Job Description

Regular/Temporary

Temporary

Job Title

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE (I) CLSA

Job ID

72708

Location

McMaster Innovation Park (MIP)

Open Date

10/30/2025

Job Type

Limited Term (>12 months)

Close Date

11/05/2025

Employee Group

Unifor Unit 1, Staff

Favorite Job

Department

FHS Health Evidence and Impact

Salary Grade/Band

Grade 12

Salary Range

$41.82 - $62.71 (hourly)

Contract Duration

12.3 Months

Hours per Week

35

Posting Details

Schedule

8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday

Education Level

Doctoral degree in a relevant field of study

Career Level

Requires 7 years of relevant experience

JD Number

JD 0550

Anticipated Start Date

As soon as possible

Should the successful applicant be a Unifor Unit 1 bargaining unit member, who meets the eligibility conditions of Article 19.02 of the Unifor Unit 1 Collective Agreement, then the Limited Term Assignment will be defined as a Career Growth Opportunity in accordance with Article 19 of the Unifor Local 5555 Unit 1 Collective Agreement.

Unit Description

The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging is a large, national, long-term study of more than 50,000 individuals who were between the ages of 45 and 85 when recruited. These participants will be followed until 2033 or death. The aim of the CLSA is to find ways to help us live long and live well, and understand why some people age in healthy fashion while others do not. This position will focus on projects that enhance the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) with additional measures including neuroimaging, cognition. and microbiome data. Projects will examine: neural correlates of cognitive and brain reserve of successful cognitive aging and how they are impacted by lifestyle behaviours; the impact of lifestyle behaviours and the gut microbiome to successful cognitive aging; the impact of lifestyle behaviours and the gut microbiome on the presence, severity, and progression of established neuroimaging markers of cognitive impairment and dementia; and, early markers of cognitive decline and alterations in brain structure and function. A key responsibility will be overseeing scientific and operational for the CLSA-Weston Healthy Brains Healthy Aging (HBHA) Initiative. This position will ensure the initiative is embedded effectively into the main CLSA research protocol and operations.

Duties and Responsibilities

Initiate, design, and lead a research program. Formulate research questions and generate and test hypotheses. Make significant contributions to the design of a research program to answer questions and solve complex research problems. Publish results as first author in scientific peer-reviewed journals. Author scientific papers, funding proposals, and abstracts. Write research proposals, submit proposals to external funding agencies, and secure funding to conduct research through grants and contracts. Plan and coordinate all aspects of a major research program across multiple sites. Develop inter-disciplinary, inter-institutional, and inter-sectoral research collaborations. Negotiate research agreements and subcontracts to meet site and coordinating centre requirements. Develop budget for a research program. Implement and maintain a research program budget. Create financial projections and make adjustments to a research program budget throughout the fiscal year. Troubleshoot problems at all stages of program development and implementation and modify protocol or program procedures to address challenges. Participate with a team in the development and authoring of research protocols. Design a promotional strategy and related materials to encourage participation and support for a research program. Conduct quantitative and qualitative program participant interviews. Facilitate focus group sessions with program participants. Coordinate and manage the collection, delivery, entry, verification, analysis, and reporting of data. Oversee the design of data management systems. Apply specialized knowledge and scientific principles to review, critically appraise and interpret published literature. Develop estimates of time and resources for a research program. Use statistical software to analyze complex data and interpret results. Liaise between the program centre and remote program sites and personnel. Develop presentations and present at meetings, seminars, and conferences. Conduct literature searches.

Supervision

Provide lead hand supervision and is responsible for the quality and quantity of work of others. Ongoing responsibility for supervising up to 9 casual employees at any one time.

Qualifications

Doctoral degree in a relevant field of study. Requires 7 years of relevant experience.

Additional Information

The successful candidate will have the following:

Research experience in healthy brain aging with evidence of impact. Advanced methodological and content knowledge of large-scale population-based research platforms. Experience leading complex multi-site cohort studies. Advanced project management skills. Strong interpersonal, collaboration and communication skills.

How To Apply

To apply for this job, please submit your application online.

Employment Equity Statement

McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations and within the lands protected by the "Dish With One Spoon" wampum agreement.


The diversity of our workforce is at the core of our innovation and creativity and strengthens our research and teaching excellence. In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster University strives to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity, and has a strong commitment to employment equity.


The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives, and especially welcomes applications from indigenous (First Nations, Metis or Inuit) peoples, members of racialized communities, persons with disabilities, women, and persons who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.


As part of McMaster's commitment, all applicants are invited to complete a confidential Applicant Diversity Survey through the online application submission process. The Survey questionnaire requests voluntary self-identification in relation to equity-seeking groups that have historically faced and continue to face barriers in employment. Please refer to the Applicant Diversity Survey - Statement of Collection for additional information.


Job applicants requiring accommodation to participate in the hiring process should contact the following to communicate accomodation needs:

Human Resources Service Centre at 905-525-9140 ext. 222-HR (22247), or Faculty of Health Sciences HR Office at ext. 22207, or School of Graduate Studies at ext. 23679

Interview Experience

At McMaster University, we believe in a comprehensive and inclusive interview process. Our interview methods encompass a variety of approaches that allow our hiring teams to provide a flexible and accessible experience for engaging with our candidates. Throughout your recruitment process at McMaster, you may be requested to participate in a variety of formats, that may include in-person, virtual or recorded interviews. If you have any questions as you move through the hiring process, please reach out to talent@mcmaster.ca or the HR contact associated with your position of interest.