Research Ethics Project Officer

Job Category

Job Profile

Job Title

Department

Compensation Range

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge qualifications and experience for the the normal course employees will be hired transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

This is a 6-month term position at 0.5 FTE.

At UBC we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research innovation and learning for all faculty staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary
The position is responsible for facilitating and directing a wide variety of inter-departmental initiatives on behalf of the Office of Research Ethics including the UBC BREB-Okanagan. The position manages key compliance-related initiatives and activities (including US financial conflict of interest) and the UBC Research Participants complaint process on behalf of all of the UBC affiliated REBs. A key responsibility is to raise awareness amongst UBC Faculty and staff at the UBC-affiliated institutions by developing and managing educational projects and activities to promote compliance with the Tri-Council Policy Statement for Ethical Conduct of Research involving Humans (TCPS2) and other national and international standards; and advising on compliance with ethics policies. This position provides faculty staff and REB Member with expertise direction and senior level experience and knowledge concerning emerging issues in research ethics as well as developing related guidance and best practices. Areas include Indigenous research practices equity diversity and inclusion in research and other pressing issues that align with UBCs strategic direction. The role leads the development and implementation of communication strategies on behalf of the unit. This position provides oversight and senior level experience knowledge to ORE staff concerning recent developments in research ethics.

Organizational Status
The Research Ethics Project Coordinator reports to the Director Research Ethics and the Sr. Research Ethics Analyst. The role functions independently. Works collaboratively with the Director Managers Chairs and members of UBCs affiliated REBs on wider policy and compliance issues. Acts as a portfolio subject matter expert on Indigenous Research Ethics matters.

Work Performed
Project Management

• Provides expertise direction and senior level of experience and knowledge concerning emerging issues in research ethics and develop related guidance and best practices.

• Oversees the development and maintenance of a project-management system to monitor initiatives supporting research ethics (new guidance educational activities researcher resources operational improvements etc.). Is the Project Lead and Manager for multiple behavioral ethics projects related to research ethics developments and requirements. This includes leading education and outreach on campus leading interdepartmental communications and leading quality improvement in service delivery.

• Trains and mentors REB staff to understand and utilize best practices in project and change management.

• Responsible for ensuring that the unit adopts and implements UBCs strategic goals in the research ethics context.

Communication

• Manages web-based resources and communicates requirements to other REB administrators UBC-affiliated REB Managers and Directors University staff faculty and students. Manages designs and maintains the web presence for the Office of Research Ethics including the ORE website With the exception of the CREB web-pages this encompasses all areas of research ethics functions including behavioral research ethics US Financial Conflict of interest requirements Indigenous research requirements equity diversity and inclusion requirements and links to the RISe platform and guidance.

• Manages research ethics external facing documents ensuring they are clear up-to-date and consistent.

• Identifies areas for improvement of communications in both design and content of ORE information. This requires consulting with portfolio and University communications subject matter experts recommending solutions and ensuring the effective implementation of solutions as needed.

• Leads the development and distribution of other research ethics office informational materials and events (e.g. newsletters information bulletins outreach material).

Education and Outreach

• Identifies the need for educational opportunities for research faculty and students. Develops and delivers educational offerings across the broader UBC campuses to multiple faculties. Is the units key contact with the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and with First Nations and Indigenous Studies. Collaborates with the Indigenous Strategic Initiative on joint ethics / indigenous projects and education.

• Develops and delivers effective education programs to faculty and students to keep the research community informed of procedural requirements and changes (e.g. provide group workshops for researchers)

• Conducts researcher / research team consultations including working with individual researchers and teams to best develop ethically appropriate research proposals.

• Advises researchers and provides instruction as needed on how to use and navigate the web-based system.

Policy and Guidance

• Oversees and directs changes to Behavioral Research Ethics Board (BREB) requirements by developing and communicating BREB Guidance to ensure content is updated and maintains compliance with Policy LR9 with the TCPS2: Research and Other Studies Involving Human Subjects US government regulations concerning behavioral research ethics and other applicable requirements

• Identifies the need for and drafts new guidance for behavioral researchers across all UBC faculties UBC- BREB Okanagan and on behalf of behavioral researchers at the UBC affiliated hospitals.

• Advises researchers on Canadian federal and provincial regulatory requirements and those of the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS2) as well as specific UBC BREB policies standards and requirements.

Research Administration

• Provides expertise in the area of Indigenous research ethics e.g. by sitting on the Indigenous Advisories. Responsible for maintaining good relationships with relevant UBC units in this area including participating on and providing guidance to the Critical Indigenous Studies independent review committee as the Ethics representative.

• Performs all Research Ethics Coordinator and Officer functions occasionally on an as-needed basis. This includes performing BREB ethics pre-reviews (minimal and above minimal risk studies); attending BREB meetings as needed (compiling ethics provisos administering reviews and follow up)

Compliance

a) Financial Conflict of Interest:

• Manages all aspects of PHS regulatory compliance for funds administered by Financial Conflict of Interest compliance with US Public Health Service Regulations.

• Develops and maintains the UBC educational content as required by the regulations.

• Records and monitors all Significant Financial Conflict of Interest disclosure resulting Financial Conflicts of Interest and ensures ongoing compliance.

• Liaises with UBCs Designated Institutional Official (DIO) for US Financial Conflicts of Interest to ensure that all Financial Conflicts are reported and managed.

• Develops and maintains the US FCIO online module including updating forms enhancing system requirements and makes changes to processes and policy to ensure continuous compliance.

b) UBC wide research participant complaint line:

• Monitors responds to and delegates complaints received by the UBC Research Participant Complaint Line on behalf of the six UBC-affiliated Research Ethics Boards.

• Delegates complaints to appropriate REB Managers Directors REB Chairs or to the Director of Research Ethics if needed.

• Advises BREB researchers on appropriate responses and works with the Sr. Ethics Analyst to resolve complaints and concerns involving behavioral studies.

• Develops and maintains complaints tracking system and reports to the Director Research Ethics REB Managers and Chairs on complaints received trends and emerging issues.

c) Preliminary Release of Funding requests

• Reviews and approves researcher requests for early release of funds consulting with the Director Research Ethics as necessary.

• Develops and maintains tracking system for pre-release authorizations for reporting purposes and to ensure system is not abused.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
If the University and Affiliated Hospitals fail to comply with national and international conflict of interest and ethical standards research at UBC could be suspended for individual researchers research groups or more broadly. Funding from national and international granting agencies could be terminated resulting in negative consequences on future research funding and opportunities. Non-compliance could or damage the reputation of the University and Affiliated Hospitals and protect or expose them to legal liability.

Supervision Received
Reports to the Director Research Ethics and the Sr. Research Ethics Analyst. Duties are performed independently.

Supervision Given
Directs other research ethics staff pertaining to responsibilities related to research ethics office projects.

Working Conditions

Office at UBC Point Grey campus. May require local national and international travel.

Minimum Qualifications
For research work a post-graduate degree or equivalent professional designation with a minimum of four years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Otherwise an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline is required with a minimum of six years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives including perspectives in conflict with ones own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing ones own awareness knowledge and skills related to equity diversity and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate degree or equivalent

• Expertise in project management

• Minimum of 7 years experience in an academic research environment

• Experience in research particularly ethical and other legal and regulatory aspects

• Ability to understand and interpret guidelines and legal documents relating to research ethics and conflict of interest

• Ability to read difficult or complicated text analytically and critically. Critical thinking skills in particular the ability to analyze significant amounts of information for comparison and contrast with specified requirements. Ability to synthesize findings and to judge and substantiate the significance of the findings. Ability to maintain cooperative relations with the research community and with indigenous communities.

• Ability to handle sensitive issues with discretion.

• Knowledge of University and Affiliated Hospitals research ethics and conflicts of interest policies and procedures

• Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively in both verbal and written form to provide and obtain information as required. Mature individual able to deal with REB Members Chairs staff students private and governmental agencies on sensitive regulatory matters.

• Ability to simultaneously manage a diverse range of complex projects and activities

• Demonstrated computer literacy particularly databases word processing and data entry skills with an intermediate knowledge of MS Word for Windows Excel the Internet and Outlook

• Ability to handle details with a high degree of accuracy and to organize and prioritize a high volume of work to meet both internal and external deadlines