Research Assistant, Volunteer

Research Assistant, Volunteer

About the Pet Cancer Foundation

The Pet Cancer Foundation’s vision is to increase the life expectancy and improve the quality of life of pets diagnosed with cancer. Estimates currently suggest that approximately 12M dogs and cats are developing cancer every year, which is roughly 6x the number of humans getting cancer yearly within North America.

As our Website Editorial teams grow, we need diligent, organized researchers to find, evaluate, and organize source material that supports accurate articles and resources for pet families. That’s where and how you can help us.

About the position

The volunteer Research Assistant supports assigned content teams by gathering and organizing source material used to create PCF articles and resources. Depending on the assignment, this may include peer-reviewed literature, veterinary and professional listings, clinical trial information, interviews, or other publicly available research. For literature-review assignments, you search thoroughly, summarize relevant studies, and complete GRADE or GRADE-CERQual assessments when required. You keep files organized in Google Drive and submit complete work so writing and review teams can move forward with confidence.

Please leave a note with your application acknowledging your awareness of the volunteer nature of this position. We will only contact and proceed with candidates who confirm their understanding.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct research using scientific databases, manuscript archives, veterinary sources, and other approved public sources.
• Gather, organize, and upload source material to shared Google Drive folders in a clear, consistent format.
• For assigned literature reviews, conduct thorough searches to identify relevant peer-reviewed manuscripts, prepare clear summaries, and complete GRADE and GRADE-CERQual assessments to justify inclusion or exclusion of each source, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the topic from multiple angles.
• Complete non-literature assignments as needed, including compiling listings, gathering publicly available data, or supporting interview and profile research.
• Document sources carefully so other team members can retrieve and verify the material.
• Meet assignment deadlines and communicate promptly if a timeline is at risk.
• Follow PCF research standards, naming conventions, and confidentiality requirements.

About You

You’re organized, precise, and comfortable working with scientific or professional source material. You take pride in thorough research and clean documentation. You bring:

• Master’s degree in a life science preferred, completed undergraduate degree will be considered.
• Experience conducting academic, scientific, or professional research (student, research assistant, librarian, or similar experience).
• Ability to search databases and evaluate whether sources are relevant and credible.
• Strong attention to detail and organized file-management habits.
• Clear written communication and comfort summarizing research findings.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace (Drive, Docs, Sheets).
• Ability to work independently in a remote volunteer environment while meeting deadlines.
• Genuine interest in PCF’s mission and in supporting accurate information for pet families.

Why Volunteer?

Volunteering as a Research Assistant puts you at the start of PCF’s content process. You’ll help build the evidence base behind published articles, gain experience with structured research and documentation, and contribute directly to resources that support pet families.

Footnotes

• Please include a short note with your application that clearly states you are willing to volunteer.
• Fully virtual, open to candidates across Canada and the United States.
• Research assignments are deadline-based and should be achievable in 4–6 hours per week on average.
• Visit www.petcancerfdn.org for more about our mission and impact.

Job Type: Part-time

Expected hours: 4.0 – 6.0 per week

Application Question(s):

• Please note that Indeed adds a "suggested salary" for all roles when the posting does not include a salary. As this is a volunteer role, we do not include a salary. To avoid misunderstanding, we ask that you leave us a brief note acknowledging your awareness and willingness to volunteer so we can properly consider your application. Thank you!

Education:

• Master's (Required)

Experience:

• Literature Review: 4 years (Preferred)

Work Location: Remote