RESEARCH Fall 2026: Research Assistant – Bilingual English/French Product Packaging Coding

Two Research Assistants required to support an ongoing academic research project examining marketing cues on Canadian consumer product packaging. The work involves systematically evaluating product-packaging images according to a structured research codebook.

This is a short-term research opportunity requiring approximately 20 hours of work. Compensation will be based on hours worked at the applicable CBU Research Assistant rate.

Duties

• Review Canadian product-packaging images containing English and French information.
• Code specific packaging and marketing cues according to a detailed research codebook.
• Apply coding criteria consistently and accurately across products.
• Participate in mandatory training before beginning independent coding.
• Participate in debriefing and calibration sessions following each training-set coding exercise to ensure consistent application of the coding protocol.
• Maintain accurate records of coding decisions and flag ambiguous cases for discussion with the Principal Investigator.
• Complete assigned coding within the agreed project timeline.

All required training, debriefing, and calibration time will be counted as paid working time.

Qualifications

• Current CBU student.
• Fluent or highly proficient in both English and French, with the ability to accurately interpret product-packaging information in both languages.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow a structured scientific coding protocol.
• Reliable and able to complete approximately 20 hours of research work.
• Comfortable receiving feedback and recalibrating coding decisions when necessary.
• Previous research or coding experience is helpful but not required; full training will be provided.
• Students from Marketing, Business Analytics, Supply Chain Management, MBA, or related programs are welcome to apply.

Research Confidentiality, Intellectual Property, and Academic Integrity

• This is an active and developing scientific research project. Research materials, coding protocols, project information, data, coding decisions, and other project-related content must be treated as confidential and protected as research intellectual property.
• Research Assistants must not upload, enter, share, reproduce, or otherwise provide any project materials or coding content to generative AI tools or to any external platform, application, media, or service that could make the work visible, accessible, stored, or recorded by third parties.
• Students will be required to follow the research procedures and instructions provided by the Principal Investigator, Dr. Trang Mai-McManus, throughout their RA work in order to maintain research quality, confidentiality, and academic integrity.

How to Apply

Interested students should email their CV to trang_maimcmanus@cbu.ca and include:

• their current program and year of study;
• a brief statement of interest; and
• a brief description of their proficiency in English and French.

Please use the subject line: Bilingual Research Assistant Application – Product Packaging Project.

Deadline to express interest and submit a CV: October 11, 2026.