Research Assistant

Position Information

**Position Title**
- Research Assistant

**Department/Unit**
- Community Health & Epidemiology

**Research Project**
- The impact of coach-guided risk communication on the risk of major depression: A randomized controlled trial

**Location**
- Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

**Posting Number**
- GP42-25

**Employee Group**
- Grant-Paid

**Position Type**
- Term

**Duration of Contract (if applicable)**
- 1 year with possibility of renewal.

**Employment Type**
- Full Time

**Full-time Equivalency (FTE)**
- 1.0

**Salary**
- $42,000 - $52,000 per annum (35 hours per week)

**About the Organization**
- The Health Data Science Laboratory is part of the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University. Its goal is to produce knowledge to inform early identification and prevention of mental health problems, mental health services delivery, and population mental health planning. This research program includes primary data collection, analysis of secondary data as well as evidence synthesis projects.

This is a project funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The objectives of this project are to evaluate the effectiveness of a coach-guided, personalized depression risk communication tool on reducing the risk of major depression in the Canadian population, and to assess the cost-effectiveness of this intervention program.

**Job Summary**
- Reporting to the Principal Investigator, the Research Assistant will contribute to telephone interview, data collection, coaching, data analysis, manuscript preparation, general research activities and support the PI across multiple projects. Primarily, we will conduct a randomized controlled trial: high risk individuals will be screened and randomly allocated into two groups - intervention and control groups. Participants in the intervention group will receive the risk communication program and coaching. Participants will be assessed at baseline before randomization, 3 and 12 months after randomization. All assessments will be done via telephone.

**Key Responsibilities**
- Conducting telephone interviews among participants to collect data about demographic, socio-economic, clinical and psychological characteristics using computer-assisted telephone interview system.
- Sending personalized depression risk communication report to participants and schedule time for coaching.
- Helping the participants to understand the information in the report and encourage participants to use evidence-based and feasible self-help strategies to manage stress.
- Communicate with telephone interview firm who will recruit participants for the trial, to receive, maintain and manage the data received from the telephone interview firm and from follow-up interviews.
- Conducting literature reviews, analysis, and reports as needed.
- Taking other responsibilities related to the research project as assigned by the Principal Investigator.

**Note**
- Due to operational requirements, the successful applicant is required to work in-person on campus.

**Required Qualifications**
- Undergraduate education in Psychology or allied health disciplines.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- **Proficiency in English and French language (reading, speaking and comprehension).**:

- Excellent organizational and management skills.
- Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
- High degree of professionalism and work ethics.
- Demonstrated interest in learning and taking initiative.

**Assets**

**Additional Information**
- Dalhousie University supports a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Our total compensation package includes a voluntary _RRSP_, health and dental plans and an employee and family assistance program._

**Application Consideration**

**Diversity Statement**

Posting Detail Information

**Number of Vacancies**
- 1

**Open Date**
- 06/12/2025

**Close Date**
- 07/10/2025

**Open Until Filled**
- No

**Special Instructions to Applicant**

**Quick Link for Direct Access to Posting