Student Opportunity SU26 - Chronic Pain Management: Data Analysis and Tool Development RAY

Post

Published on February 10, 2026

Job ID: 135745

Job Title: Chronic Pain Management: Data Analysis and Tool Development RAY

Application Deadline: Sunday, April 5, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m. ET

Applications are only accepted through the Career Centre. Go to the Experience York portal through Passport York and search for the posting with the Job ID listed above. Note: applicants must be eligible to participate in the Research @ York (RAY) program, see eligibility criteria.

Hourly wage: $20 per hour

Hours per week: 15 hours per week

Start date: April 27, 2026

End date: September 4, 2026

Job description

Under the supervision of Dr. Desai, the Chronic Pain Management RAY student (for up to 15 hours per week) will support the project that focuses on the design of a chronic pain assessment and management tool grounded in qualitative research with people living with chronic pain. Over several years, the research team has collected rich qualitative data (e.g., interviews, workshop materials, design artifacts) exploring lived experiences of pain, self-management practices, and communication challenges with clinicians and caregivers. Earlier phases of the project included exploratory tool development. The current phase aims to systematically analyze the existing data using thematic analysis and to refine and finalize a pain assessment tool informed by these findings.

Specific research activities the student(s) will be engaged in:

The undergraduate student will:

• Assist with qualitative data analysis using thematic analysis methods
• Support data organization, coding, and synthesis of key themes related to pain experience and management
• Review and consolidate findings from prior tool development work
• Contribute to the refinement and finalization of a pain assessment tool, including content structure and interaction concepts
• Assist with documentation of analysis decisions, design iterations, and research outputs
• Participate in regular lab meetings and design discussions

Type of research experience the student(s) will receive:

The student will gain experience in:

The student will gain research experience in:

• Qualitative research methods, with a focus on thematic analysis
• Health and pain-related design research
• Translating qualitative insights into practical design outcomes
• Research through design and user-centred design processes
• Working within an interdisciplinary research lab environment

Type of training and support that will be provided to the student(s) in carrying out these research activities:

The student will receive:

• Training in thematic analysis and qualitative coding techniques
• Mentorship and supervision from the faculty supervisor
• Guidance on ethical handling of sensitive health-related data
• Support in applying qualitative findings to tool and system design
• Regular feedback through lab meetings and one-on-one check-ins

Qualifications

• Background or interest in Design, Psychology, Health Studies, Digital Media, Human–Computer Interaction, or a related field
• Interest and experience in qualitative research
• Experience designing and developing interactive interfaces (such as web and app) – it is expected that the deliverable is not just Figma but a functional prototype deployed and ready for testing
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work with sensitive data in a respectful and confidential manner

Application materials

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Please provide the name and contact information of two references

If you have any questions, please email Shital Desai.

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