Academic
Job Category
Faculty Non Bargaining
Job Title
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Department
Wiens Laboratory | Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics | Faculty of Medicine (Matthew Wiens)
Posting End Date
August 1, 2025
Note:Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
May 31, 2026
The expected pay range for this position is $4,166.67/month to $5,416.67/month.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
JOB SUMMARY
We are seeking applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow with a keen interest in Global Child Health, Epidemiology and/or Digital Health.
The Trainee will conduct research in global health initiatives utilizing risk-based differentiated care to prevent pediatric mortality and morbidity, enabled through digital health technologies in Africa (Kenya, Uganda + more). The Trainee will be working on a program with over 15+ years (Smart Discharges Child, Smart Discharges Mom&Baby, Smart Triage) of implementation research in leveraging evidence-based technologies to support front line healthcare workers in resource limited settings in diagnosing, triaging and discharging children with serious infections, and other co-morbidities.
The exciting next stage of this program will be to expand to multiple countries in East and West Africa, with rigorous evaluation. We are looking for an individual with a desire to embrace the complexity of digital health implementation and data-driven predictive modelling in low-resource settings with passion, resilience, and lots of creativity. Find yourself in new areas of inquiry that urgently require attention if we are to transform the quality of care in these hospitals.
To be successful in this role, the candidate will need to embrace real-world, pragmatic research, using innovative and rigorous research methodologies, alongside strong relation skills need to work in this team. The candidate will be required to spend a significant amount of time in Africa.
ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS
The co-ordinating centre is located within a collaboration between the Institute for Global Health at BC Children’s and Women’s Hospital, University of British Columbia and the Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, and BC Children’s Research Institute with support from Mathew Wiens, Bella Hwang, Tex Kissoon, Nathan Kenya, Mark Ansermino and many others. The successful candidate will work with the Principal Investigator, Co-Investigators, and research staff on related studies
WORK PERFORMED
The primary activities include:
• Conducting substantive, methodologically rigorous quantitative research analyses
• Participating in study design, quality assurance testing, documenting coding methods, and interpreting results;
• Act as lead research manager of projects. Extended stay and travel throughout Africa is required.
• Organizing and collecting data – helping coordinate research assistants and staff to support these activities
• Representing the research team to Minister of Health officials
• Working with stakeholder and NGO partners globally
• Contributing to literature reviews and syntheses;
• Writing research abstracts, summary reports, and scientific articles, and submitting articles to peer-reviewed journals;
• Presenting study results to the scientific community at national and international conferences;
• Identifying and pursuing secondary research projects and research funding; and
• Collaborating with the other research teams.
CONSEQUENCE OF ERROR
The post-doctoral fellow is required to conduct all activities in an ethical manner and with adherence to the Tri- Council Policy Statement concerning Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED
The majority of work will be done independently, with support of the Program Manager and/or Principal Investigator.
SUPERVISION GIVEN
The candidate is responsible for supervision of multi-country research team staff, staff at research hospitals (eg. Study nurse, data collectors), and students.
QUALIFICATIONS
• PhD in a relevant field
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a collaborative team environment
• High personal motivation, self-management, detail-orientated; ability to take responsibility for meeting deadlines
• High degree of comfort with change, and the ability to be agile and adaptable as the projects evolve in large complex health systems and their health technologies.
• The qualified candidate(s) will have training in a relevant discipline (i.e., Epidemiology, Statistics, Biostatistics, Public Health or a related field as long as the candidate has a strong foundation in statistics). Minimum of two years related experience.
• Demonstrated skills in data management and programming using statistical packages (SAS and SQL and occasionally STATA and R);
• Demonstrated knowledge of research processes, systematic reviews, and syntheses;
• Education/training and experience in quantitative research methods, and multivariate statistical analysis;
• Excellent communication skills, including strong writing, research, and interpersonal skills;
• High-level conceptual, analytical, and critical appraisal skills; and
• Demonstrated initiative and willingness to work closely with members of a research team.
• At least 2 years’ experience living/working in low-resource setting.
• Strong relational skills and be able to exert influence and work across sectors (hospitals, primary care and community).
• Ability to work independently and without direct supervision, and problem solve technical and methodological issues that arise during the course of the research.
• Must be able to exhibit a high level of professionalism, judgement, ethical conduct, discretion and diplomacy
Contact:
Interested individuals should send their curriculum vitae with all relevant employment and academic experience; 1-2 writing samples; and a cover letter, noting research experience and interest in the position to the UBC portal and also by email to globalhealth@cw.bc.ca
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the BC Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.
