement and/or interest in disability health justice issues from Indigenous and/or intersectional perspectives
  • Proven ability to research and compile academic sources relevant to the outlined topics and build conceptual relationships between key sources, literatures and information
  • Willingness to work collaboratively with Indigenous researchers, researchers with disabilities and in collaboration with NGO Health service partners.
  • Preparedness to learn from and contribute to the CERC Health Equity + Community Wellbeing’s overall mission. 
  • Capacity to adopt and incorporate the research principles, aims and objectives of the CERC Health Equity & Community Wellbeing into research deliverables.
  • Experience and/or interested in understanding, conceptualizing, and/or conducting quantitative and qualitative survey research in addition to literature reviews, ethics applications and required research protocols. 
  • Strong communications skills and interest in developing knowledge translation activities such as creating policy information briefs, info graphic summaries and other advocacy communication devices. 
  • Strong interpersonal skills including the capacity to work with Indigenous, First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities and service representatives;
  • Commitment to accessibility, anti-ableism and anti-racist praxis;
  • Time management and organization skills;
  • Advanced writing skills with editing and proofreading ability;
  • Computer skills (notably word processing and library/research resource capacities);

Assets:

  • Knowledge of French, ASL, LSQ, ISL, or another language relevant to the work the CERC HECW and community partners; 
  • Previous experience writing academic papers including literature reviews and/or annotated bibliographies;
  • Basic understanding and/or experience of health, disability and/or civil society organizations committed to issues of social justice and Indigenous health and disability rights;
  • Basic understanding and/or experience in engaging in policy dialogue at the provincial, territorial, and/or federal levels;
  • Experience with or interest in learning Zotero, Redcap, and other relevant software

How to apply

Please email your application to cerc.healthwellbeing@torontomu.ca by 5pm, Monday, 29 July 2024. 

In the subject heading indicate: Indigenous Disability Health Justice Research Assistant - “your name” and include the following documents in a single word or .pdf file: 

1. a brief CV (2-4 pages)

2. A cover letter that clearly indicates your why you are interested in this internship (max 2 pages)

3. a list of two potential referees (referees will be contacted for preferred applicants only)

Toronto Metropolitan University’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

  • We encourage all First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples or Indigenous peoples of North America, to self-identify in their applications. If you are an Indigenous applicant and require support during the recruitment process, please reach out to James McKay, Indigenous HR Lead at james13@torontomu.ca.
  • Toronto Metropolitan University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and aims to ensure that independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity are embedded in all aspects of the university culture.
  • We will provide an accessible experience for applicants, students, employees, and members of the Toronto Metropolitan University community. We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the recruitment process. If you have restrictions that need to be accommodated to fully participate in any phase of the recruitment process,please reach out to Human Resources: 
  • All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.
Toronto Metropolitan University Canada Excellence Research Chair in Health Equity & Community Wellbeing,