Research

Grant-funded positions with FHS-affiliated researchers or FHS partners will be posted as they become available.

Available Research Assistant (RA) roles at SFU Health Sciences can be found on the SFU Human Resources web site.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Indigenous Research Liaison (IRL) - BC NEIHR British Columbia Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research | Date posted: May 1, 2026

Read the full job description now for more information about the role, including remuneration and working conditions.

ABOUT THE BC NEIHR

Hosted at the Centre for Collaborative Action on Indigenous Health Governance (CCAIHG) within the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University, the BC NEIHR is an Indigenous-led network that heightens the engagement of Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) Communities, Collectives and Organizations (ICCOs), Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers, and interdisciplinary, multi-sectoral groups and organizations in BC. Through our extensive network of experienced and dedicated members and partners, the BC NEIHR supports a provincial and national Indigenous health research agenda. Ultimately, the BC NEIHR will contribute to the improved health, wellbeing and strength of Indigenous peoples by supporting transformative research.

Our collective goal is to increase and enhance Indigenous-led health research in BC and Canada through the following objectives: 1) develop research infrastructure; 2) facilitate and support Indigenous peoples in leading health research and knowledge sharing; 3) provide research-related funding; 4) develop and support research capacity; 5) enhance awareness and relevance of Indigenous health research; 6) facilitate and support ethical and culturally safe research partnerships; and 7) engage in partnerships.

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the supervision of the Nominated Principal Investigator Dr. Krista Stelkia (SFU; BC NEIHR; CCAIHG), Program Manager, Elizabeth Hunter (BC NEIHR), as well as working with BC NEIHR’s governance partners (First Nations Health Authority, Métis Nation BC, and BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres), and collaborators such as the BC SUPPORT Unit, the IRL will undertake the following activities:

Relationship Building

▪ Respectfully engage and develop relationships and research partnerships with ICCOs, Indigenous researchers across the regions in BC. Participant in health-related gatherings (budget permitting) to engage with ICCOs and bring awareness of the BC NEIHR program by promoting the Network membership registration.
▪ Create strategies to address distrust and barriers around health research in colonial research environments.
▪ Keep ongoing and regular communication with funded ICCOs.

Liaison & Facilitation

▪ Collaborate with the BC NEIHR and CCAIHG Teams, including external collaborators and partners (i.e., BC SUPPORT Unit) to plan, coordinate, and evaluate local/regional capacity bridging events, webinars, training sessions, and knowledge sharing gatherings or activities.
▪ Share and distribute information of BC NEIHR funding and capacity bridging opportunities to ICCOs.
▪ Travel to meet with ICCOs in their respective region and participate in Indigenous Health and Wellness conferences or gatherings (travel budget permitting).
▪ Liaison with ICCOs to identify and address regional community research priorities.
▪ Support the facilitation of partnerships for the development of community-based research ethics review processes and other collaborations.

Mentorship

▪ Mentor ICCOs for building capacity as an organization or collective (e.g. opening collectives bank accounts, incorporating associations, and structuring projects for funding access).
▪ Provide capacity-bridging support to ICCOs provincially and in respective regions, including mentoring ICCOs to create and develop innovative and integrative research development and knowledge sharing strategies.
▪ Support ICCOs leaders to take full control of their projects, ensuring self-determination with allies acting only as support (e. g. they decide what, when, and how to proceed).
▪ Provide mentorship and technical support to ICCOs in writing research development grant and knowledge sharing mobilization grant applications.

Navigation

▪ Guide ICCOs in building capacity for health research initiatives.
▪ Develop plain-language workbooks and templates to support the BC NEIHRs research development and knowledge sharing activities.
▪ Translate academic terminology and institutional processes for ICCOs with diverse literacy levels and research experience, ensuring that Indigenous knowledge systems are respected and integrated where possible.
▪ Assist ICCOs by providing an overview and navigating institutional procedures, such as institutional ethics review boards, ethical guidelines, grants approval processes, and other administrative requirements.
▪ Connect ICCOs with relevant funding opportunities from other institutions.

Other Communications and Training

▪ Attend training workshops and receive ongoing instruction from Elders/Knowledge Holders, Investigators and Knowledge Users, and the Program Manager, BC NEIHR, or CCAIHG Team.
▪ Frequent communication with Program Manager via email, Zoom and telephone.
▪ Participate in ongoing communication with BC NEIHR team members via MS Teams, email and Zoom videoconferencing.
▪ Attend and report on activities conducted at the weekly and monthly team meetings via Zoom videoconferencing.
▪ Provide monthly written reports to the Program Manager that detail all activities and an evaluation of such activities.
▪ Organize and lead face-to-face and video-and-teleconferencing with ICCOs.
▪ Collaboratively work with other IRLs on various network activities and communicate frequently.
▪ Participate and obtain the following training and certifications: San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety, OCAP® and TCPS2 Chapter 9.
▪ Perform other BC NEIHR and CCAIHG-related duties as required.

APPLICATION DETAILS

This is a grant-funded position:

Status: Full-time position (37.5 hours/week) for a one-year contract, with the possibility of extension.
Annual Salary: $70,000 full-time
Location: Remote (based in BC). Occasional travel required throughout BC, including community and partner outreach and attendance of in-person events and meetings.

How to Apply:

1. Send your application package, including cover letter, CV/resume and Experience Statement (see below) via email to:bcneihr@sfu.ca. Use the subject line to clearly state the position you are applying for (e.g., "NAME OF THE POSITION Application").

2. Experience Statement. As part of the application package, please include a 1-2 page Experience Statement that outlines why you are interested in this position and your experience in providing research support and conducting community engagement with Indigenous peoples and communities. This is an opportunity to highlight in a narrative format key aspects of your work, education, training or other experiences that make you a suitable candidate for this position. Please consider the activities listed under Position Summary when creating your Experience Statement.

Graduate students in BC are encouraged to apply. If you are a current graduate student interested in a full-time position, you must include your time management plans in your cover letter to demonstrate how you will balance your studies with the full-time role.

We thank all applicants for their interest but only candidates that are selected for an interview will be contacted to go to the next stage.

Interview Process: Selected applicants will be invited to have an interview. Those selected will need to demonstrate their experience working with ICCOs through a presentation during the interview. This presentation may include photographs or other forms of proof (such as project reports, testimonials, or portfolio examples) showcasing your relevant experience. Further details and instructions will be provided during the process.

Applications will be reviewed until positions are filled.

SFU is an equity employer and strongly encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, Indigenous Peoples, visible minorities, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, persons with disabilities, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of the university.

We are committed to ensuring that the application and interview process is accessible to all applicants. If you require any assistance or accommodations, please see contact info in How to Apply.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Administrative Assistant - BC NEIHR British Columbia Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research | Date posted: May 4, 2026

Read the full job description now for more information about the role, including remuneration and working conditions.

ABOUT THE BC NEIHR

POSITION SUMMARY

We are seeking a detail-oriented and organized full-time (37.5 hours/week) Administrative Assistant to join the team and support day-to-day administrative operations. This role provides administrative and clerical support to ensure the smooth implementation of procedures and team priorities. The Administrative Assistant will be responsible for scheduling meetings, supporting communications, maintaining organized records and filing systems, processing invoices or reimbursements, assisting with financial tracking, and coordinating logistics for events and meetings.

Under the supervision of the Program Coordinator, the candidate will play a key role in maintaining efficiency, accuracy, and responsiveness across the team’s operations. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, proactive, and comfortable managing multiple tasks in a collaborative environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

General Administrative Support

▪ Manage admin email and general inquiries.
▪ Support creation and maintenance of organizational systems for filing, communications and all BC NEIHR procedures.
▪ Support funding calls communications and processes, e.g., announcements, responding to inquiries, confirming receipt of and completeness of applications, and supporting adjudication.
▪ Coordinate scheduling of internal and external team meetings both virtually and in-person, e.g., Governing Council, Principal Investigators, monthly team, and external partner meetings.
▪ Support meetings by taking minutes, providing summaries, executing action items including tracking and follow through.
▪ Offer administrative support as needed for HR communications and procedures including tracking time off/vacation requests.
▪ Facilitate SFU financial administration processes and communications with the finance team.
▪ Support a collaborative and inclusive team dynamic with CCAIHG/BC NEIHR team.

Event Coordination and Outputs

▪ Support and work with team members in the planning of BC NEIHR and CCAIHG events, e.g., retreats, gatherings, workshops, symposiums, conferences, etc.
▪ Coordinate and support event planning committees, including scheduling meetings, taking notes and executing action items.
▪ Act as liaison with event vendors and process invoices.
▪ Develop and distribute invitations to BC NEIHR events and maintain event communications with invitees including travel arrangements etc.
▪ Support post-event logistics including managing surveys.
▪ Support, prepare, and submit post-event travel expense reimbursements (TER) processing.

Network Membership Support

▪ Support and maintain an efficient BC NEIHR registration process to help grow the network.
▪ Manage membership files and e-distribution list.
▪ Support communication with BC NEIHR members, other NEIHR Networks, communities and partners.
▪ Support the development and dissemination of BC NEIHR knowledge exchange materials for the newsletter and social media, e.g., job flyers, promotional material, training resources, reports, etc.
▪ Offer content creation and editing support for the BC NEIHR website.

Skills and Abilities:

▪ Minimum of two years of administrative or office support experience
▪ Excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to to communicate clearly and professionally with diverse audiences, including Indigenous community partners, researchers, trainees, and organizational stakeholders.
▪ Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with a diverse team.
▪ Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects and meet deadlines.
▪ Experience supporting event coordination, meeting logistics, travel arrangements, and post-event follow-up activities.
▪ Experience with financial administrative processes, including invoice processing, reimbursement tracking, budget support, and liaising with institutional finance systems.
▪ Proficiency with various programs such as Microsoft Suite and Adobe Suite with the ability to learn additional programs as needed.
▪ Adept at researching and implementing tech-based solutions.
▪ Highly motivated, self-directed and problem solving focused.
▪ Knowledge of Indigenous worldviews and experience working with Indigenous peoples.
▪ Knowledge of and experience with Indigenous research and knowledge sharing and mobilization in Indigenous communities and organizations settings.

APPLICATION DETAILS

This is a grant-funded position:

Status: Full-time position (37.5 hours/week) for a one-year contract, with the possibility of extension.
Annual Salary: $50,000-$55,000 per year
Location: Remote (based in BC). Occasional travel required for in-person gatherings and meetings throughout BC and at the Centre for Collaborative Action on Indigenous Health Governance (CCAIHG), SFU Burnaby Campus.

How to Apply:

Send your application package (cover letter and CV/resume) via email to:bcneihr@sfu.ca. Use the subject line to clearly state the position you are applying for (e.g., "NAME OF THE POSITION Application").

We thank all applicants for their interest. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Applications will be reviewed until positions are filled.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Senior Research Writer - Centre for Collaborative Action on Indigenous Health Governance (CCAIHG) | Date posted: May 4, 2026

Read the full job description now for more information about the role, including remuneration and working conditions.

ABOUT THE CCAIHG

The Centre for Collaborative Action on Indigenous Health Governance (CCAIHG), situated in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University (SFU), is the first-of-its-kind Indigenous health governance research centre that provides the opportunity for Indigenous people, communities, and scholars to learn from and share their experiences on Indigenous health governance. With a shared governance model that reflects the partnership of SFU and the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), the centre fosters global dialogue on Indigenous approaches to health and wellness in the context of Indigenous health governance. The key goals of the Centre focus on dialogue and knowledge exchange, collaborative training initiatives, and research.

POSITION SUMMARY

We are seeking a highly motivated full-time (37.5 hours/week) or part-time (30 hours/week) Senior Research Writer to join our research centre. This is a senior publication writing role that provides leadership on all academic publications, community-facing reports, and institutional writing projects associated with the CCAIHG and the BC NEIHR. The Senior Research Writer will oversee the full publication pipeline, including leading the development of academic manuscripts, scoping reviews, commentaries, Centre-led research reports, grant writing support, annual and project reporting, and identifying publication opportunities and collaborations. The position works collaboratively with the Centre staff (i.e., Director), BC Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research (BC NEIHR) team members, Indigenous communities and partners, internal and external collaborators, and SFU interdisciplinary teams to manage research publications and reporting for both the Centre and BC NEIHR.

Duties and Responsibilities

Academic Publications

• Write, draft, and edit academic manuscripts in collaboration with the Nominated Principal Investigator, who will maintain first and/or senior authorship and primary intellectual leadership on all Centre-led publications.
• Manage academic manuscripts for publication, including primary research papers, commentaries, scoping reviews, conceptual papers, and more.
• Coordinate writing teams, publication timelines, journal selection, submission processes, and revisions.
• Develop and maintain a Centre publication strategy and annual publication plan.
• Identify new publication opportunities, special issues, and collaborative writing initiatives.
• Mentor trainees and research assistants on writing, synthesis, publication styles, and knowledge translation.

Reporting

• Lead the development of CCAIHG and BC NEIHR annual reports, evaluation reports, project reports, and community-facing reports.
• Liaise with internal and external partners for feedback, validation and final review of coproduced reports.
• Coordinate and write annual funder progress reports and other deliverables for grant-funded projects and studies.
• Work closely with the Centre Director to prepare written materials for governance bodies, partners, and funders.

Research & Analytical Support

• Co-lead the development of new scoping reviews, environmental scans, policy analyses, and literature syntheses.
• Conduct qualitative data analysis using tools such as NVivo and translate findings into high-quality written outputs.
• Draft research briefs, summaries, and synthesis documents for academic, community, and policy audiences.
• Assist with research design as needed for new studies and contribute to the conceptual development of research papers and ethics applications.
• Manage research ethics applications for all Centre-related studies including development of new applications, amendments to existing ethics submissions, annual reports, and more.

Grant Writing Support

• Support the Director and research team with grant writing including background sections, research significance, methodological descriptions, KT plans, ethics, and governance.
• Write letters of support on behalf of the Centre and BC NEIHR to support external grant funding applications.
• Prepare supporting documents for grant submissions (CCVs, budget justifications, partner letters, etc.).
• Performs other Centre-related duties as required.

Qualifications

• Holds a Master’s degree in Public Health, Health Sciences, Indigenous Governance or related field
• PhD (completed or in progress) or postdoctoral experience strongly preferred, particularly in Indigenous health or governance.
• The candidate will preferably be Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Metis).

APPLICATION DETAILS

This is a grant-funded position:

Status: Full-time (37.5 hours per week) or part-time (30 hours per week) position for a one-year contract, with the possibility of extension.
Annual Salary: $70,000/year (full-time, 37.5 hours/week). Part-time salary will be prorated.
Location: Remote work within BC. Candidate must be based in BC, as there will be occasional in- person research gatherings and team meetings in Vancouver and at our Centre office at SFU Burnaby Campus.

How to Apply:

Please send a resume, writing sample, and cover letter outlining why you are interested in this position via email to:indigenoushealthgovcentre@sfu.ca.

Applications will be reviewed until positions are filled.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Youth Research Assistant - Trans Youth Study @ REAFFIRM Collaborative | Date posted: May 15, 2026

Read the full job description now for more information about the role, including remuneration and working conditions.

POSITION SUMMARY

The REAFFIRM Collaborative at SFU is seeking a Youth Research Assistant (YRA) to support a new study looking at the experiences of transgender, non-binary, Two-Spirit, and other gender expansive (hereafter, ‘trans’) youth in Western Canada. We work with community organizations, teachers, healthcare providers, and others who have experience affirming trans identities and supporting the wellbeing of trans youth. The YRA will work with the study investigators, students, advisors, and participants to ensure the success of this project. Tasks will vary, as described below. The position may be renewed.

Duties and Responsibilities

Complete trainings related to research ethics, participant safety, and research protocols.
Become familiar with study materials, including consent forms, questionnaires, and follow-up protocols.
Attend and participate in study team meetings.
Support the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC), including coordinating and facilitating meetings, taking minutes, and following up with YAC members.
Provide input to study activities.
Work with community partners.
Recruit and onboard new participants.
Refer participants to mental health and social supports, as needed.

Qualifications

Age between 18 and 25
Experience working or volunteering with youth
Lived experience as trans youth or experience supporting trans youth
Interest in research
Compassion for and understanding of cissexism, transphobia, and related systems of oppression
Passionate about learning and research
Passionate about trans and gender expansive communities
Effective communication skills (written and oral)
Comfortable facilitating meetings with youth
Ability to work with a diverse team
Excellent time management and organization skills
Basic computer skills (e.g., typing, sending emails, accessing internet)

We especially invite applications from youth who identify as trans, non-binary, Two-Spirit, or otherwise gender expansive.

APPLICATION DETAILS

This is a grant-funded position:

July 2026 – June 2027 (with potential to renew)
Part-time salaried position at $26-28/ hour, up to 20 hours per week (number of hours negotiable)
Payment schedule: Bi-weekly
Location: Remote / work from home, with 1 day per week in office at SFU Vancouver (fully remote work for those outside Greater Vancouver will be considered for the right candidate)
This is a grant-funded position.Reports to: TJ Salway, Associate Professor
Faculty: Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University

How to Apply:

Please complete and submit the application form (.pdf or .docx) and a resume via email and send it to stephanie_black@sfu.ca. Please make sure that you have fully completed the application form.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

We believe that research is strengthened by the equitable inclusion of voices from populations that have historically been silenced or absent in health research. We value the perspectives of and strongly encourage applications from Indigenous and Two-Spirit people, Black and other People of Colour, queer people, trans people, and people with disabilities.

Search

Faculty of Health Sciences

Faculty of Health Sciences

Employment opportunities

Research

Contact us