Position Title: University Research Assistant
Office Location: Canada, remote work – Eastern Standard Time work hours – generally
Type: Full-time (Temporary, 8-week placement)
Salary: $19.60/Hourly
Start Date: July 6, 2026
Position Overview
Join Autism Alliance of Canada for an 8-week Canada Summer Jobs placement as a University Research Assistant, where you will support our research and policy portfolio and contribute to advancing the organization’s mission Your responsibilities will include assisting with project coordination, providing research support, and performing operational and administrative tasks that drive the Alliance’s goals in autism advocacy, research.
About you
You are a driven and detail-oriented professional with a passion for supporting impactful projects within the nonprofit sector. As a collaborative team player, you are eager to contribute to the Alliance’s mission by nurturing relationships with collaborative partners and members, and by championing our commitment to excellence in every project you undertake. You demonstrate flexibility and responsiveness in an ever-evolving environment, ensuring that the Alliance remains at the forefront of advocacy and support for the autism community. Your goal is to make a meaningful impact through work you are passionate about.
As a collaborative team player, you thrive in environments where you can support operational tasks and facilitate communication among diverse stakeholders. Your administrative support ensures the smooth functioning of working groups and committees, contributing to the overall success of Autism Alliance of Canada’s initiatives.
Key Responsibilities:
- Project Coordination:
- Assist in the administration, coordination, and execution of various projects and initiatives.
- Attend committee and working group meetings related to projects and initiatives.
- Provide logistical support for committee meetings and workshops.
- Research Support:
- Support research efforts by gathering and organizing data to inform policy recommendations and complete research projects.
- Conduct literature searches and reviews to support research activities.
- Summarize and synthesize relevant literature for project teams.
- Assist in preparing grant proposals, progress reports, and manuscripts.
- Administrative Support:
- Provide administrative support for the Scientific Director of the Autism Alliance of Canada and the Alliance’s working groups and committees.
- Special Projects and Collaborations:
- Support special projects and collaborations as determined by organizational needs, including supporting the development of a tool kit for best practices to include Autistic people in research, supporting the development of a lived advisory group, and the ECHO project.
Position requirements
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in health-related fields with relevant research experience, or a Master’s degree in a related discipline.
- Experience collaborating/supporting with Autistic people, those with neurodevelopmental disabilities, their families, or professionals in autism research or service provision.
- Experience in research, accessibility and inclusion, or political advocacy is highly desirable.
- Languages: Bilingual French and English preferred
- Priority will be given to Autistic applicants.
Skills and Knowledge:
- Research and technical skills: Advanced understanding of research ethics, including confidentiality and consent, with a specific focus on ethical considerations for research involving people with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Strong analytical skills to interpret data, identify trends, and draw meaningful conclusions.
- Technical Proficiency: Advanced proficiency in Google Suite (Drive, Docs, Slides, Gmail, Meetings), Mailchimp, Eventbrite, WordPress, Zoom, and Canva. Familiarity with Slack and Trello is an asset.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills, with a proven ability to multitask and pay close attention to detail.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
- Knowledge of the non-profit and disability sectors is an asset.
Personal Attributes:
- Dependable, reliable, self-motivated, and goal-oriented.
- Passionate, with a strong sense of integrity and energy
- Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
