Research Officer, Ontario Veterinary College

General Purpose

The Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) is ranked first in Canada and sixth worldwide for veterinary science, according to the QS World University Rankings. OVC is home to more than one hundred faculty and 400 graduate students. OVC has averaged $16.9 million annually in research funds from 2021-2024, including $2.5 million  from industry, $7.9 million  in Tri-Council (NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC) and other Federal funding, $2.8 million from non-profit/charitable organizations and $4.3 million from OMAFRA and other ministries. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The Research Officer plays a pivotal role in supporting the College Research Manager (CRM) and the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies (ADRGS) to strengthen the research capabilities of the OVC. This includes supporting faculty and staff with the preparation and submission of grant proposals for major funding agencies, coordinating peer reviews, and ensuring compliance with agency requirements and deadlines. The incumbent will work to enhance faculty awareness of research award opportunities and support the development of award nomination packages. Additionally, the Research Officer gathers and analyzes research-related data, maintains centralized databases, facilitates internal grant processes, and contributes to diversity and inclusion initiatives within research programs. 

The Research Officer will support the OVC graduate scholarship processes and help organize key graduate student events, such as the OVC Graduate Student Research Symposium and the three-minute thesis competition. The position also involves special projects and operational tasks, such as room bookings and equipment maintenance for the Comparative Clinical Research Building. 

Finally, the Research Officer will contribute to research communications. Working closely with the CRM and the OVC communications team, the incumbent will identify research stories for OVC publications, write selected stories, and support the graduate student writers’ program. 

Requirements 

• Minimum of an Undergraduate degree followed by a minimum of 2 years of related work experience. 

• Preference for a Master’s degree in a science-related or communications field or an equivalent combination of education and experience 

• Experience in writing and editing of scientific documents, analyzing data, and developing grant proposals 

• Highly skilled writer and editor, able to create content quickly, creatively, accurately and for a variety of mediums while maintaining the highest quality 

• Ability to understand and distill complex academic information into plain language to successfully promote research. 

• Ability to work with diverse stakeholders 

• Strong project management and organizational skills to meet changing and time-sensitive deadlines 

• Diplomacy and tact to deal with a variety of stakeholders