DRUG CHECKING DATA ANALYST

Job description
MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions’ Drug Checking Unit, housed withinSt. Michael’s Hospital, a site of Unity Health Toronto, is recruiting a data analyst to manage, interpret, and report on data collected and generated by our provincial public health program, Ontario’s Drug Checking Community. A primary source of real-time unregulated drug market monitoring information in Canada, Ontario’s Drug Checking Community aims to reduce the harms associated with substance use and, specifically, to prevent overdose.
Toronto’s Drug Checking Service is the flagship program of Ontario’s Drug Checking Community and was the first drug checking program in the province. Since launching in October of 2019, Toronto’s Drug Checking Service has checked over 18,000 samples, helping people who use drugs make informed drug use decisions, while equipping health and social service providers provincially, nationally, and internationally with evidence to respond to the worsening toxic drug supply crisis.
The program has recently received additional funding from Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program to expand service delivery across the province. To support and enhance our efforts in unregulated drug market monitoring and knowledge translation, we are seeking a self-motivated individual with exceptional attention to detail, a curious and analytical mindset, with a strong sense of initiative; someone eager to apply their expertise in an emerging area of public health.
This is a full-time temporary position (12 months: October 2025 – October 2026, with the possibility of extension) responsible for leading the program’s data operation and workflow. This role requires the successful candidate to be onsite 2 – 3 days per week at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital in downtown Toronto.
Core activities and duties associated with the data analyst position include:
Keeps the program’s central team apprised of the emergence of novel psychoactive substances and unregulated drug market trends in real time, and translates that information to people who use drugs, people who care for people who use drugs, researchers, policy makers, and others in ways that are digestible and applicable
Thinks creatively and strategically about how data generated by the program can be used to advocate for more services and safer alternatives for people who use drugs
Develops service utilization reports for the public, collection sites, as well as for funders and regulators on a regular basis
Monitors, analyzes, and makes conclusions related to the program’s performance measurement and evaluation
This position provides an opportunity to participate in academic presentations and publications, should those be of interest and, most importantly, provides an exciting opportunity to contribute to bettering the lives of people who use drugs.

QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, AND SKILLS

Bachelor’s degree with a specialization in statistics, epidemiology, information systems, public health, sociology, or a related field; or equivalent relevant experience
Proficiency with statistical analysis in an applied setting using R, SAS, or a similar application required
SQL experience required
2 – 4 years of experience as a data analyst, including hands-on work with data cleaning, statistical analysis, and data visualization tools (particularly Tableau)
A commitment to contributing to bettering the lives of and reducing the stigma faced by people who use drugs required
Proficient with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, etc.) required
A deep understanding of novel psychoactive substances and the unregulated drug supply an asset
Experience using Metabase an asset
Survey development experience an asset
Demonstrated analytical and problem solving skills
Demonstrated exceptional attention to detail and accuracy
Must be adaptable to a fast changing, highly technological environment
Works cooperatively in a team environment but also independently with limited supervision
Excellent organizational skills to manage multiple tasks in a timely manner and flexibility to adapt to changing workload
Excellent communication skills (verbal/written)
Unity Health Toronto is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We strive to provide a recruitment process that is barrier-free and in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. We understand that you may require an accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process. When you are contacted, please inform the Talent Acquisition Specialist and we will work with you to meet your accommodation needs. We want to emphasize that all accommodation requests are handled with the utmost confidentiality, respecting your privacy and dignity.

Data analysis and management
Extract, clean, manipulate, organize, and analyze program data using data analysis software applications, such as Excel, R, and other programs as needed
Identify, design, and apply methods for data analysis
Identify and keep the program’s central team apprised of issues and errors related to data collection, management, and analysis
Recommend how to improve data collection and management to ensure integrity of all data associated with the program
Develop documentation related to data cleaning, analysis, and management, such as standard operating procedures, best practices, and guidelines for dissemination to the drug checking community
Monitor data generated on the composition of the unregulated drug supply and keep the program’s central team apprised of the presence of novel psychoactive substances and emerging unregulated drug market trends
Develop processes to aggregate data collected and generated from a variety of drug checking programs that use a variety of distinct drug checking technologies
Develop and maintain data request processes, including making recommendations related to the approval of data requests
Contribute to the further development and iteration of the program’s custom web-based software, specifically, as it relates to data collection and management (e.g., liaise with service providers, including software designers and engineers related to data management and visualization)
Data visualization development and management
Provide technical expertise and lead the development of data visualizations on the composition of the unregulated drug supply for both internal purposes and public dissemination (primarily by way of the program’s website) using Excel, Tableau, and other programs as needed
Maintain all data visualizations data sources and regularly audit visualizations to ensure data accuracy
Develop reports and reporting templates
Develop reports for regulators (i.e., Health Canada’s Office of Controlled Substances) related to program activities
Contribute to the development of reports for funders, as well as funding applications, specifically related to performance measurement and evaluation activities
Knowledge translation
Research unregulated drug market trends and translate findings to the program’s central team
Think critically about and recommend to the program’s central team how to translate findings generated by drug checking services in a way that is digestible to a diverse community of people who use drugs, harm reductionists, clinicians, policy makers, researchers, and others
Contribute to and lead (if interested) the development of manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals
Contribute to the defining limitations associated with drug checking technologies using data
Engage with program members, partners, and collaborators to discuss and clarify data requirements and provide an overview on the use and interpretation of the program’s data
Other related activities as requested by the program’s central team