Job ID
76709
Job Title
Network Engagement Associate
Regular/Temporary
Regular
Location
Central Campus
Open Date
2026/06/15
Job Type
Limited Term (>12 months)
Close Date
2026/06/29
Employee Group
Unifor Unit 1, Staff
Favorite Job
Department
M G Degroote Inst for Pain
Full/Part Time
Full-Time
Salary Grade/Band
Grade 8
Salary Range
$31.91 - $44.92 (hourly)
Job Code
JD1685
Existing Vacancy
Yes - Newly Created Position
Contract Duration
32.3 Months
Target Number of Openings
1
Hours per Week
35
Posting Details
Schedule
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Education Level
Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field
Career Level
Requires 3 years of relevant experience
Start Date
As soon as possible
Job Description
About the Chronic Pain Network
The Chronic Pain Network (CPN) is Canada’s national network for patient-oriented chronic pain research. Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), we bring together people living with pain, researchers, clinicians, trainees, policymakers, and health system leaders to improve the lives of the approximately one in five Canadians affected by chronic pain.
Our work is grounded in meaningful partnership with people with lived and living experience of pain. We support and connect the pain research community through training and capacity building, patient engagement initiatives, knowledge mobilization activities, and collaborations that accelerate the translation of evidence into practice and policy. By fostering innovation, strengthening research partnerships, and amplifying diverse voices, we are helping to transform how pain is understood, researched, and managed across Canada.
The Network Engagement Associate plays a central role in advancing the Chronic Pain Network's mission by fostering meaningful relationships and creating opportunities for engagement across Canada's patient-oriented pain research community. Reporting to the Managing Director, this position supports the recruitment, onboarding, development, and ongoing engagement of people with lived and living experience of pain and other Network members.
Recruitment & Selection of People with Lived Experience
- Identifies and recruits, new members to serve on Network committees and projects.
- Builds and maintains relationships with diverse communities, including equity-deserving groups, to strengthen inclusion and representation.
- Interviews and selects potential new members
- Develops and operationalizes membership frameworks, including value propositions and engagement pathways.
Onboarding & Training of People with Lived Experience and Network Members
- Develops and implements strategies to support network growth, accessibility, and member engagement across multiple partner groups.
- Develops and conducts training of new people with lived experience on the Network, the role of people with lived experience in research, governance, and knowledge mobilization.
- Onboards new Network Members about the Network and conducts training on patient-oreinted research in collaboration with Training & Capacity Building Leads.
- Conducts an annual needs assessment and training plan to develop existing People with Lived Experience and Network Members
Committees
- Co-leads the Patient Engagement Committee for the Network, setting the agenda and workplan to align with the goals of the Network and grant funding.
- Participate in national patient engagement initiatives, representing the Network, including the SPOR Patient Engagement National Communty of Practice, Putting the Pieces Together Committee, and National Pain Awareness Week committee, etc.
Engagement of People with Lived Experience and Network Membership
- Analyze and extract data through focus group/surveys and provide recommendation on what engagement strategies should be implemented.
- Conduct key informant interviews, surveys and focus groups to understand the needs of People with Lived Experience and Network Membership.
- Develops and implements patient and community engagement strategies to support meaningful, equitable, and inclusive participation of individuals across programs and initiatives.
- Supports and advises participants engaged in projects, governance, and related activities to enhance their experience and contributions.
Marketing & Communications
- Collaborates with internal teams and external partners to coordinate communications and enhance visibility of initiatives.
- Develops and executes communication strategies aligned with organizational priorities to enhance reach and impact.
- Creates, edits, and disseminates a variety of communication materials including reports, newsletters, website and social media content.
- Translates complex information into accessible and audience-appropriate formats to support understanding and uptake.
- Develops and delivers content that supports storytelling, reporting, and demonstrating program impact to partners.
- Develop and deliver presentations to audiences both internal and external about the Network and raising visibility on Netowrk patient engagement initiatives.
Evaluation & Impact
- Monitors, tracks, and analyzes engagement metrics and prepares reports to inform planning and decision-making.
- Leads evauation of Network’s patient engagement, publishes results, and determines an action plan to address areas for improvement.
How To Apply
To apply for this job, please submit your application online.
Employment Equity Statement
McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations and within the lands protected by the “Dish With One Spoon” wampum agreement.
The diversity of our workforce is at the core of our innovation and creativity and strengthens our research and teaching excellence. In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster University strives to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity, and has a strong commitment to employment equity.
The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives, and especially welcomes applications from indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit) peoples, members of racialized communities, persons with disabilities, women, and persons who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.
As part of McMaster’s commitment, all applicants are invited to complete a confidential Applicant Diversity Survey through the online application submission process. The Survey questionnaire requests voluntary self-identification in relation to equity-seeking groups that have historically faced and continue to face barriers in employment. Please refer to the Applicant Diversity Survey - Statement of Collection for additional information.
Job applicants requiring accommodation to participate in the hiring process should contact:
- Human Resources Service Centre at 905-525-9140 ext. 222-HR (22247), or
- Faculty of Health Sciences HR Office at ext. 22207, or
- School of Graduate Studies at ext. 23679
to communicate accommodation needs.
Hybrid Work Language
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