Top Benefits
About the role
Project & Operations Specialist
This is a hybrid position based out of the CIFAR office located in the MaRs Discovery building. Staff are required to be in the office three days a week, ensuring a balance of in-person collaboration and flexibility.
This posting is for a newly created position.
About CIFAR: The Next Leap Starts Here. At CIFAR, we don’t just solve complex challenges; we imagine new possibilities for humanity. We are a global catalyst for breakthroughs, mobilizing the world’s most brilliant minds to tackle the questions that define our future. Founded in Canada and connected to the world, CIFAR is a not-for-profit research organization that provides the platform for high-risk, high-reward research. When you join CIFAR, you aren’t just taking a job: you are joining a community dedicated to the long-term benefit of people and the planet.
For more information, please visit our website.
The Opportunity Reporting to the Head, Research Strategy & Operations, the Project & Operations Specialist plays an important role in supporting the day-to-day operations of CIFAR's Research Department. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys variety, thrives in a collaborative environment, and is motivated by improving how work gets done.
In this role, you’ll bring structure and momentum to departmental and cross-departmental projects, setting up workbacks, tracking milestones, and helping keep people accountable so priorities stay on track. You’ll also contribute to identifying and building practical process improvements, including workflow automations and AI-enabled solutions, that help free up time across the department and improve responsiveness to our research community. As part of a varied mandate, you’ll administer CIFAR's Catalyst Grants program, coordinating cycles from application intake through assessment and reporting.
If you're someone who enjoys finding practical ways to improve workflows, keeping multiple projects organized, and working with a variety of people across an organization, we'd love to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities & Impact: In this role, you will: Coordinate and track a variety of departmental projects, helping to keep priorities organized, timelines on track, and stakeholders informed across multiple concurrent initiatives. Support departmental planning, budgeting, and performance management processes by preparing materials, coordinating inputs, and tracking actions, decisions, and deliverables. Identify opportunities to improve processes and reduce manual work through automation, AI-enabled tools, and better use of operational systems, while supporting the implementation of approved improvements. Administer and support key operational platforms, including grant management and project management systems, ensuring they are well maintained and effectively used across the department. Develop and maintain project documentation, operational procedures, templates, and shared resources that promote consistency and efficiency. Coordinate the day-to-day administration of CIFAR's Catalyst Grants program, supporting the annual grant cycle from application through reporting while ensuring accurate records, communications, and grant administration. Collaborate with colleagues across the Research Department and partner teams, including Finance and IT, to support departmental operations, meetings, events, and cross-functional initiatives. Build strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders while providing responsive, high-quality operational support.
About You You are an organized and proactive operations professional who enjoys building better ways to do things, whether that’s setting up a clean project tracker, automating a manual process or documenting a workflow so that it runs consistently with or without your involvement. You combine strong attention to detail with a technical mindset, and you’re motivated by finding more efficient ways to get things done.
You bring: A bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience. 3–5 years of experience in project coordination, research administration, operations, grants administration, business operations, or a related field. Experience coordinating multiple projects and priorities. Experience in a research, academic, or not-for-profit environment is considered an asset, as are certifications such as CAPM, PMP, Agile, Lean, or Certified Research Administrator. Strong technical aptitude and confidence working with systems such as CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce), project management software (e.g., Asana), online application systems, and productivity tools. Experience supporting process improvements, workflow automation, or operational efficiencies. Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to build effective working relationships across teams. The ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative, high-performing team.
Hiring Salary Range $65,662.50 – $77,250.00, with the ability to progress to a maximum of $88,837.50. To ensure fair and equitable pay at CIFAR, placement on the salary range will be based on your years of experience, skills, and qualifications relevant to the role.
What We Offer Just as we champion the world's best researchers, we champion our people. We offer a culture of collaboration, courage, clarity and curiosity. Our benefits prioritize your well-being, growth and inclusion so you can do your best work in a community of extraordinary thinkers.
Our team members benefit from Comprehensive wellness and benefits - extended health coverage, mental health supports, a defined benefit pension, 4 weeks’ vacation, and “CIFAR Days” (days off with pay) throughout the year. Opportunities for learning and growth - supported by professional development resources. An inclusive, collaborative culture - grounded in our values the “4Cs” (Collaboration, Curiosity, Courage and Clarity), where diverse perspectives are valued and ideas are encouraged. Work Flexibility - We encourage a hybrid working model that includes work-from-home arrangements with a minimum of 3 days in the office and Focus Fridays (meeting-free Fridays every week). Employee Focused - We offer generous maternity and parental leave top-ups and a flexible work environment, including CIFAR Days (designated days off in addition to vacation allotments).
Apply: Qualified applicants are invited to apply by July 26 at 11:59pm. We appreciate your interest in this opportunity, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted via email.
Our Commitment to Inclusion CIFAR is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. We recognize that bringing together individuals from multiple backgrounds, perspectives and experiences is integral to advancing excellence and increasing the impact of our organization. Our leadership, staff and volunteers strive to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace and, in turn, an environment that will give our diverse global community of researchers the support to successfully address the most important questions facing science and humanity. Ensuring that every person feels valued and welcome, regardless of age, education, sexual orientation, gender expression and identity, parental status/responsibility, immigration status, Indigenous status, religion, disability, language, race, place of origin, ethnicity, culture, socio-economic status, and other attributes is vital to achieving our mission. We strongly encourage applications from members of our society who face systemic barriers and biases, including, but not limited to, women, Indigenous persons, members of visible minority/racialized communities, 2SLGBTQ+ persons, members of marginalized gender identity communities, and persons with disabilities. Applicants may confidentially self-identify at the time of application.
ACCESSIBILITY FOR APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES - CIFAR is committed to providing accommodations throughout the recruitment and selection process to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and the Ontario Human Rights Code. To request a reasonable accommodation, please email hrteam@cifar.ca and include the term ‘Accessibility’ in the Subject Line, or call 416-971-4251. Please provide your name, preferred contact method, and a detailed description of the nature of any accommodation that you may require. Please include any materials or processes that may be used to ensure your equal participation.
CIFAR frequently communicates in both official languages and our preference is to hire employees who are fluent in both English and French where possible. Other languages are also considered an asset. For a French version of the job posting, please visit www.cifar.ca.
CIFAR is supported by the governments of Canada, Alberta, and Quebec, as well as international partner organizations, individuals, foundations, and corporations.
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Top Benefits
About the role
Project & Operations Specialist
This is a hybrid position based out of the CIFAR office located in the MaRs Discovery building. Staff are required to be in the office three days a week, ensuring a balance of in-person collaboration and flexibility.
This posting is for a newly created position.
About CIFAR: The Next Leap Starts Here. At CIFAR, we don’t just solve complex challenges; we imagine new possibilities for humanity. We are a global catalyst for breakthroughs, mobilizing the world’s most brilliant minds to tackle the questions that define our future. Founded in Canada and connected to the world, CIFAR is a not-for-profit research organization that provides the platform for high-risk, high-reward research. When you join CIFAR, you aren’t just taking a job: you are joining a community dedicated to the long-term benefit of people and the planet.
For more information, please visit our website.
The Opportunity Reporting to the Head, Research Strategy & Operations, the Project & Operations Specialist plays an important role in supporting the day-to-day operations of CIFAR's Research Department. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys variety, thrives in a collaborative environment, and is motivated by improving how work gets done.
In this role, you’ll bring structure and momentum to departmental and cross-departmental projects, setting up workbacks, tracking milestones, and helping keep people accountable so priorities stay on track. You’ll also contribute to identifying and building practical process improvements, including workflow automations and AI-enabled solutions, that help free up time across the department and improve responsiveness to our research community. As part of a varied mandate, you’ll administer CIFAR's Catalyst Grants program, coordinating cycles from application intake through assessment and reporting.
If you're someone who enjoys finding practical ways to improve workflows, keeping multiple projects organized, and working with a variety of people across an organization, we'd love to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities & Impact: In this role, you will: Coordinate and track a variety of departmental projects, helping to keep priorities organized, timelines on track, and stakeholders informed across multiple concurrent initiatives. Support departmental planning, budgeting, and performance management processes by preparing materials, coordinating inputs, and tracking actions, decisions, and deliverables. Identify opportunities to improve processes and reduce manual work through automation, AI-enabled tools, and better use of operational systems, while supporting the implementation of approved improvements. Administer and support key operational platforms, including grant management and project management systems, ensuring they are well maintained and effectively used across the department. Develop and maintain project documentation, operational procedures, templates, and shared resources that promote consistency and efficiency. Coordinate the day-to-day administration of CIFAR's Catalyst Grants program, supporting the annual grant cycle from application through reporting while ensuring accurate records, communications, and grant administration. Collaborate with colleagues across the Research Department and partner teams, including Finance and IT, to support departmental operations, meetings, events, and cross-functional initiatives. Build strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders while providing responsive, high-quality operational support.
About You You are an organized and proactive operations professional who enjoys building better ways to do things, whether that’s setting up a clean project tracker, automating a manual process or documenting a workflow so that it runs consistently with or without your involvement. You combine strong attention to detail with a technical mindset, and you’re motivated by finding more efficient ways to get things done.
You bring: A bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience. 3–5 years of experience in project coordination, research administration, operations, grants administration, business operations, or a related field. Experience coordinating multiple projects and priorities. Experience in a research, academic, or not-for-profit environment is considered an asset, as are certifications such as CAPM, PMP, Agile, Lean, or Certified Research Administrator. Strong technical aptitude and confidence working with systems such as CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce), project management software (e.g., Asana), online application systems, and productivity tools. Experience supporting process improvements, workflow automation, or operational efficiencies. Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to build effective working relationships across teams. The ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative, high-performing team.
Hiring Salary Range $65,662.50 – $77,250.00, with the ability to progress to a maximum of $88,837.50. To ensure fair and equitable pay at CIFAR, placement on the salary range will be based on your years of experience, skills, and qualifications relevant to the role.
What We Offer Just as we champion the world's best researchers, we champion our people. We offer a culture of collaboration, courage, clarity and curiosity. Our benefits prioritize your well-being, growth and inclusion so you can do your best work in a community of extraordinary thinkers.
Our team members benefit from Comprehensive wellness and benefits - extended health coverage, mental health supports, a defined benefit pension, 4 weeks’ vacation, and “CIFAR Days” (days off with pay) throughout the year. Opportunities for learning and growth - supported by professional development resources. An inclusive, collaborative culture - grounded in our values the “4Cs” (Collaboration, Curiosity, Courage and Clarity), where diverse perspectives are valued and ideas are encouraged. Work Flexibility - We encourage a hybrid working model that includes work-from-home arrangements with a minimum of 3 days in the office and Focus Fridays (meeting-free Fridays every week). Employee Focused - We offer generous maternity and parental leave top-ups and a flexible work environment, including CIFAR Days (designated days off in addition to vacation allotments).
Apply: Qualified applicants are invited to apply by July 26 at 11:59pm. We appreciate your interest in this opportunity, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted via email.
Our Commitment to Inclusion CIFAR is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. We recognize that bringing together individuals from multiple backgrounds, perspectives and experiences is integral to advancing excellence and increasing the impact of our organization. Our leadership, staff and volunteers strive to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace and, in turn, an environment that will give our diverse global community of researchers the support to successfully address the most important questions facing science and humanity. Ensuring that every person feels valued and welcome, regardless of age, education, sexual orientation, gender expression and identity, parental status/responsibility, immigration status, Indigenous status, religion, disability, language, race, place of origin, ethnicity, culture, socio-economic status, and other attributes is vital to achieving our mission. We strongly encourage applications from members of our society who face systemic barriers and biases, including, but not limited to, women, Indigenous persons, members of visible minority/racialized communities, 2SLGBTQ+ persons, members of marginalized gender identity communities, and persons with disabilities. Applicants may confidentially self-identify at the time of application.
ACCESSIBILITY FOR APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES - CIFAR is committed to providing accommodations throughout the recruitment and selection process to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and the Ontario Human Rights Code. To request a reasonable accommodation, please email hrteam@cifar.ca and include the term ‘Accessibility’ in the Subject Line, or call 416-971-4251. Please provide your name, preferred contact method, and a detailed description of the nature of any accommodation that you may require. Please include any materials or processes that may be used to ensure your equal participation.
CIFAR frequently communicates in both official languages and our preference is to hire employees who are fluent in both English and French where possible. Other languages are also considered an asset. For a French version of the job posting, please visit www.cifar.ca.
CIFAR is supported by the governments of Canada, Alberta, and Quebec, as well as international partner organizations, individuals, foundations, and corporations.