Job Description
RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF THE MUHC
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) is a world-renowned biomedical and hospital research centre. Located in Montreal, Quebec, the Institute is the research arm of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University. The RI-MUHC is supported in part by the Fonds de recherche du Québec - Santé (FRQS).
Position summary
Under the direction of Dr. Esli Osmanlliu, the Research Assistant will contribute to PREDICT-ED (Pediatric Real-time Evaluation and Dynamic Intelligent Crowding Tracking in the Emergency Department), a project focused on developing and retrospectively evaluating machine-learning algorithms to predict pediatric Emergency Department patient volumes, wait times and crowding. The project will use aggregated institutional operational data and external publicly available data to develop predictive models at 6-hour and 24-hour prediction horizons. The position is situated at the intersection of quality improvement, patient safety, health data science, clinical informatics and health-system optimization. This position is suited to an individual with advanced training in computer science, data science or a related field, with a strong interest in applying machine learning and artificial intelligence to improve health-care delivery.
General Duties
- Contribute to the preparation, cleaning, integration and structuring of datasets from institutional operational sources and external publicly available sources,
- Participate in the development of relevant features for predicting pediatric Emergency Department volumes, wait times and crowding,
- Work with longitudinal and time-series data related to patient volumes, wait times, operational resources and other contextual factors,
- Implement, train and compare machine-learning models suitable for time-series forecasting,
- Participate in the retrospective evaluation of predictive models using appropriate performance metrics,
- Apply temporal validation strategies to reduce the risk of overfitting,
- Document data pipelines, code, methodological decisions, analytic assumptions, experimental results and model limitations,
- Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team including clinicians, researchers, clinical informatics specialists, operational stakeholders and data specialists,
- Assist with reports, presentations, scientific abstracts, manuscripts and knowledge-mobilization materials,
- Contribute, where appropriate, to preparation for future prospective evaluation of the developed models.
- Collaborate with researchers, clinicians, and engineers to advance innovative digital health initiatives,
- Ensure regular system updates, troubleshooting, and documentation to support sustainability and knowledge transfer,
- Support testing, evaluation, and quality assurance to maintain the reliability and scalability of digital health solutions.
Standards of performance:
- Follow the agreed upon timeline of project subtasks (including data cleaning, model development, training and evaluation, creation of a visualization tool for use by ED clinicians).
Website of the organization
https://rimuhc.ca/en
Education / Experience
Education: Master's Degree
Field of Study: Computer Science / Computer Engineering, Data Science or related field
Other education considered an asset for this position: Doctorate
Work Experience: 1 to 3 years of relevant experience in scientific programming, data science or machine learning required. Strong proficiency in Python required. Experience with machine-learning libraries (scikit-learn, PyTorch, TensorFlow, XGBoost, pandas, NumPy). Experience with longitudinal data, time-series data, health data or hospital operational data is an asset.
Required Skills
- Knowledge of French is required.
- An advanced knowledge of oral and written English is required, as the position requires regular and complex contact with researchers or international students who are exclusively proficient in English.
- Strong programming skills, particularly in Python,
- Strong communication skills and ability to document technical processes clearly,
- Experience with cloud-based platforms and application deployment,
- Good understanding of supervised machine-learning methods,
- Ability to produce clear, organized, reproducible and well-documented code,
- Scientific rigour, autonomy, organizational skills and attention to detail,
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills,
- Experience or familiarity with MLOps practices (data and model pipeline management, version control, experiment reproducibility, model monitoring and documentation),
- Experience with DevOps practices (e.g., CI/CD pipelines, containerization, cloud automation).
- Familiarité avec les normes de confidentialité et de sécurité des données en santé (p. ex. LPRPDE, HIPAA, RGPD),
- Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.
Additional information
Status: Temporary, full time (35-hour workweek)
Pay Scale: Commensurate with education and experience
Work Shift: Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Work Site: 5252 de Maisonneuve Blvd.
- This position offers the possibility of a hybrid work arrangement (on-site and remote).
Additional specifications: 4-month fixed-term contract starting Summer 2026. Compensation: $30/hr before applicable deductions. Hybrid work arrangement.
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If you wish to include a cover letter, please attach it with your resume in one document. ***
Why work with us?
- 4-week vacation, 5th week after 5 years,
- Bank of 12 paid days (personal days and days for sickness or family obligations),
- 13 paid statutory holidays,
- Modular group insurance plan (including gender affirmation coverage),
- Telemedicine,
- RREGOP (defined benefit government pension plan),
- Training and professional development opportunities,
- Child Care Centres,
- Corporate Discounts (OPUS + Perkopolis),
- Competitive monthly parking rate,
- Employee Assistance Program,
- Recognition Program,
- Flex work options and much more!
https://rimuhc.ca/careers
To learn more about our benefits, please visit http://rimuhc.ca/en/compensation-and-benefits
THIS IS NOT A HOSPITAL POSITION.
Equal Opportunity Employment Program
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity, diversity and inclusion within its community. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates who self-identify as members of racialized groups/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ persons. We also welcome candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may confidentially contact, [email protected]
