Position: Chair, Research Ethics Board
Organization: Baycrest Academy for Research and Education
Opening Date: September 17, 2025
Closing Date: October 2, 2025
Please Send your CV and cover letter to:
Jean Lazarus (jlazarus@baycrest.org)
Vice President, Administration and Operations
Baycrest Academy for Research and Education

Background
Baycrest Academy for Research and Education’s is seeking to fill its Research Ethics Board (REB) Chair position. The REB is responsible for the ethical assessment and approval of all research involving human subjects at Baycrest, for research conducted off‐site by Baycrest researchers, and for ethics protocols from other organizations. The REB also provides oversight for evaluation studies related to innovation and evaluation. The REB reviews are conducted in accordance with hospital policies, national guidance documents and relevant laws.
 
The REB Chair position requires a one (1) to two (2) day per week commitment, and attendance at onsite Baycrest meetings, as required. For more information on Baycrest’s REB, go to https://www.baycrest.org/Baycrest/Research-Innovation/Services-Resources/Research-Ethics-Office-Board.
 
Role and responsibilities of the REB Chair
The REB Chair works with the REB members and Baycrest researchers to ensure that the rights and welfare of participants in research studies are adequately protected, and that the benefits of the research justify the potential risks to research participants. The REB Chair is responsible for ensuring that the REB review process conforms to all regulatory requirements including TCPS2 and ICH GCP, and works with REB members to review, propose modifications to, approve, reject, suspend or terminate any proposed or ongoing research involving human participants. The REB Chair shall also serve as an advocate for the work of the REB.
 
The President and Chief Scientist of Baycrest Academy for Research and Education appoints the Chair for two (3)-year renewable terms. The Chair is responsible for maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of the ethics review process. The Chair will work closely with the Research Ethics Office (REO) on strategic and educational activities of the Research Ethics Board at Baycrest.

Qualifications
The ideal candidate is an experienced REB Chair or REB member and/or a researcher from an academic institution, research centre or relevant government agency. Having experience or knowledge of clinical research, clinical trials would be desirable. A background and/or strong knowledge of cognitive neuroscience in the geriatric populations and the special considerations that exist when conducting research involving older adults would be an asset.
 
The ideal candidate will demonstrate personal and academic integrity; interest in and commitment to the role; a willingness to learn and continuously update knowledge and skills, teamwork and professionalism; the ability to manage workloads in a timely manner; the ability to balance leadership and diplomacy skills, and the ability to positively represent Baycrest’s REB at local, regional and national levels. The REB Chair will be an expert on relevant guidelines, regulations, and policies and their application to research and research ethics (including TCPS-2 and privacy laws in Ontario).

The REB Chair or designee provides overall leadership to the REB and has the following
obligations:
 
The REB Chair can delegate any of his/her responsibilities, as appropriate, to a Vice Chair or other qualified individual(s),
 
Any responsibilities that are delegated by the REB Chair must be documented
 
The REB Chair or designee facilitates the review process based on organizational policies and procedures, SOPs and applicable regulations and guidelines. The REB Chair or designee determines the level of risk of each research project. The REB Chair or designee monitors the REB’s decisions for consistency and ensures that decisions are recorded accurately and communicated to Researchers in writing in a timely fashion.
 
The REB Chair or designee ensures that all REB members are free to participate in discussions during the REB meetings. The REB Chair or designee can ask a subject matter expert to attend an REB meeting in order to draw on their expertise in an area that may be relevant to the REB’s review and deliberations of the research.
 
The REB Chair or designee determines the appropriateness of a Full Board or delegated review of the research.
 
The REB Chair or designee performs or delegates authority to (an) REB member(s) to perform a delegated review.
 
The REB Chair or designee signs off on all REB decisions in writing.
 
For REB approval of clinical trials approved by Health Canada, the REB approval letter, which is signed by the REB Chair or designee, includes the REB attestation.
 
The REB Chair or designee can suspend the conduct of any research project deemed to place participants at unacceptable risk pending discussion by the Full Board. The REB Chair or designee can suspend the conduct of the research if he/she determines that a Researcher is not adhering to the REB approved protocol or to the REB’s policies and procedures.
 
The REB Chair or designee will report on the activities of the REB to the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education’s Board of Directors no less than on an annual basis.
 
The REB chair, in conjunction with the Research Ethics Office Personnel, shall assess the educational and training needs of the REB members and Office Personnel, and will address any gaps identified.
 
The REB Chair or designee, in conjunction with the Research Ethics Office Personnel and other organizational representatives as applicable, ensures the REB members are informed of all new legislation, regulations, policies and guidelines pertaining to human participant research and shall advise the organization on policies and procedures related to research conduct.
 
The REB chair, in conjunction with the Research Ethics Office Personnel, shall assess the educational and training needs of the REB members and Office Personnel, and will address any gaps identified.
 
The REB Chair or designee reviews and approves REB policies and procedures at set intervals, to ensure the REB SOPs meet all current standards.