Research Development Specialist

Salary range: The salary range for this position is CAD $ $54.80 / hour Why Fraser Health?:

We are hiring a Relief Full Time Research Development Specialist to join our team in Surrey, B.C.

As a Research Development Specialist, you will drive research excellence by leading the full grant development process from concept to funding. This role strengthens institutional success by shaping competitive proposals, ensuring compliance, and aligning projects with strategic priorities. Through expert mentorship, partnership building, and financial oversight, you will enhance research capacity, foster collaboration, and secure sustainable funding to advance innovation and impact.

A career with Fraser Health will offer you the opportunity to be a part of a dedicated team of professionals in a dynamic and rewarding health care environment. We offer a competitive compensation and benefit package, including comprehensive health benefits coverage.

Important to know

Before we can finalize any offer of employment, you must:

• Confirm you are legally entitled to work in Canada

Take the next step and apply so we can continue the conversation with you.

Detailed Overview:

Supporting the Vision, Values, Purpose and Commitments of Fraser Health including service delivery that is centered around patients/clients/residents and families:

The Research Development Specialist is responsible for managing the pre- and post-award research development process from initiation for submission for funding to the receipt of award and reporting of progress to granting agencies for Researchers within Fraser Health. The role engages Researchers in scholarly debate during the research development process to question assumptions, refine ideas, and generate original research, in order to develop high calibre competitive research grant applications for submission to funding agencies. This role is also essential in supporting Fraser Health to uphold its roles and responsibilities as a host institution in administration of grant awards compliant with the requirements of the external funding agencies.

Responsibilities:

• Manages all aspects of the research grant development and submission process; ensures applicable institutional signatures are obtained and submitted to the funding agency; Evaluates risk and makes recommendations to VP for Research portfolio and other Executives as applicable regarding acceptability of proposed budgets and scientific merit of investigators' proposals.
• Advises on the preparation of grant applications for submission by principal investigators to local, provincial, national, or international competitions for research funding. Provides mentorship and consultation services to researchers in the development of fundable research proposals involving developing study idea/research question/hypotheses, specifying deliverables/outcomes, defining the project scope, preparing budgets, and study timelines.
• In collaboration with the Research and Implementation Scientist - DERS, evaluates, proposes or amends research study designs. Supports other DERS staff in design and methodology for quality improvement and evaluation projects as needed.
• Supports teams to set up research cost centres. Consults with research teams to ensure their expenses are within grant proposal, funder and FH policy and purchasing requirements. Provides regular finance updates and consultation to teams, as needed. Holds delegated signing authority on all research cost centres to approve Employee Expense Reports and Request for Payment Forms submitted by researchers.
• In collaboration with research finance Clerk, prepares financial agreements for funding agencies; ensures FH financial record keeping for grant awards are in compliance with the requirements of the external funding agencies. Ensures progress reports are submitted to the funding agency.
• Advises on the implementation and evaluation of FH Research policy and procedures and strategic planning. Develops, implements, and evaluates departmental standards of practice, procedures and protocols for research development and grant administration involving the generation of research questions/hypotheses, evaluation of research studies, development of research designs, data collection tools, methodology, interpretation, and reporting.
• Prepares business cases for proposed utilization of a research intervention for review and decision by FH management groups.
• Develops relationships with external research agencies, affiliated academic institutions, federal and provincial funders, health authorities, foundations and/or individuals to establish partnerships and collaborations in research efforts, including opportunities for research funding applications, increase eligibility of FH researchers to hold research grants, acquiring peer review from external experts, developing formalized agreements with research networks, writing business cases to promote health authority based research to external funding agencies.
• Monitors funding opportunities from various agencies by attending relevant meetings, seminars, conferences, and information sessions. Represents FH to external funding agencies on grant issues.
• Represents FH on external funding agency committees as a 'theoretical' expert on research methods and research funding applications. Provides research expertise and/or chairs internal committees; represents FH on external committees relating to research and knowledge dissemination.
• Develops electronic platforms to support collaboration amongst research teams. Maintains a current inventory of Researchers that identifies their research interests, funding requirements, and potential sources of research funding.
• Develops key performance indicators for monitoring fundable and funded application rates for annual reporting.
• Participates as a member of the FH Research Education Committee to plan, implement and evaluate the research education program for FH employees and privileged physicians. Prepares workshop material and conducts online or face to face tutorials/workshops as needed.
• Develops and maintains applicable departmental research web page content relevant to funding opportunities, research financial administration, and grant approval processes.
• Plans and manages FH's internal research funding competitions, including the development, and monitoring of the competition, set up of the peer review committee, reviewing project budgets and overseeing logistics.
• Reviews publications, posters and presentations resulting from FH research studies to ensure compliance with FH policy and external funder guidelines.
• Facilitates planning for the development of research priorities at the program/development level.

Qualifications:

Education and Experience

Master's Degree in a health-related discipline. Three (3) to five (5) years recent related experience in conducting research studies and grant writing/facilitation or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Competencies

Demonstrates the LEAD capabilities of Leads Self, Engages Others, Achieves Results, Develops Coalitions and supports Systems Transformation.

Professional/Technical Capabilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge of research policies, procedures, processes, methodologies, and funding mechanisms.
• Knowledge of the conduct of research in a health environment.
• Ability to develop and maintain rapport with various stakeholders internal and external to the organization.
• Ability to effectively present and clarify requirements, expectation, ideas and concepts to researchers and health professionals.
• Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and manage own workload.
• Knowledge of health care disciplines and their role in health care.
• Knowledge of basic descriptive statistics.
• Knowledge of research budgeting and finances.
• Physical ability to perform the duties of the position.
• Ability to operate related equipment including applicable software and database applications.