PLEX Fellow

Opportunity: PLEX Fellowship

Open to: Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

Part-time | September 16, 2026 to March 11, 2027 | Remote | $40/hour

Opportunity Details:

Praxis Spinal Cord Institute is offering a six-month fellowship for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) who want to play an active role in research, healthcare, and innovation. As a PLEX (Persons with Lived Experience) Fellow, you’ll use your lived experience to shape projects, advise researchers and innovators, and help ensure that the SCI community’s voice is central in decision-making.

This is not a research or clinical role — it’s about bringing your experience, insights, and perspective to influence how SCI-related work is done.

Role Responsibilities:

• Participate in projects – work with Praxis’s Innovation Team to share your perspective, give feedback, and help guide priorities in SCI research, innovation, and healthcare.
• Attend mentorship sessions – join weekly 1-hour meetings with companies developing new technologies or services for people with SCI.
• Work with a PLEX mentor – meet weekly 1:1 with a mentor who also has lived experience, plus receive guidance from PLEX and Innovation Leads.
• Join learning sessions – gain knowledge on topics like regulatory processes, focus group facilitation, and how new healthcare technologies move from research into practice.
• Collaborate and communicate – contribute your ideas in group meetings, share feedback clearly, and help translate SCI community needs into practical guidance for teams.
• Prepare a final report or presentation – summarize your experiences, insights, and recommendations at the end of the fellowship.

Role Expectations:

• Time Commitment: Up to 8 hours per week for six months (September 16, 2026 to March 11, 2027).
• Schedule: Meetings take place between 10:00 AM–5:00 PM Pacific Time.
• Location: Remote, using Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
• Support: An inclusive, flexible working environment designed to help the role succeed.
• Compensation: $40 CAD per hour.

Eligibility:

• Have lived experience of SCI (or closely related experience).
• Are passionate about ensuring the SCI community is included in decision-making.
• Can work well with diverse teams and communicate clearly.
• Are interested in advocacy, innovation, and bringing new ideas to the community.
• Have completed the NASCIC Research Advocacy Course — helpful but not required to apply.

How to Apply:

Send an email with the following to shawes@praxisinstitute.org and innovation@praxisinstitute.org by July 26, 2026.

Your application email must include:

1. A resume/CV
2. A cover letter outlining your interest in PLEX engagement and how your experiences align with our program's objectives
3. Contact details for two references

About Praxis:

Praxis Spinal Cord Institute is a Canadian non-profit organization that connects researchers, healthcare providers, innovators, investors, and people living with SCI to drive solutions that improve lives. We focus on moving ideas out of the lab and into real-world practice, care, and products.

Learn more about the Praxis Innovation Team here.