This position is a part of the Association of the Academic Staff of the University of Alberta (AASUA).
In accordance with the Administrative and Professional Officer Agreement , this full-time continuing position offers a comprehensive benefits package found on our Benefits Overview page and annual salary range of $65,148 – $108,588.
Location – North Campus Edmonton.
Department summary
As one of the top 5 research universities in Canada, the University of Alberta’s research and innovation spans many fields and disciplines. Our researchers’ expertise and strength attract over $600 million annually from various research funders and partners including federal and provincial governments, industry, foundations, and other organizations.
Position summary
Reporting to the AVP (Strategic Research Initiatives and Performance), the Performance Assessment Officer will develop and implement formalized research impact assessments to track the impact of research and creative activity both within and outside the university. This will involve reviewing existing frameworks and best practices and developing a draft University of Alberta framework that includes a variety of assessment approaches consisting of quantitative and qualitative indicators.
This position demands in-depth knowledge of the broad research landscape; knowledge of research performance assessment approaches (e.g., San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA)) and key indicators; ability to work in a high-paced environment, and a passion for action, agility and lateral thinking. Assessments and indicators will be linked to expected outcomes articulated in our institutional Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation and other outcomes as defined by the Office of the Vice-President (Research and Innovation).
Duties
- Provide input on the overall direction and long-term strategic planning of data-gathering instruments and systems, collaborate in the development of these instruments and their subsequent use for the collection of data, and consult with other business areas to determine if current systems can be used to gather new data;
- Develop new evaluation and performance assessment plans, which include logic models, evaluation designs and methods, and project timelines, and which often call for more complex designs and use of multiple data collection methods from multiple sources;
- Identify measures or indicators of research impact;
- Developing, maintaining and updating evaluation databases;
- Develop key indicators for the purposes of measuring performance of the Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation and major initiatives, supporting evidence-based decision making, and evaluating institutional research programs;
- Analyze, summarize and report on data collected to inform further strategic planning, implementation plans, and decisions;
- Compile and analyze key indicator data and information to monitor effectiveness of strategic plan tactics;
- Preparing quantitative and qualitative reports;
- Create summary reports on performance outcomes and provide comparative data;
- Organize, facilitate and conduct quantitative and qualitative data collection, management and analysis;
- Conduct surveys, interviews, focus groups, or testing, as needed, to gather data;
- Coordinate data analysis, including verification and correction as necessary utilizing statistical and qualitative analysis software;
- Prepare oral and written assessment reports summarizing data analysis results, including the description of methods and analysis of results;
- Develop strategic partnerships with faculty, staff and administrators (Faculty, College and University levels) to design, develop, and facilitate implementation of comprehensive systems;
- Prepare and deliver presentations for decision-makers (e.g. committees, planning meetings, etc.).
Minimum Qualifications
- A Graduate Degree (Masters or PhD) in an academic discipline ideally supplemented by formal education, other training, or experience in the areas of program evaluation or research or information management and statistics.
- Minimum five years of experience in a research or performance assessment environment with a demonstrated track record of contributing to data collection, program assessment studies, approaches to assessment of research or research impact, statistics, survey/research methods, data science, predictive modeling, applied marketing research, and/or social science research.
- Extensive knowledge of research/evaluation methodology (qualitative and quantitative analytical skills) and program evaluation.
- Data visualization skills required for reporting.
- Outstanding oral and written communication skills, including facility with writing reports, making recommendations, presentation of data, and interpretation of information.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and effectively with colleagues, researchers, administrators, learners and institutional leaders from various backgrounds and at many levels of authority.
- Ability to function independently and as part of a team.
- Flexibility, adaptable, and agile to change in a high pace professional work environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Project development and project management experience is an asset.
- Database development and management is an asset.
- Statistical expertise including proficiency in statistical and data analysis software and classical test theory analytic techniques (reliability, validity).
- Experience with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research design/methods (writing research/evaluation questions, selecting appropriate methods, applying appropriate analytic techniques).
- Experience with Univariate (bivariate correlations, dependent samples t -tests, Regression, ANOVA) and multivariate (multiple regression) analysis.
- Experience with survey platforms (Google forms, Qualtrics, Survey Monkey) and stats software (R, SPSS, etc.).
Note: Online applications are accepted until midnight Mountain Standard Time of the closing date.