Undergraduate Research Assistant, School of Rehabilitation Science

About the School of Rehabilitation Science:
The School of Rehabilitation Science in the College of Medicine is committed to advancing health participation and quality of life through excellence in teaching research and community engagement. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to an innovative interdisciplinary research project at the intersection of artificial intelligence speech-language pathology accessibility and health technology. The successful candidate will work with a research team developing AI-based tools to improve communication access for individuals with dysarthria including people with cerebral palsy. This project has the potential to significantly enhance communication accessibility and participation for individuals with speech disabilities.

Primary Purpose: To support the development and evaluation of artificial intelligence models designed to improve communication accessibility for individuals with dysarthria. The successful candidate will contribute to the collection preparation management and analysis of speech and language data used to refine AI systems that translate unintelligible speech into intended written messages.


Nature of Work: Reporting to an Assistant Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science the Undergraduate Research Assistant will work as part of an interdisciplinary team that includes speech-language pathology researchers students and community partners.

This is a part-time casual position requiring approximately 5-10 hours per week. Work can be completed remotely and on a flexible schedule that accommodates the students academic commitments. Occasional virtual or in-person meetings may be required.

The position requires initiative attention to detail and the ability to work independently while maintaining regular communication with the research team. The successful candidate will exercise judgment when handling research data maintaining confidentiality troubleshooting technical issues and documenting procedures. Work assignments may vary throughout the project cycle depending on research and development needs.

Travel and shift work are not required.


Typical Duties or Accountabilities:

• Assist with the preparation organization cleaning and management of speech and language datasets.
• Support the development testing and refinement of machine learning and artificial intelligence models.
• Conduct literature reviews related to speech recognition accessibility technologies machine learning and natural language processing.
• Develop and maintain scripts or software tools to support data processing and analysis.
• Document coding procedures workflows and project outcomes.
• Assist with evaluating model performance and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Participate in team meetings and provide updates on assigned tasks.
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with ethical requirements related to research involving human participants.
• Contribute to knowledge translation activities including preparation of reports presentations or research dissemination materials as appropriate.

Education:Applicants must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in Computer Science Software Engineering Computer Engineering Data Science or a related field at the University of Saskatchewan.

Preference may be given to students who have completed coursework in machine learning artificial intelligence data science natural language processing speech processing software development or related areas.

Licenses: No licenses are required for this position.


Experience:

• Experience with programming and software development through coursework personal projects research or employment.
• Experience with data analysis machine learning or artificial intelligence projects is considered an asset.
• Experience working with speech audio language or accessibility-related technologies is considered an asset but is not required.
• Previous research experience is beneficial but not required.

Skills:

• Familiarity with machine learning frameworks and data analysis tools is an asset.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to learn new technical concepts and software tools independently.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to data quality.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Effective organizational and time-management skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary research team.
• Commitment to ethical conduct confidentiality and respectful engagement with disability and accessibility research.
• Interest in applying computing technologies to address real-world health and accessibility challenges.

Inquiries regarding this position can be directed to Adrianna Noyes at

Department: School of Rehabilitation Science
Status: Casual 6-12 months with the possibility of extension
Employment Group: Undergraduate Students - Non-union
Full Time Equivalent (FTE): .25
Salary: The salary range based on 1.0 FTE is $15.35 - 21.12 per hour. The starting salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
Salary Phase/Band: Salary Band 2
Posted Date: 8/24/2026
Closing Date: 9/14/2026
Number of Openings: 4
Work Location:May be eligible for hybrid work under the terms of USasks Alternative Workspace Guidelines

The successful applicant will be required to provide the following current verification(s) where Yes is indicated below. Further information is available at:

Criminal Record Check: Not Applicable
Drivers License and Abstract Check: Not Applicable
Education/Credential Verification: Not Applicable
Vulnerable Sector Check: Yes

The University of Saskatchewan aspires to be what the world needs and embraces equity diversity and inclusion as foundational to excellence and innovation. We actively seek to create a welcoming environment where all individuals feel empowered to thrive contribute and grow. Applications from equity-deserving groups are encouraged as part of our ongoing efforts to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve: EDI Framework for Action.
We continue to grow our partnerships with Indigenous communities across the province nationally and internationally and value the unique perspective that Indigenous employees provide to strengthen these relationships. Verification of Indigenous Membership/Citizenship at the University of Saskatchewan is led and determined by thedeybwewin taapwaywin tapwewin: Indigenous Truth policy and the Standing Committee in accordance with the processes developed to enact the policy. Successful candidates that assert Indigenous membership/citizenship will be asked to complete the verification process of Indigenous membership/citizenship with documentation.
The University of Saskatchewan provides an accessible and inclusive workplace. Should you require support through any stage of the recruitment process please contact us for assistance.

Required Experience:

Junior IC