Description
Area: Knowledge Mobilization, Implementation Science, and Child Health
Duration: 2 Years
Start Date: August 2026
Salary: $65,000/year plus benefits
The Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary is accepting applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar in Knowledge Mobilization, Implementation Science, and Child Health.
Job Description:
We invite applications for a Postdoctoral Associate position focused on advancing leading approaches in knowledge mobilization to accelerate value and impact in child health. This role is undertaken in partnership with the Value, Impact, and Knowledge Mobilization (VIKM) Accelerator within UCalgary's One Child Every Child initiative, and the Partnering For Pain and PEAK research teams; thus, offering a rich, transdisciplinary, applied research environment.
The Postdoctoral Associate will work with direct supervision and support from Dr. Katie Birnie (Departments of Anesthesiology and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine; VIKM Knowledge Mobilization Lead; Associate Scientific Director ¿ Population Health, O'Brien Institute for Public Health) and collaborate closely with national and international leaders in health economics and health services research (Dr. Deborah Marshall), research impact (Dr. Kathryn Graham), and equity-oriented research in pediatric pain (Dr. Melanie Noel), among others.
The primary focus of this postdoctoral position is to undertake knowledge mobilization science in child health. This work is intended to move forward leading approaches to knowledge mobilization by integrating community-identified priorities with available research evidence, resources, and real-world context. Using primarily implementation science theory and methods, this work will identify when, where, how, and with whom community priorities for child health are most effectively actioned across research, care, and policy. The program of research will be primarily informed by, but not limited to, existing community-based priority setting initiatives in child health at the intersections of pediatric pain, mental health, neurodevelopmental disabilities, and primary/community-based care. The goal is to develop shared learnings and tools with applicability and scalability across broad areas of child health.
The research activities will use mixed methods approaches, inclusive of qualitative interviews, surveys, knowledge synthesis, implementation science, knowledge mobilization tool development, and diverse interest-holder and community engagement (children/youth, families and caregivers, health professionals, decisionmakers, and organizational partners).
The Postdoctoral Associate will work within a highly collaborative, transdisciplinary, team-based research environment, contributing alongside other scholars across the career spectrum, trainees, and community partners. This position is ideal for an emerging scholar eager to advance innovative, applied, and equity-informed approaches to knowledge mobilization and partnership in child health. Time will also be provided for the postdoctoral scholar to build and advance their own complimentary program of work. The successful scholar will be strongly encouraged to apply for local, national, and international awards.
Qualifications:
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Applicant must hold a PhD* in a health-related field, such as psychology, public health, community health sciences, or a related discipline by the time of the position start.
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Strong experience with knowledge mobilization and implementation science.
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Experience with mixed-methods research preferred.
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Experience in child health, health equity, and partnerships preferred.
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Demonstrated capacity to work effectively in a collaborative environment.
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Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Please review the Postdoc Eligibility Guidelines for more information prior to applying for this position.
Application Details: July 20, 2026
Please submit your application as a single PDF file with the subject line: Postdoctoral Application [Your name] to Dr. Katie Birnie, Associate Professor at [email protected]
All applications must include:
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Cover Letter that explains how the applicant's research and previous experiences are well-suited for the position.
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Current curriculum vitae (CV).
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Official or unofficial copy of diploma(s) / university certificate(s).
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Contact information including email addresses for two (2) references to support the application.
The terms and conditions of employment are covered under the UCalgary and PDAC Collective Agreement. To find out more about postdoctoral scholar program at the University of Calgary visit our Postdocs website.
To learn more about postdoctoral scholar opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Postdoc Careers website.
About the University of Calgary
UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.
About Calgary, Alberta
Calgary is one of the world's cleanest cities and has been named one of the world's most livable cities for years. Calgary is a city of leaders' in business, community, philanthropy and volunteerism. Calgarians benefit from the strongest economy in the nation and enjoy more days of sunshine per year than any other major Canadian city. Calgary is less than an hour's drive from the Rocky Mountains and boasts the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America.
With a growing urban Indigenous population of approximately 50,000 people, there are several Indigenous organizations and many events and ceremonies taking place in the city throughout the year.
The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy ii' taa'poh'to'p 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.
The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.
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 Institutional Commitments ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture ([email protected]).
