Experimental Research Manager and Specialist

The Canadian Hub for Applied and Social Research (CHASR) is a unique university-based research support and consulting service. Operating on a cost-recovery basis, CHASR regularly engages and support academic-based researchers from a variety of disciplines, backgrounds, and institutions, government (federal, provincial, and municipal) and NGO clients, and private sector firms. With a broad range of experience, expertise, and tools at our disposal, CHASR supports a diverse array of applied and social research. We support all phases of research, including data collection, data processing, data analysis, and reporting. Our in-house supports and tools enable us to lend unique and innovative approaches to all CHASR-supported research.

Primary Purpose: To ensure the effective and efficient operations of the Canadian Hub for Applied and Social Research (CHASR) Experimental Decision Laboratory (“EDL”). Acting as project manager for experimental human behavioural and decision-making research, the Experimental Research Manager and Specialist (“Experimental Manager”) oversees the day-to-day operations of the EDL, promotes usage of the facilities through effective outreach strategies, independently provides a high level of technical and specialized expertise and advice to researchers, maintains awareness of evolving industry practices and policies, and uses this extensive knowledge to provide leadership, management and strategic direction to ensure the long-term operations and viability of the EDL, and CHASR in general. Serving as a key resource for research studies that employ experimental research methods, the Experimental Manager actively pursues and facilitates research opportunities and partnerships that advance the strategic goals of CHASR and the University of Saskatchewan more broadly as a member of the U15 group of research-intensive universities.

Nature of Work: Reporting to the Director of CHASR, the Experimental Manager is responsible for project management within the EDL, overseeing the day-to-day project activities and technical aspects of the lab. The Experimental Manager works both independently and in a team environment with students, faculty, staff, senior administrators, and external partners/collaborators, providing technical expertise and support to ensure that experimental research needs are addressed. In this role, the Experimental Manager is a support arm for social research on- and off-campus, and actively works to increase research intensity at the university. It requires the establishment and maintenance of effective working relationships and collaborations with faculty, administrators, and external partners in an environment of continuous change. The Experimental Manager works with the CHASR Director, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), research facilitators, and managers and administrative staff of other CHASR laboratories to ensure the facilities remain a valuable resource for researchers at the University of Saskatchewan and beyond. The Experimental Manager must exhibit time and organizational skills and superior project management skills. This position demands the ability to deal with complex problems, frequent interruptions, manage tight internal and external deadlines, and balance numerous competing and shifting priorities and interests. The position may, on occasion, require long and/or irregular hours.

Typical Duties or Accountabilities:

• The Experimental Manager provides strategic direction, leadership, and management in consultation with the Director of CHASR to ensure that the strategic goals of the EDL are determined and supported along with the long-term maintenance and viability of the EDL in accordance with the University of Saskatchewan’s integrated planning cycles and the long-term goals and directives of CHASR.

• Serves as project manager and an expert in experimental human behavioural and decision-making research at the University of Saskatchewan, overseeing all aspects of the EDL:

o Provides professional support, technical expertise, and advice in the development/design of experimental research studies (including turning ideas or research questions into experiments) and coordinates/oversees their implementation in the EDL;

o Manages the workflow, scheduling, and operations of the EDL;

o Provides recruitment, training and mentorship of student research assistants;

o Prepares productivity, annual, and other reports; and

o Ensures EDL computers, software and equipment are up-to-date and functional.

• Facilitates and oversees experimental research support across CHASR:

o Prepares cost estimates for projects;

o Negotiates and oversees contracts for projects;

o Prepares invoices and co-manages Quantitative Research Cluster finances; and

o Manages and maintains the CHASR Research Participant Pool (RPP).

• Ensures that annual Quantitative Research Cluster revenues, expenses, and net income meet (or exceed in the case of cluster revenues and net income) targets established during the annual budgeting cycle.

· Ensures quality control of projects and processes in the EDL.

• Increases awareness of the opportunities afforded by the EDL and the services offered by CHASR through effective communications and outreach strategies, including active engagement in CHASR’s social media platforms and weekly posts to CHASR’s Twitter feed.

• Interacts with internal and external clients and potential clients of the EDL.

• Develops collaborative professional working relationships, liaises and partners with faculty, administrators and staff, including the other CHASR laboratories; Research Facilitators; ICT; University Library; Research Services and Ethics Office; Facilities; People and Resources; Financial Services; and respective groups at other universities.

• Develops and delivers training sessions and workshops on experimental research and opportunities afforded to researchers.

• Serves as a champion for experimental research.

• Ensures best-practice research strategies, programs and support systems are in place to meet constantly changing needs of users and potential users by maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of experimental research and of social research methods more broadly.

Education: A Master’s degree or equivalent degrees and experience.

Experience: A combination of 5 to 10 years of education, training, and/or experience in experimental research and research support. Experience or evidence of capacity to facilitate and manage projects and of fostering effective, cooperative, and collegial working relationships with a broad range of constituents in a complex environment are essential. Direct experience working in a research academic environment and experience with proposal development and academic writing will be considered strong assets. Experience or demonstrated capacity to learn and apply one or more of the following is required: online experimental platform programming (e.g., Voxco Online, SurveyMonkey, Qualtrics, oTree, ), offline experimental platform programming (e.g., z-Tree, E-Prime). Experience with the Microsoft Office suite of products, along with quantitative analysis software SPSS or equivalent.

Skills: Demonstrated capacity to manage projects of varying size and complexity; ability to provide information and advice to professional staff and researchers in a range of disciplines; ability to develop, manage and motivate teams as a supervisor, mentor and by example; ability to develop and maintain collaborative working relationships with faculty, staff, students and all levels of administration; ability to work independently and as a team leader and a team member; ability to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines; and excellent communication, presentation, organization, time management, problem-solving, troubleshooting, interpersonal and leadership skills.

Inquiries regarding this position can be directed to Jason Disano at 306-966-7546.

Department: Canadian Hub for Applied and Social Research (CHASR)
Status: Permanent
Employment Group: ASPA
Shift: Mon-Fri, 8:30-4:30
Full Time Equivalent (FTE): 1.0
Salary: The salary range, based on 1.0 FTE, is $64,107.00 - 100,169.00 per annum. The starting salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
Salary Family (if applicable): Managerial
Salary Phase/Band: Phase 2
Posted Date: 1/10/2022
Closing Date: 2 Weeks. 1/24/2022
Number of Openings: 1
Work Location: On Campus

The successful applicant will be required to provide the following current verification(s) where 'Yes' is indicated below. Further information is available at: https://careers.usask.ca/tips-for-applying.php

Criminal Record Check: Not Applicable
Driver's License and Abstract Check: Not Applicable
Education/Credential Verification: Not Applicable
Vulnerable Sector Check: Not Applicable

The University of Saskatchewan has instated a number of health and safety requirements for faculty, staff and students in consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of January 4, 2022, being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is a condition of employment and proof of vaccination will be required. The University will consider accommodations requests for individuals in accordance with the requirements of The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, 2018.

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The University believes equity, diversity, and inclusion strengthen the community and enhance excellence, innovation and creativity. We are dedicated to recruiting individuals who will enrich our work and learning environments. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. We are committed to providing accommodations to those with a disability or medical necessity. If you require an accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please notify us and we will work together on the accommodation request. The University of Saskatchewan’s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. We pay our respects to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another. Together, we are uplifting Indigenization to a place of prominence at the University of Saskatchewan.