University of Toronto – Call for Community Members to Serve on the Health Sciences Research Ethics Board

Position: The Human Research Ethics Unit at the University of Toronto (U of T) invites interested applicants from the Greater Toronto Area to serve as a Community Member on the Health Sciences Research Ethics Board at U of T. There are 3 openings to serve on the Health Sciences REB.

Background: U of T’s Health Sciences Research Ethics Board protects the rights, safety and welfare of human research participants. It does this by reviewing and overseeing research involving human participants to ensure that it meets the highest ethical standards and is compliant with all applicable requirements, including the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans 2022, the US Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects (Common Rule), and the Personal Health Information Protection Act (2004).

Role/Responsibilities: Community Members who serve on the Health Sciences Research Ethics Board are expected to:

• Uphold the highest ethical standards in human research ethics

• Serve a two-year term (with the option for renewal)

• Conduct delegated reviews involving minimal risk research (~ 4 hours/month)

• Attend a two-hour REB Board Meeting every other month (~ 4 hours/bi-monthly)
  

What you’ll get: Community Members who serve on the Health Sciences Research Ethics Board will receive training and mentoring in research ethics, including a rigorous onboarding session, continuing education, and exposure to various research projects taking place in the community.

Qualifications
Interested candidates should:

• Have no current affiliation with the University of Toronto (Those who have been affiliated with U of T in the past, such as alumni or former staff members, are welcome to apply)

• Be familiar with different research methodologies, and possess an interest in safeguarding the safety, rights and welfare of research participants and communities

How to apply: If you are interested in serving as a Community Member on the Health Sciences Research Ethics Board at U of T, please send a cover letter and a curriculum vitae to ethics.review@utoronto.ca by 5:00 p.m. on December 8, 2024. If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Daniel Gyewu, Research Ethics Manager, Health Sciences Board at d.gyewu@utoronto.ca

*Please note that this is an unpaid, volunteer position.