Research & Development Specialist

Halifax Regional Municipality is inviting applications for one Temporary, Full-Time position of Research and Development Specialist in Community Safety. 

Should this position become permanent through the business planning process, the successful candidate may be offered the permanent position without a further job competition process, provided the incumbent has met the required performance expectations for the position.

Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) is committed to reflecting the community it serves and recognizing Diversity and Inclusion as one of the Municipality’s core values. We have an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Women in occupations or positions where they are underrepresented in the workforce, Indigenous/Aboriginal People, Persons with Disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+ Persons. Applicants are encouraged to self-identify on their electronic application.

Reporting to the Public Safety Advisor, Community Safety, the Research & Development Specialist is a collaborative, strategic researcher and thought leader providing guidance and support to the Community Safety Business Unit in qualitative and quantitative research, program strategy and development, and business analysis. Promoting innovative areas of research design and participatory evaluation processes, the Research & Development Specialist sources valid data, trends, and practices through community and academic partnerships, and leads the impact analysis and monitoring of the municipality’s Public Safety Strategy.  The Specialist will play a leading role in driving an evidence-led approach to equitable service delivery. 

The Specialist helps shape the future of Community Safety by leading the development, collection, and analysis of data and evidence to inform decision making, develops evaluation tools to monitor and refine progress on key deliverables across the Business Unit and recommends evidence-informed changes to improve safety and wellbeing outcomes for residents.  

The Specialist liaises with research and information specialists in other business units as an internal consultant providing valuable strategic insight as a catalyst for cross-departmental team building, horizontal integration across business units, and evidence-led support for the strategies and initiatives of Community Safety. The Specialist also plays a prominent role in creating a positive community safety culture with a focus on equity and accountability through innovation and collaboration.  

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Research a wide range of community safety and wellbeing conditions, issues, challenges, and solutions in relation to Community Safety business areas, ensuring the quality, accuracy, timeliness and reliability of research and products. 
• Develop and recommend high impact research, modelling, projection, and other data projects that reflect corporate priorities  
• Manage and guide the work of external research consultants to ensure compliance with contracted deliverables and schedules. Provide challenge and oversight function on externally contracted research, analysis, and data development. 
• Provide briefing material, background documents and memoranda for management, senior management to support decision-making.  
• Contribute to the achievement of strategic departmental priorities, including the Public Safety Strategy, Just Food, and the Housing and Homelessness Framework.
• Identify issues and share information and expertise with internal stakeholders; consult with stakeholders to ensure thorough understanding of their information requirements and how to meet them.
• Provides analytical assistance to staff in interpreting research and ensures academic rigor to support decision making that is based on valid data
• Offer support and advice to business units in research and development work in conjunction with other HRM units
• Act as an internal resource on pertinent subject matter and delivers formal presentations to senior management and stakeholders.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Education and Experience:

• Master's degree in a social science field or related discipline
• Minimum of 5 years related research experience 
• Demonstrated experience developing research projects in terms of scope, objectives, methodologies, and management. 
• Working knowledge of the local, regional, and national community safety ecosystem, and the social, economic, and political trends, factors and issues that affect community safety and wellbeing.
• Demonstrated experience in leading/coordinating research projects
• Ability to influence others and build cross-sectoral capacity
• Demonstrated experience in report writing and presentations.

Technical / Job Specific Knowledge and Abilities:

• Strong interpersonal skills with research affiliations in research communities.
• Advanced knowledge of qualitative, quantitative, and participatory research methodologies and software tools for conducting qualitative, quantitative, and spatial analysis.
• Strong written and oral communication skills including negotiation and influencing skills.
• Knowledge of culturally proficient ways of working with equity-deserving communities including urban Indigenous peoples, local African Nova Scotians, African descent communities, racialized peoples, members of the 2SLGBTQ+ communities, and persons with disabilities. 

Security Clearance Requirements: Applicants may be required to complete an employment security screening check.

Please note – Testing may be conducted as a component of the selection process to assess technical and job specific knowledge. Candidates, who are selected for testing, may be tested in a group setting, scheduled at the employer’s discretion. 

COMPETENCIES: Analytical Thinking, Communication, Customer Service, Decision Making, Organizational Awareness, Teamwork & Cooperation, Valuing Diversity

WORK STATUS: Term, Full Time Position (ending March 31, 2029)

HOURS OF WORK: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm for 35 hours per week

SALARY: NU08 on the non-union salary scale; $89,570 - $115,920. Salary to be commensurate with experience. 

WORK LOCATION: 7th Floor, Duke Tower, Halifax

CLOSING DATE:  Applications will be received up to 11:59 pm on Tuesday October 20, 2026.

Please note: We thank all applicants for their interest in this position. Only those applicants selected for interview/testing will be contacted.

To ensure a fair and equitable hiring process, candidates are expected to complete all parts of the recruitment process, including assessments, assignments, and interviews independently and without the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools or other forms of external assistance. The use of AI to complete any component of the hiring process is not permitted and may result in disqualification from consideration.

During the recruitment process, applicants have the right to request an accommodation. Applicants invited to participate in an assessment process (such as interview or testing) and who require an accommodation, should discuss their needs with the Talent Acquisition Advisor when invited to the assessment process. For more information on our accommodation process please click on the link; Accommodations | Hiring | Employment | Halifax

(position # 78640848)