Health Systems Engineer/Designer

Work Type: Full Time – Health Systems Engineer/Designer Location: WRHN @ Midtown (formerly Grand River Hospital, KW Campus) Home to seven regional programs and comprehensive health-care services, Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN, pronounced wren) is committed to meeting the current and emerging needs in Waterloo-Wellington and beyond. WRHN is redefining the health-care experience through collaboration and innovation, addressing barriers to access, advancing care delivery, and setting new standards in compassionate, empowered community-driven health care. At WRHN, every patient is at the centre of everything we do as we strive to improve lives, inspire healing, and build healthier, stronger communities. By listening to patients and partners, we strive to connect communities to the right care, at the right place, and at the right time. Please Note: New employees must provide documentation/proof of COVID-19 vaccination status, a 2-step TB test, as well as proof of immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox) prior to their start date at Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN). New Employees will require clearance from Employee Health, Safety and Wellness before they are able to begin any position within WRHN. Position Summary : The Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN), in collaboration with the University of Waterloo and regional partners, is launching CareNext—a bold initiative to transform healthcare delivery through system-integrated innovation. CareNext bridges gaps between clinical care, research, policy, and technology to accelerate the development, testing, and implementation of high-impact health solutions. Reporting to the Director of Innovation and under the guidance of the Vice President, Innovation and Chief Health Innovation Officer, the Health Systems Designer & Engineer will play a critical role in embedding and advancing a blended design-engineering approach within CareNext. This includes applying human-centred design and systems engineering methods to co-create, test, and scale solutions that improve patient experience, operational efficiency, workforce sustainability, and system equity. The role supports the identification of unmet system needs—including opportunities for new professional roles, care models, and policy or regulatory reform. As a first-of-its-kind position, the incumbent will also help shape the definition and visibility of this emerging discipline, contributing to the broader understanding of health systems innovation in Canada and beyond. Responsibilities Systems Design & Engineering Leadership

1. Apply a hybrid approach that combines systems engineering and human-centred design to frame and solve complex health system challenges.
2. Lead discovery, mapping, and re-design of existing care pathways and support the design of new workflows, processes, and service models.
3. Co-create solutions with multi-disciplinary teams that align with clinical realities, user needs, and policy constraints.
4. Co-Development & Partnership Activation
5. Partner with clinicians, researchers, patients, community leaders, and entrepreneurs to build co-developed solutions.
6. Translate lived experience and operational insights into actionable technical and design specifications.
7. Surface policy barriers, regulatory friction points, and opportunities for professional role evolution.
8. Evaluation, Integration & Systems Thinking
9. Define evaluation criteria and key performance indicators that reflect user, organisational, and system-level outcomes.
10. Apply risk analysis, failure mode, and resilience planning frameworks to support the safe and sustainable integration of innovations.
11. Collaborate with University of Waterloo faculty and research leads on real-world evaluation and iteration.
12. Knowledge Mobilisation & Capacity Building
13. Contribute to internal and external capacity building in systems design and engineering through training, mentorship, and storytelling.
14. Document and share learnings in ways that support replication and scale across the CareNext network.
15. Champion hybrid design-engineering thinking across WRHN and partner institutions.
16. Position Requirements:
17. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a STEM discipline (Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Design, etc.)
18. Working knowledge of Agile, Prince2, or equivalent methodologies for project management. · Proven experience in Integration, Verification, and Validation (IVV) processes.
19. Postgraduate qualification in Systems Engineering, Health Systems, or a related field is an asset.
20. Demonstrated expertise in Systems Engineering methodologies and the engineering lifecycle.
21. Experience delivering complex health, research, or public service-related innovation projects.
22. Strong understanding of interdisciplinary collaboration, especially within health or public sectors. · Outstanding communication, facilitation, and systems mapping skills.
23. Experience working in a healthcare, public health, research, or academic innovation setting.
24. Familiarity with human-centered design, digital health technologies, and regulatory frameworks.
25. Experience designing for equity, safety, and accessibility.
26. Application Instructions:
27. EMPLOYEES OF LEGACY ST. MARY’S GENERAL HOSPITAL ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION ELECTRONICALLY USING INFOR.
28. As per the collective agreement, the internal recruitment process will be completed prior to the consideration of external applications.
29. Waterloo Regional Health Centre is committed to fair and equitable employment and in our recruitment and selection practices. We strongly believe in inclusion and diversity within our organization, and welcome all applicants including, but not limited to racialized communities, all religions and ethnicities, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ persons, Indigenous people, and all others who may contribute to the further diversification of our Hospital community. We are committed to providing and fostering a respectful workplace for all employees, free from violence and harassment.
30. Accommodations are available during all stages of the recruitment process in accordance with the Human Rights Code. WRHN is committed to complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) to provide an inclusive, barrier free workplace. We will accommodate the accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities to support participation in all aspects of the recruitment process. Should you require this accommodation, please contact Human Resources.
31. International Applicants
32. If you are seeking employment on a temporary work or study permit we recommend reviewing work permit restrictions as it applies to healthcare organizations in Canada. Individuals holding a work or study permit seeking employment in the healthcare sector may be required to complete additional steps in the process. This may also apply to current employees seeking renewal of their work permits. It is the accountability of the applicant and/or employee to ensure they are adhering to their specific work permit restrictions.
33. We would like to thank all candidates in advance for their interest and only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Due to the volume of applications, we receive, we are unable to confirm the receipt of individual applications or resumes.