<Project Coordinator>

Department:

Kinesiology

Effective Date:

February, 2010

Grade:

USG 8

28 hr/wk

Reports to:

Director and Associate Director of CRE-MSD

General Accountability

This position reports to the Directors of the Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD), in the Department of Kinesiology. The Project Coordinator provides research support on a project in the construction sector that looks at innovative ways to reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The functions of the Project Coordinator include, but are not limited to: facilitation of communication between the investigators and stakeholders, coordinating meetings, focus groups, and workshops, conducting interviews with companies, unions, and workers, evaluating innovations, qualitative data analysis, preparation of products, reports, and journal articles related to the research project.

Nature and Scope

The Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CRE-MSD) collaborates with different researchers, institutions and stakeholder groups across Ontario to research different approaches to reducing musculoskeletal disorders among Ontario workers. This particular project analyzes innovative ways of preventing MSDs, as well as the adoption of such innovations through Knowledge Transfer and Exchange techniques. This position requires a self-directed, self-motivated organizer, a professional communicator to facilitate interactions between investigators, stakeholders, and participating companies/unions, and the ability to work well as a member of a team and independently.

Key internal relationships involve the directors of the Centre, the Centre’s researcher network, and the Centre’s administrative assistant.

Key external relationships involve the Constructions Safety Association of Ontario, up to 50 different construction companies and unions, and workers in construction.

Statistical Data

CRE-MSD is a research centre in the Department of Kinesiology, of the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences. The Centre is funded by the WSIB and collaborates with researchers, institutions, and stakeholder groups across Ontario in its MSD prevention research. The Centre is currently made up of a network of 35 researchers from 9 different institutions. The Centre receives guidance from an 11-person Advisory Committee and has a Steering Group and a Scientific Committee made up of select researchers from its network. The Centre conducts a number of research projects in a variety of industries and sectors and has extensive dealings with the health and safety system.

Specific Accountabilities

Providing support to the Principal Investigator of the project and reports to the Director and Associate Director of CRE-MSD
Coordinating ergonomic site visits and interactions among the investigator group and participating companies; and coordinating interactions between CSAO personnel and the researchers
Coordinating and conducting interviews with companies, unions and workers on the adoption of construction innovation techniques
Evaluating penetration of innovations into the construction sector
Recruiting, interviewing and negotiating with up to 50 companies/unions
Profiling companies
Providing expertise in qualitative data analysis for the duration of the project
Collecting field notes and focus group notes, providing data reductions, including selecting, focusing, and abstracting transcripts according the conceptual framework of Knowledge Translation
Creating products on innovations, such as booklets, information video, tables, charts, research reports, conference posters, and journal articles.

Working Conditions

This position involves a considerable amount of travelling to companies and work sites, and meetings and focus groups. The position has little supervision and thus requires a self-directed and highly motivated individual.