Research Assistant Position

The Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems (LCSFS) and the UNESCO Chair on Food, Biodiversity, and Sustainability Studies are hiring a Research Assistant. Please see below for a detailed job description. Please submit resume and cover letter to lcsfs@wlu.ca to apply. Informal inquiries welcome. 

The Research Assistant will work jointly for the Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems (LCSFS) and the UNESCO Chair on Food, Biodiversity, and Sustainability Studies.

This position will support research projects as well as administrative, knowledge mobilization and project management for the work undertaken through research grants linked to the LCSFS and the UNESCO Chair, and their related special projects. The candidate will be expected to be familiar with the literature and work independently on tasks, including but not limited to: research project administration and support, knowledge mobilization, and day-to-day duties including financial management. The candidate will also provide administrative and communications support for a dynamic team of Canadian and international researchers and practitioners in their evolving research on sustainable food systems.

This role requires excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work independently and take initiative. This position is based at the Balsillie School for International Affairs.

Accountabilities:

Day-to-day administration including financial administration, 20%

• Complete monthly summary spending reports for all Project expenses including financial planning and tracking;
• Manage and coordinate travel and other expense reports across the projects;
• Participate in grant writing initiatives;
• Participate in meetings across the LCSFS and related projects and prepare meeting notes including action items;
• Participate in meetings and initiatives with other departments across the university and external partners to identify and facilitate new funding opportunities;
• Assist with HQP training;
• Co-ordinate and participate in regular project meetings;
• Other related duties as required.

Knowledge mobilization, 40%

• Support the development of and implement strategic communications plans for LCSFS and related projects;
• Co-ordinate knowledge mobilization efforts;
• Implement and manage social media strategies to meet the strategic communications and knowledge mobilization goals of the LCSFS and and related project collaborations including creating content for website/blog and twitter account and tracking online reach;
• Manage project websites, including the development of online tools to support the dissemination of project findings and results;
• Organize and promote events in collaboration with LCSFS and related project researchers, WLU External Relations, and the Balsillie School of International Affairs;
• Conduct outreach to community organizations and affiliated faculty, staff, and students at Laurier;
• Coordinate and support project evaluation processes and prepare reports to meet key project deliverables
• Be able to write blogs, social media posts (twitter, LinkedIn) and other communications documents

 Project support, 40%

• Support the co-ordination of research, collaborators, and deliverables including publications, reports, public events, and webinars across for LCSFS and related projects;
• Support the planning of proposed research initiatives;
• Manage the progress of ongoing research activities using project tracking systems and processes;
• Support the logistics and administrative duties related to planning large scale workshops;
• Assist in the expansion of research networks at the local, national, and international levels;
• Participate in visioning next steps for the on-going work across multiple research projects;
• Assist in defining, implementing and monitoring activities in accordance with the LCSFS and related projects overall goals and objectives;
• Assist with the development of annual budgets

Salary: Starting at $30/hr, negotiable

Position type: Full-time, contract, one-year term, with possibility of renewal

Location: Hybrid, in-person at the Balsillie School for International Affairs (Waterloo, ON) and remote