Ethics Compliance, Training and Inclusion Coordinator

Link to posting: https://durhamcollege.ca/about/employment-opportunities/careers/career/2538

COMPETITION NO. SS23-126

CATEGORY: Support Staff

LOCATION: Oshawa

POSITION TYPE: Full-Time/Regular

DEPARTMENT: Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

SALARY:

Pay-band: H; Starting Rate: $35.06; Four Year Rate: $40.71

OTHER DETAILS:

Please apply below by submitting your cover letter and resume to the online portal.  Job Competition closes on October 11, 2023. Competition number SS23-126

ABOUT DURHAM COLLEGE:

Durham College (DC) is leading the way as a post-secondary institution, offering an innovative and transformative student experience and hands-on learning opportunities. With this focus top of mind for our students and our employees, DC is proud to be one of the fastest-growing colleges in the province and annually ranked as one of the GTA’s Top 100 employers. 

The college offers a wide range of market-driven programs across multiple disciplines, including culinary management, farming and horticulture, business, IT, construction and trades, science and technology, health care, engineering, social and community services, justice, media, art and design.

With a focus on experiential learning, DC graduates are known for having the skills and knowledge employers need. More than 104,000 alumni represent the college, both locally and around the world.

Serving the Durham Region and Northumberland County communities for over 50 years, with campuses in Oshawa and Whitby, the college offers over 12,500 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 145 full-time post-secondary programs – including four honours bachelor degrees and nine apprenticeship programs. Led by over 1,860 full- and part-time staff, DC has an estimated annual economic impact of more than $913 million on Durham Region.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position, reporting to the Dean and working closely with other team members, is responsible for a wide array of duties within the Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE), primarily related to research ethics compliance; training and professional development; and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).  Research ethics compliance duties include training researchers and REB members, assisting researchers with the research ethics application and approval processes, and managing the Research Ethics Board functions. Training duties include onboarding new part-time student and researcher hires for the research centres, supporting student training, and tracking the department’s overall training and professional development activities.  EDI responsibilities include supporting the department’s EDI action and tracking EDI activities. Overall, the position ensures the effective and efficient operations relating to its portfolios within the department.

Research Ethics Compliance

• Oversees the first qualifying step of the REB process, which requires Institutional Permission.  Informs all researchers of the process, which varies for internal and external researchers. Liaises with the Office of the Executive Vice-President, Academic to submit Institutional Permission forms and/or other VPs as required by the nature of the research, responds to questions from the EVPA and researchers.  For those researchers whose research receives Institutional Permission, the incumbent then moves the researcher onto the REB process.
• Provides advice, guidance and direction to internal and external researchers on Durham College’s research ethics review and approval process and submission requirements.
• Plans, coordinates, and delivers training activities for Research Ethics Board (REB) members, researchers, potential researchers, faculty/staff, and students, including an annual retreat, presentation at Faculty PD Day, and workshops hosted in the Centre for Innovation and Research.  Documents and tracks all training activities for annual reporting.
• Advises and counsels researchers on matters of general research ethics compliance and ethical human participant research practices, to ensure they submit acceptable and fully complete REB applications.  Provides advice to researchers whose applications have received feedback from the REB to address the concerns to increase the likelihood of approval.
• Provides a detailed administrative review of all incoming applications to assess the completeness of all incoming research ethics applications and communicates any missing documentation to the researchers.
• Guides the review of ethics applications through the submission, review and approval process, ensuring that all requirements of the TCPS2 are met.
• Coordinates the proceedings of monthly confidential REB meetings, providing a complete file of documents for each application, change requests, study completion reports, unanticipated events reports, and any other correspondence that may be relevant to the REB review of applications. Takes confidential meeting minutes.
• Prepares letters of clarification and letters of approval for researchers, based on the REB’s deliberations. 
• Prepares clearance letters to individuals whose activities have been deemed to not require REB approval, as adjudicated by the REB chair.
• Orchestrates the delegated review process for those applications that do not require full board approval.
• Maintains and updates the detailed REB Protocols Manual, ensuring that it reflects current practices and complies with the TCPS2.
• Maintains electronic files for all ethics applications and related documentation.
• Maintains all REB forms and tools and revises as necessary.
• Maintains DC website and ICE content pertaining to research ethics.

Training and Professional Development

• For all new and returning part-time research employees, including student research assistants, research associates, principal investigators, and other limited term positions, the incumbent coordinates the HR forms required to set up the new employee and initiate payroll; requests a DC email address from IT; requests a Banner number; provides the employee with all ORSIE-related new employee forms including the media release, confidentiality form, etc.
• Runs a monthly orientation session for all new part-time hires to provide information and address questions, proactively focusing on common problematic issues related to new hires.  Content also includes foundational information on research policies and procedures that must be followed, confidentiality, research ethics, responsible conduct of research, appropriate use of social media regarding research projects, etc.
• In collaboration with the Operations Manager, serves as the departmental point of contact for any ongoing HR-related issues that part-time research employees bring forward.
• In collaboration with the research centre managers, provides logistical support for all technical skills training sessions that the managers have identified, which includes communicating the opportunity, booking a room or setting up a virtual training room, AV requirements, liaising with the trainer (may be external), establishing a booking system (e.g., Eventbrite) and monitoring registrations, communications with those who have registered.
• Working with the Registrar’s Office, creates and issues non-credit digital badges for training provided by ORSIE and issues badges to those who successfully complete.
• Arranges training sessions to support enhancement of essential employability skills, such as presentation skills, including the use of technology training solutions and faculty-led coaching sessions as well as sessions run by the incumbent.
• Arranges mandatory Universal Design of Learning (UDL) training for all part-time researchers. Tracks completion to ensure that all researchers have completed it.
• Documents the annual student training plan and tracks all student-related training activities on a monthly basis for annual reporting.
• Tracks professional development requests for all ORSIE employees for annual reporting.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

• In consultation with the Dean and other members of the team, documents the ORSIE EDI action plan.
• Supports the work of the ORSIE EDI committee by organizing meetings, taking minutes, and proactively supporting all action items.
• Provides confidential advice to students and employees upon request, listens to concerns, brings forward ideas for consideration that may enhance our EDI environment.  Refers individuals to the Office of EDI as appropriate.
• Works closely with representatives from DC’s Office of EDI to ensure alignment and collaborates on deliverables as agreed upon.
• Tracks ORSIE student and employee participation in EDI awareness and training sessions.
• Develops an annual report on ORSIE’s EDI action plan results.

Administration

• Covers front office area (CIR113) in the event other staff are in meetings/taking their break(s)
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. A minimum of a 4-year degree in health sciences or social sciences or human resources.
2. A minimum of 5 years related experience in an office/academic/research environment. Working directly with postsecondary students is a significant asset.
3. Strong understanding of and ability to interpret the Tri-Council Policy Statement – 2022 (TCPS2).
4. Knowledge and understanding of Canada’s ethics review process is required.
5. In-depth familiarity with current ethical standards and requirements for research involving humans (TCPS2).
6. Knowledge of current and emerging developments within the research ethics environment.
7. Strong understanding and commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) principles.
8. Excellent customer service, relationship management skills and understanding of the customer experience, including students, researchers, and other employees.
9. Excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills required to build lasting relationships.
10. Ability to handle highly sensitive and confidential issues with discretion and respect
11. Respectful and contributing team player and influencer with ability to work under pressure to achieve objectives and meet targets through support from others.
12. Strong organizational skills are imperative to document, track and report on interactions and the status of each project activity. Skilled in prioritizing and triaging obligations with attention to detail in response to multiple demands and high volume.
13. Experience setting up databases, downloading and transferring files. Experience using advanced database skills and spreadsheet skills including experience maintaining databases, running queries and preparing reports.
14. Proficiency with project management software, MS Access, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams. Exposure to project management environment, including ability to prioritize tasks, anticipate issues, and effectively solve problems.