Health Research Specialist

**Job ID**: 59408

**Job Category**:Health Services

**Division & Section**:Public Health, Decision Support, Surv & Immunization

**Work Location**:61 Front Street, Toronto ON, M5J 1E5

**Job Type & Duration**:Full-time ,One Temporary Vacancy (11 month duration)

**Hourly Rate and Wage Grade**:$48.49 - $53.14

**Shift Information**: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week

**Affiliation**: L79 Full-time

**Number of Positions Open**: 1

**Posting Period**: 12-Sep-2025 to 26-Sep-2025

Reporting to the Manager, Research, Analysis and Policy team, the Health Research Specialist leads and participates in complex projects, research assignments and other work to help divisional management, City staff, and external community stakeholders and agencies understand social and environmental (natural and built) determinants of health, and health inequities of Toronto residents, and to inform service delivery and policy decisions.

**Major Responsibilities**:

- Plans, conducts and evaluates public health research studies, including joint projects with other city departments, task forces and committees, other levels of government and other external groups or agencies
- Research public health issues in order to provide divisional, departmental and corporate leadership in public health policy, programs, advocacy and strategy
- Acts as a consultant for public health division and other city departments to identify and service public health policy, research, evaluation and program needs
- Consults and/or works collaboratively with external groups, including the development of contacts with other jurisdictions, at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, non-governmental organizations and interest groups, other agencies and the private sector
- Conducts speaking engagements for the public, community and media, in collaboration with public health communications and public relations staff, answers public inquiries on public health research and policy
issues
- Researches, organizes, and writes briefing materials, discussion papers, reports and correspondence on public health issues
- Participates in and/or chairs internal and external committees
- Reviews public health research literature and reports produced by other government and research agencies to determine potential impact on public health policy, research and programs
- Advises and assists divisional staff in the planning, delivery and evaluation of staff development and training programs, and in the development of new policies and procedures
- Advises and guides academic health science students on projects

**Key Qualifications**
- Master's degree in public health sciences, public/health policy, nursing, social sciences or an equivalent combination of a baccalaureate degree and extensive experience relevant to the primary duties of the position.
- Considerable experience in the areas of policy development and analysis with an emphasis on the environmental or social determinants of health; including appraisal of policy and research studies and synthesis of findings.
- Considerable experience in planning, conducting and evaluating qualitative and quantitative research and policy studies on the environmental or social determinants of health and their relationship to health inequities; with advanced knowledge of research methodologies, tools, statistics, and techniques.

**You Must Also Have**:

- Knowledge and skills utilizing qualitative and quantitative software packages
- Strong analytical skills
- Excellent policy based and research report writing and oral presentation skills
- Knowledge and use of GIS tools is an asset
- Highly developed verbal and written communication skills and the ability to communicate with a broad range of stakeholders from community representatives, senior management, technical experts and elected officials
- Well-developed interpersonal skills and the ability to work cooperatively with others in a multidisciplinary team setting
Excellent organizational skills and ability to work independently

**NOTE TO INTERNAL FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME CITY OF TORONTO EMPLOYEES**:
**Equity, Diversity and Inclusion**

The City is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to creating a workplace culture of inclusiveness that reflects the diverse residents that we serve. Learn more about the City’s commitment to employment equity.

**Accommodation