Department: Faculty of Community Services
Position supervisor: Dr. Karen Soldatić, Canada Excellence Research Chair: Health Equity and Community Wellbeing
Contract length: 1 year with the possibility of renewal
Hours of work per week: 21
Position type: non-union casual
Rate of pay: $34.50/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.

About the program

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 commu nity-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

We are seeking a person with a completed Master’s degree to undertake research on health inequities, with a particular focus on the experiences of people with intersecting marginalized identities. The research topics include, but are not limited to, disability policy, gender- and disability-inclusive global development, gender-based violence, AI, HIV/AIDS treatment, inclusive arts, post-secondary education, and employment. The successful candidate will assist in conducting systematic literature reviews, organizing and facilitating focus group interviews, and writing research proposals, protocols, and manuscripts.

Qualifications

Required:

• Completed a Master's level research degree with significant independent research component in health sociology, public health or similar that includes training in diverse research methodologies and approaches

• Professional research work experience in health (e.g. public health, health studies, public policy, disability studies, gender studies, education, sociology, social work).

• Demonstrated professional research interest and/or engagement in health inequity and injustices from intersectional perspectives

• Proven ability to research and compile academic and grey literature sources relevant to the outlined topics

• Demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively with researchers in an academic environment as a professional

• Demonstrated capacity to work under pressure with supervision and independently to meet deadlines and contracted deliverables

• Preparedness to learn from and contribute to the CERC Health Equity and Community Wellbeing’s overall mission as a professional researcher

• Capacity to adopt and incorporate the principles, aims and objectives of the CERC Health Equity & Community Wellbeing into research.

• Experience in conducting critical qualitative research (ethics, interviews, thematic analysis, literature review, Nvivo)

• Experience writing academic papers, including research proposals and protocols, literature reviews, and journal manuscripts.

Assets:

• Experience working with community members who have been experiencing homelessness, poverty, stigmatization, discrimination, violence, and substance use
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, databases, reference and management software
• Strong communications skills and interest in knowledge translation activities such as creating policy information briefs, infographic summaries and other advocacy communication devices
• Understanding of quantitative research methods (surveys, statistics, systematic literature review, RedCap, R)
• Bi or Multilingual in community languages

How to apply

Please email your application to opportunity.cerchecw@torontomu.ca by 5pm, Monday, September 15, 2025. In the subject heading indicate:

CERC HECW- Research Associate Application- “your name” and include the following documents in a single pdf file:

• a brief CV (2-4 pages)
• cover letter that clearly indicates why you are interested in this position (1-2 pages)
• two potential references (references will be contacted for preferred applicants only)
• If the application is not a single file and in pdf format we will not be accepting your application

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:
  • Current employees can contact HR by logging into AskHR to submit a request.
  • External candidates who do not have TMU login credentials can contact HR by visiting torontomu.ca/human-resources/contact.
• All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.