Staff - Non Union
Job Category
Non Union Technicians and Research Assistants
Job Profile
Non Union Hourly - Research Assistant /Technician 2
Job Title
Non Union Hourly - Research Assistant / Technician 2
Department
Liu-Ambrose Laboratory | Department of Physical Therapy | Faculty of Medicine
Compensation Range
$26.67 - $31.73 CAD Hourly
Posting End Date
December 10, 2024
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
Jun 30, 2025
This position is expected to be filled by promotion/reassignment and is included here to inform you of its vacancy at the University.
At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
Job Summary
To provide support to the Teresa Liu-Ambrose’s Aging, Mobility, and Cognitive Health (AMC) Lab. Under the direct supervision of Teresa Liu-Ambrose, will provide ongoing administrative and research support for research activities related to healthy aging in the AMC Lab. The AMC Lab functions under the umbrella of the Department of Physical Therapy, the DM Centre for Brain Health, and the Centre for Aging SMART at VCH. The candidate will be primarily responsible for participant recruitment, screening, blood sampling and analyses, data collection, data tracking, data entry, and data checking under the supervision of Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose and will work with the Research Coordinator(s) on a daily basis. Other research facilitation activities are described below.
Organizational Status
Reports directly and daily to the Lab Research Coordinator and weekly to program Director (Teresa Liu-Ambrose)
The position will work directly and report to the Faculty member who is mounting the study. This will involve working with developed systems and procedures, following direction from the Research Coordinator and Director of the research program (will not be working independently, will be working as a part of a team, under direction)
Work Performed
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Recruit older participants with multiple co-morbidities, with a specific focus on those with mild cognitive impairment or mobility impairments; this may require making home visits.
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Working with the Research Coordinator to coordinate This includes scheduling of assessments with participants and research staff as well as scheduling of exercise/intervention classes and required staff to run them.
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Provide oversight to exercise protocols implemented across different studies being conducted in the Director’s research program, ensuring they are delivered according to protocol. This includes the completion of scheduled observations and checklist, documenting any deviations, and reporting them back to the Director.
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Monitor all adverse events reported in the different studies, document them, and have them reviewed by each study’s data and safety monitoring committees.
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Monitoring and documentation of intervention adherence and providing regular updates to the Director.
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Assist in the delivery of exercise or other behavioural/education interventions when required (e.g., staffing shortages, illnesses).
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Create and manage confidential data research files; will be responsible for accuracy/validity of data entered as well timely download of e-files and proper storage of both e-files and physical files, adhering to approved ethics.
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Collect data according to protocol and enter data with minimal error with direct supervision from the Director using preset forms and databases. Train others per protocol.
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Make telephone calls to collect data; every effort must be made to ensure the timeliness of these phone calls and completeness of data collection.
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Collect blood sample, store, and analysis (running assays) according to protocol.
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Liaises with research participants to develop relationships that is positive and informative
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Liaises and coordinates with the Research Coordinator, AMC research staff, graduate students, WorkLearns, and volunteers to complete tasks with efficiency and accuracy.
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Support to the activities of the AMC Laboratory by supervising and training undergraduate trainees, including WorkLearns and volunteers, in basic tasks.
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Interview WorkLearns and volunteers, and in consultation with the Research Coordinator and Director, make decisions to hire.
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Assist the Director in activities relating to lab management, such as tracking inventory and supplies, organizing files, and CV updating.
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Run preset experiments or tasks as requested by the Director and Research Coordinator.
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May be required to assist Research Coordinator or Director with ethics applications, including amendments and annual renewals.
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May be required to assist Research Coordinator or Director with planning and booking of facilities for research seminars and conferences hosted by the Aging, Mobility, and Cognitive Neuroscience Health Lab.
Consequence of Error/Judgement
Inappropriate judgement and noncompliance to standard protocols would greatly compromise the quality of research studies and related data acquisition and the reporting of research outcomes.
Inappropriate judgement and noncompliance to standard protocols also could compromise the safety, wellbeing, and privacy of the participants.
Inappropriate judgement and noncompliance to standard protocols would compromise research success and affect the credibility of the Principal Investigator and the research program.
Poor financial decisions would affect the ability of the Unit to manage its resources effectively that would result in research projects being delayed or cancelled altogether.
Supervision Received
Works independently in consultation with the Director of the research program and Research Coordinator on a regular basis.
Supervision Given
Responsible for training and supervising measurement staff/students for data collection purposes
Responsible for contributing to ensuring a safe environment for research participants during the delivery of behaviour interventions (e.g., exercise classes) and during assessments.
Minimum Qualifications
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Candidate must have a university degree in a relevant discipline plus a minimum of 3-year experience of related experience in a university research laboratory. Strong preference will be given to those with previous research experience in geriatrics, cognitive aging, and exercise prescription (in older adults).
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Candidate must have had direct work or volunteer experience with older adults.
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Candidate must also have excellent written and oral communications skills, as well as organization skills.
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Strong preference will be given to those who have solid and demonstrated experience in conducting research according to protocol, blood sample collection, blood processing, blood assays, neuropsychological testing, and biosafety practices and procedures.
Preferred Qualifications
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Knowledge of age-related changes in physical and cognitive abilities
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Strong understanding of physiological and cognitive responses to exercise, especially in older adults.
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Blood processing and running assays.
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Must demonstrate excellent attention to detail and accuracy
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Laboratory maintenance and development experience
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Excellent oral and written communication skills
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Excellent organizational skills including the ability to manage multiple tasks/competing demands
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Demonstrated ability to work independently and in a team environment
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Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines
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Exercise discretion, tact, and confidentiality
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Must demonstrate ability to receive and respond to critical feedback for the sake of improving job performance
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Technical proficiency using various word processing software, spreadsheet programs, presentation software, data bases and Internet
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Knowledge user of REDCap, MS Teams, and Microsoft Office
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Preferred – knowledge user of R
