Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is offering a unique full time opportunity for a dynamic, performance-oriented leader who will drive the achievement of the hospital's Practice Based Research Plan. Practice Based Research is a key component of Sunnybrook's Clinical Evaluative Sciences research platform. The aim of this research platform is to improve patient care through knowledge discovery and translation. The Practice Based Research plan supports the advancement of clinical health professionals in research activities. This will be achieved through research capacity building of existing clinicians; and through the creation and recruitment of new research roles in nursing and the health professions. The Director will have a primary reporting relationship to the Vice President of Quality & Patient Safety, Chief Nursing and Health Professions Executive and to the Vice President of Research.  The successful candidate will have a proven track record of research and scholarly activity and will be expected to embed Practice Based Research priorities within each of the clinical programs in alignment with the strategic priorities of the hospital.  

Specific Responsibilities include:

• Leads the on-going development and implementation of the Practice Based Research Plan.
• Designs, implements and evaluates research studies (pilots, feasibility and full-scale studies).
• Develops and conducts collaborative research projects as a principal, co-principal, and/or co-investigator in order to support the improvement of patient care, maximize health outcomes and effective interventions.
• Identifies research questions and funding opportunities through consultation with internal stakeholders, internal REB and external stakeholders (funding agencies-Canadian Institute for Health Research-CIHR; Canadian Health Services Research Foundation-CHSRF; Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care-MOHLTC, etc. and academic institutions-Universities and research institutes-ICES, etc.).
• Enhances the scientific base of clinical practice by developing and supporting knowledge translation strategies.
• Identifies and facilitates collaborative (intra/interprofessional) research opportunities.
• Establishes Academic Chairs.
• Secures funding for clinician scientist roles.
• Cultivates partnerships with external organizations (academic institutions, professional associations and funding agencies).
• Develops and implements strategies related to research capacity building.
• Disseminates knowledge through scholarly and professional venues including published papers in journals and reports, poster and oral presentations at conferences.
• Establishes strong with the program Research Directors to achieve the Practice Based Research plan directions.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Clinically based health professional (for example Nursing, Pharmacy, Audiology, Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy, Social Work, Spiritual and Religious care, Speech Language Pathology, Clinical Nutrition) with a Doctor of Philosophy.
• Current experience in a progressive academic health sciences center with a minimum of five years in health services research and academic experience.
• Proven ability to shape and implement a vision and manage organizational and system change necessary to improve health through research and innovation in practice.
• Strong academic background including evidence of successful grant funded research projects/grants.
• Peer reviewed publications and presentations and demonstrated knowledge translation/evidence-based approaches.
• Strong track record of establishing external relationships, which facilitate and enhance the image of nursing and health professional practice at a regional and national level.
• Strong political, communication and negotiation skills.
• Strong conceptual and practical analytical skills.
• Demonstrated mastery in research methods (statistical analysis, design, implementation, evaluation, etc.).
• Ability to mentor and motivate novice researchers.

Qualified candidates are invited to submit a resume quoting file # DC 0462sb to:

Human Resources

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Email: career.opportunities@sunnybrook.ca