Position Overview
The Department of Clinical Neurosciences in the Cumming School of Medicine invites applications for Research Associate (Social Worker). This Fixed Term Part-time position is for approximately 12 months (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.
Reporting to the Principal Investigator.
Following established procedures, the Social worker will be part of the project implementation. In addition, the Research Associate (Social Worker) will be involved in the evaluations of participants (including patients with Parkinson’s disease and related disorders in advanced stages and their care partners) and in telephone interviews.
The project related to this position aims to create the Calgary Movement disorders Palliative Care program to guarantee access to this type of care to all Albertans and to expand the understanding of PC interventions in people with parkinsonism by a rigorous monitoring and evaluation process and cost-effectiveness analysis.
Position Description
Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):
The team will be completed by a neurologist, a palliative care nurse, a psychologist and a spiritual care provider. In that context, the social worker’s duties will include:
- Work collaboratively with the team to determine intervention plans
- Educate participants and families about coping strategies and techniques to manage pain and other symptoms of illness
- Assistance with paperwork, helping review and document these wishes, including assisting with do not resuscitate (DNR) orders and advanced directives
- Social workers may also help participants navigate their medical or veterans benefits or provide advice on financial or legal matters
- Social workers will have a role in evaluating participants’ environments and identifying various challenges that participants and their loved ones may face, such as:
- Potentially abusive or neglectful situations
- Emotional needs of the client or members of their support system
- Safety risks in their environment
- Once they identify a problem or obstacle, the social worker should help plan strategies to mitigate any risks and direct the participants or related individuals to the appropriate resources
- Connecting participants with community services and resources
Qualifications / Requirements:
- Degree in Social Work with comparable training may be considered
- Active member in good standing or eligible for registration with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW)
- 3-5 years related experience
- Excellent time management, interpersonal and communication skills, accuracy and attention to detail
- Experience with working with the public is a strong asset
- Knowledge of health and scientific terminology is a strong asset
- Health services research experience is a strong asset
- Ability to work as a member of a team, staff, and research team members
- Approachable. Able to motivate/enable others
- Fluency in English required
Application Deadline: July 13, 2022
We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.
Additional Information
This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Specialist/Advisor Job Family, Phase III.
To find out more about management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary and all we have to offer, view our Management and Staff Careers website. For more information visit Careers in the Cumming School of Medicine.
The University strongly recommends all faculty and staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
About the University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is Canada’s leading next-generation university – a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude. Located in the nation’s most enterprising city, the university is making tremendous progress on its Eyes High journey to be recognized as one of Canada’s top five research universities, grounded in innovative learning and teaching and fully integrated with the community it both serves and leads. The University of Calgary inspires and supports discovery, creativity and innovation across all disciplines. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.
The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy in line with the foundational goals of Eyes High, committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.
As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (equity@ucalgary.ca) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources (hrhire@ucalgary.ca).
We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.