Research Associate – Sustainability & Innovation

Who You Are:

As Research Associate, you will support the joint research activities of Ivey’s Building Sustainable Value (BSV) Centre and Innovation North. You will work alongside teams of Ivey faculty and staff, post-doctoral and doctoral researchers, and Master’s and undergraduate students who are all motivated about creating a sustainable and prosperous world. In addition to providing research support, you will also cross-pollinate insights between projects and draw on your existing knowledge from prior experience.

You believe that organizations can create value for themselves and the world simultaneously. You are excited about working with management researchers and business leaders to apply systems thinking to solve complex problems. You value novel, actionable ideas and want to be part of a team that is driven to create real, meaningful change.

You are an exceptional thinker and communicator, who understands systems thinking and sustainability. You are agile in applying systems thinking and collaborative approaches to a broad range of contexts, including the circular economy, finance, the future of work, technology, and net zero. You believe businesses are critical in shaping a positive future, and are willing to work with them to innovate solutions to current macro challenges.

You are naturally curious and love learning. You have a track record in effective written communication, able to present complex ideas clearly for both researchers and practitioners. You are comfortable speaking with diverse audiences, from researchers to senior executives. Finally, you are self-motivated and ambitious and like to work with others, from students to researchers to business leaders.

What You’ll Do:

1. Desktop Research

· Research, analyze and synthesize information from an array of sources such as academic journals, business reports, news articles, and data sets.

· Draft, edit and format project deliverables such as literature reviews, environmental scans, gap analyses, briefing notes, final reports, and presentations.

· Cross-pollinate insights between research projects to share insights and best practices.

· Delegate research tasks to undergraduate and Master’s level research assistants as required.

2. Corporate Partner & Stakeholder Engagement

· Design and facilitate workshops with small groups of stakeholders to generate actionable ideas.

· Conduct and observe interviews with individual stakeholders to get a deeper understanding of the research problem and the structures and flows that shape the system.

· Participate in internal research team meetings and contribute to project management plans, including problem definitions, project scopes, and milestone deadlines.

· Present key findings, results and recommendations to external clients at project update meetings and final presentations.

3. Administration

· Collaborate with BSV’s Associate Director and Innovation North’s Operations Manager to prepare project proposals and respond to grant applications for funding.

· Collaborate with the BSV Centre team and Innovation North’s Project Management Specialist to draft and submit Research Ethics protocols as well as manage time spent across each project.

· Ensure research data (e.g. research documents, video recordings) is stored safe and securely in compliance with Research Ethics requirements.

· Other administrative tasks as required.

What You Have:

Education and Experience:

· Undergraduate degree in social sciences, business, environmental studies, or related field. A graduate degree in these fields would be an asset.

· At least 2 years of industry or consulting experience, with experience in innovation, design thinking or systems thinking processes.

· Experience managing and/or mentoring students or junior researchers an asset

Skills and Abilities:

· Self-learner who is knowledgeable about systems thinking and sustainability, while constantly exposing themselves to new ideas.

· Excellent time management skills with demonstrated capability of managing multiple research projects simultaneously.

· Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for both academic and business audiences.

· Strong relationship building skills and high emotional intelligence: the ability to listen, dialogue, learn, and adapt.

· Ability to self-organize and prioritize, and know when to consult others when uncertain.

· Ability to bring structure to ambiguous problems and take action to solve them.

· Ability to think out of the box and propose creative solutions to complex problems.

· Familiarity with Microsoft Office, project management software (e.g. Basecamp), and collaboration tools (e.g. Miro).

What We Offer:

• A bright, inclusive, and modern eco-friendly working environment
• Flexible or hybrid work plans for many roles
• A collaborative and engaging work culture
• Opportunity to join a community of people-focused professionals
• Market competitive compensation with annual increases available
• Generous benefits package with employer-paid premiums, including a comprehensive Health and Dental Plan, Health Care Spending Account, as well as short- and long-term disability programs
• Enhanced mental health benefits coverage and resources
• A generous group retirement savings plan with 7.5% employer contributions
• Life and AD&D insurance for you and your family
• Out-of-country travel insurance
• Vacation starting at 15 days per year plus 2 paid Ivey Personal Days
• Paid time off during the School’s December holiday closure
• Numerous campus-wide arts, culture, and sport events
• Supports for professional development and career progression opportunities
• Employee Assistance Program with family coverage

Location:

London, Ontario

Position Type:

Full-time (35/hours a week) 3-year renewable contract.

Hiring Range

Based on the salary band for this role, candidates can expect to be offered a starting salary in the range of $55900-$69900. When determining salary, Ivey Business School considers the external market, candidate qualifications, as well as internal equity. Once in the role, successful candidates will have the opportunity to progress through the range and beyond the hiring range of the band, through annual increases.

Application

If you are excited about the opportunity to work for Canada’s most prestigious business school, working alongside the brightest staff, students, and globally recognized faculty, tell us why by submitting your resume and cover letter via the Ivey Careers page today.

Application will close Tuesday, June 13th 2023 at 11:59PM.

Covid-19

For more information regarding Western’s Covid-19 updates, please visit the following link: https://www.uwo.ca/coronavirus/updates/index.html

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Ivey

Ivey Business School is committed to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Please explore Ivey’s EDI homepage for more information on Ivey's commitment to EDI, to read about Ivey’s progress in the EDI Update, and to meet Ivey’s EDI Advisory Council members.

Ivey Business School invites applications from all qualified individuals. Ivey is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace, and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.

Accommodation

Prior to the next step in the recruiting process, we welcome you to inform us confidentially if you may require any special accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment experience. Please contact us at hr@ivey.ca to notify us of any needs related to completing the job application, and/or throughout the recruitment process.