Academic
Job Category
Faculty Non Bargaining
Job Title
Research Associate in synthetic immunology and related systems
Department
Zandstra Laboratory | School of Biomedical Engineering | Faculty of Medicine (Peter Zandstra)
Posting End Date
June 1, 2025
Note:Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
Aug 31, 2026
The expected salary range for this position is $80,000 per year.
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.
Position Summary
The School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver campus, invites applications for a full-time Research Associate in synthetic immunology and related systems to work on a team-based project spanning in the Zandstra lab (https://www.stemcellbioengineering.ca/) for a one year term. The position may be renewed and is subject to work performance and funding availability.
SBME is a partnership between the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Applied Science, acting as a nucleus for education and training, research, and innovation in biomedical engineering, creating new knowledge, new academic and training programs, and fostering translation and innovation. Its vision is to transform health care outcomes through unconstrained exploration of the best possible integrative solutions across engineering, medicine, and biology. Through collaborative, innovative, and interdisciplinary approach and building on UBC academic and research excellence, the School of Biomedical Engineering aspires to be a global leader in biomedical engineering research, education and translation. For more information about the School of Biomedical Engineering, please visit https://www.sbme.ubc.ca/.
The Zandstra Lab (https://www.stemcellbioengineering.ca/) is focused on the generation of functional tissue from somatic and pluripotent stem cells and the work is accomplished through 4 integrated research pillars: 1) multi-scale simulation of human tissue- and organo-genesis, 2) synthetic control of cell fate and function, 3) cell niche engineering; 4) cellular therapeutics.
Responsibilities
The successful candidate will provide oversight on scientific and training aspects of the lab while leading their own scientific projects.
The responsibilities of the position depend on the skills and research interests of the successful applicant. Specific tasks for this position may include:
Knowledge Management & Lab Automation
Develop and implement automation platforms that integrate with Slack and/or Email to streamline knowledge capture and organization (e.g., shared papers, data discussions).
Evaluate and pilot tools (e.g., inspired by Chory Lab’s automation stack) to support efficient knowledge dissemination and archival.
Design systems for structured, searchable access to team-generated resources, potentially leveraging AI agents for summarization and tagging.
Computational Infrastructure
Establish and maintain centralized Python environments to support robust, reproducible analysis of sequencing and other omics data.
Ensure compatibility and ease-of-use across lab members for all existing and future scripts and pipelines.
Develop documentation and version control standards to support long-term stability and collaborative use.
Training & Community Building
Lead and co-facilitate workshops focused on computational tools developed within the lab (e.g. IQCell2) and related platforms.
Contribute to capacity-building activities within the lab and across the broader SBME/UBC ecosystem by sharing best practices and developing training materials.
Cell Line & Reagent Management
Develop a comprehensive, shared tracking system for CD34+ HE and HSPC stocks across all engineered lines, including those generated outside the standard lab pipeline.
Implement a lab-wide process to monitor inventory, lineage, and usage status for these critical resources.
Collaborate with colleagues to revise and standardize QC procedures for CD34+ HE/HSPC cells, incorporating new criteria and methods.
Ongoing and Future-Facing Research Goals
Complete and submit manuscripts on TCR repertoire analysis and CAR-TCR cell line engineering data sets.
Provide input and support for the undergraduate research and training program being developed within the lab.
Explore and develop lab-facing digital tools and platforms that will be transferrable to a future independent lab, creating lasting infrastructure for research and collaboration.
Funding Strategy & Scientific Development
Support the development of grant proposals focused on CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ CAR-T cell function, including hypothesis refinement, preliminary data analysis, and figure generation.
Contribute to the scientific narrative and technical sections of proposals related to engineered T-cell platforms, with a focus on linking single-cell and functional profiling data to therapeutic design.
Collaborate with team members to define key validation steps and experimental designs that strengthen the translational potential of CAR-T cell engineering strategies.
Identify synergistic funding opportunities (e.g., CIHR, translational/commercial grants, etc) that align with ongoing work in CAR-TCR reengineering and the development of universal T-cell therapies.
Qualifications
PhD in bioengineering, with a focus on synthetic biology.
Candidates should have a strong research background, as demonstrated by past publications, accomplishments, and references.
A strong background in immune engineering, synthetic biology, PSC culture, computational modeling, and control systems.
Preference will be given to candidates who have >4 years of experience in a postdoctoral and/or Research Associate role.
Supervision received
The incumbent will receive supervision directly from Dr. Zandstra.
Supervision given
The incumbent may be required to supervise trainees involved in the research program.
Start date and stipend
The expected start date is September 1, 2025. The position is located at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver campus). The position is full-time for one year with the possibility of extension subject to funding availability and performance. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
How to Apply
Candidates should provide a CV, names and contact information of 3 references, and a cover letter describing past achievements and future research interests. Please submit your applications directly via Workday https://ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/ubcfacultyjobs. Review of applications will begin in June 2025 and will continue until the position is filled.
The UBC Vancouver Campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of thexʷm əθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people. The City of Vancouver is located on Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations territory.
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 B.C. 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.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.