New job Research Assistant in Quebec
Research Assistant
Company : McGill University
Salary : $29.13 an hour
Location : Quebec
Full Description
The Transportation Research at McGill (TRAM) research group, located within McGill University’s School of Urban Planning, invites applications for a Research Assistant to organize activities related to the lab’s ongoing study of land-use and transportation changes stemming from major infrastructure investments in Montreal. The Research Assistant will report to lab director Prof. Ahmed El-Geneidy and will primarily be responsible for research under a federal grant to study the impacts of Montreal’s soon-to-be-built Réseau express métropolitain (REM) light-rail. Among other things, the incumbent will help lead surveys, in-person interviews, data collection, and analysis, and partner coordination. This research is funded by CIHR and NSERC.
The Research Assistant also will assist with other federally funded transport research projects. The Access Across Canada (SSHRC) project aims to foster the adoption of accessibility-based measures by transport and urban planning policymakers and professionals. These measures, which focus on the ease of reaching desired destinations rather than simply the speed of travel, represent a promising new direction in the development of healthier and more sustainable cities.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The successful candidate will participate in and help guide all activities related to the projects described above. These activities will consist of, among other things:
- organizing collaborator input and contributions;
- planning and executing research activities, including literature reviews, the development of survey materials and assistance in the training and supervision of student researchers;
- teaching, lecturing and conducting workshops with undergraduate and graduate students
- preparing publications and reports; and
- organizing meetings, training sessions and public seminars
Specific duties will include—but are not limited to—the following:
- Generating and applying accessibility measures for large and medium-sized Canadian cities using a variety of programming languages and tools, including R, Python and OpenTripPlanner
- Generating and applying measures of socioeconomic vulnerability to identify and help policymakers address transportation-related equity challenges
- Generating transportation mode-choice models and articulating policy approaches to promote more sustainable modes of transport
- Conducting background research on public transport trip satisfaction
- Linking accessibility measures to travel behavior surveys
- Developing and disseminating findings to officials and practitioners in the Montreal region
Work is expected to take place in Montreal; occasional travel may be required.
Qualifications:
- Proven academic track record with publications in high-level international peer-reviewed Journals.
- Experience conducting statistical analysis of large databases using R and STATA, SPSS, as well as geospatial and -statistical analysis using GIS software including ARCGIS and/or QGIS
- Experience conducting Accessibility research including GTFS analysis (for public transport) and congestion/road speed data profiles for cars (Tomtom or similar data)
- Knowledge of and Experience in analyzing social impacts of transport systems for disadvantaged groups.
- Extensive knowledge of and experience working with common transportation-related data sources, including, at a minimum: census information, origin-destination surveys, GTFS feeds
- Experience crafting and conducting Web-based surveys to explore transportation mode choice and satisfaction
Strong oral and written communication skills in English and some basic French.
Due to current COVID-19-related border closures and limitations on permissible on-campus activities at the University, the chosen applicant may temporarily be allowed to work remotely until border and campus restrictions are lifted.
Please note that necessary arrangements for the entry into and work in Quebec/ Canada must be in accordance with the regulations from any or all of the following: Citizenship & Immigration Canada, Immigration Quebec and Employment & Social Development Canada (ESDC).
Education/Experience:
The successful candidate must possess:
- BSc and a Master’s in Transportation Engineering
- Demonstrated experience in successfully conducting and analyzing mobility and transport surveys
- A record of publications
- A minimum of 1 years’ professional working and writing experience
Experience on large-scale international research projects with multiple academic, government and NGO partners.
Hourly Salary:
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McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated groups to self-identify. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, [email protected] or 514-398-3711.