Staff - Non Union
Job Category
M&P - AAPS
Job Profile
AAPS Salaried - Research and Facilitation, Level C
Job Title
Research Project Leader
Department
Jassem Laboratory | Centre for Disease Control | Faculty of Medicine
Compensation Range
$7,622.83 - $11,886.67 CAD Monthly
The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.
Posting End Date
May 9, 2025
Note:Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
Jun 19, 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
The UBC CDC is seeking a highly motivated and ambitious individual to work as a research project leader on various projects related to infectious disease research. The successful applicant will be responsible for leading and contributing to a number of existing funded projects and project development. The ideal applicant will possess a curiosity and passion for science, a talent for independent and team-based research, and extensive knowledge and experience in serological and molecular laboratory methods relevant to medical microbiology.
Organizational Status
This position will report directly to the study Principal Investigators and the Senior Scientists overseeing the projects. They will work collaboratively with other research team members, including research assistants, graduate student trainees, and other research personnel. The position will provide supervision and mentorship to trainees, technicians and graduate students, and interact with local, national, and international collaborators on a regular basis.
Work Performed
-Identifies opportunities for developing new initiatives, grants and projects that enhance funding of laboratory trials or grants by collaborating with stakeholders to enhance current and potential future studies;
-Sources funding from external organizations such as Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, Genome Canada, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the provincial and federal governments and industry;
-Defines research project administration needs and develops strategies to meet needs by working with the research Study Managers and Clinical Trials Coordinators to determine such things as: staffing and equipment required and to forecast the cost of laboratory services to include in grant applications. Develops procedure manuals for implementation as required;
-Performs literature reviews and analysis to provide background information in preparation for writing grants and reports. Writes significant portions of grants in association with senior staff, trainees and support staff including but not limited to the background, methodology, budget and bibliography. Writes ethical review submissions for patient-related studies as needed;
- Reviews current literature to propose, develop, and implement serological methods and serosurveys pertinent to public health;
-Provides leadership by liaising with senior scientists, post-doctoral fellows and graduate students, as well as academic and clinician collaborators to provide scientific and laboratory support to the various clinical trials and assist in meeting identified milestones and timelines for grants, projects and contracts. Assesses laboratories to ensure they meet and laboratory accreditation requirements and follows-up with appropriate stakeholders to obtain resources required as necessary;
- Provides quarterly, annual and final reports to granting agencies as required. Prepares Power Point and poster presentations describing results of research;
-Writes significant portions of manuscripts resulting from grant-funded research in association with senior staff and submits to journals for peer review;
-Works with staff to identify needs and participates in the development of data warehouses relevant to grants and projects;
-Designs, performs, and evaluates data pertaining to the implementation of new procedures for various serological methods (ELISA, MSD, neutralization assays, etc.);
-Ensures appropriate validation reports and standard operating procedures are created for novel methods
-Manages, trains, and supervises research technicians and students in various methods as well as for presentation preparation;
-Liaises with international and national collaborators to facilitate data or sample sharing and resolve any problems;
-Oversees the implementation and performance of new, research use equipment;
-Performs other administrative and related duties in the lab
Consequence of Error/Judgement
The incumbent will make important decisions affecting the productivity of the lab. Poor judgment could result in loss of experimental data and delay in conducting research, which could impact collaborations, publications, and future funding. Studies may be jeopardized if not conducted according to ethical requirements as laid out by the University and by regulatory authorities. Study files must be kept secured to ensure that patient confidentiality is not compromised. An error within the realm of a research study may result in biased or incomplete data and skewed study results. Errors made and poor decisions may be damaging to the reputation of the Principal Investigator, the BCCDC, and the University and could lead to incorrect or inappropriate policy recommendations being made.
Supervision Received
Direction is provided by the Principal Investigators; however, the position requires a strong independent work ethic and a candidate capable of setting their own directions and priorities within a given framework and working within agreed-upon milestones and timelines.
Supervision Given
Manages and oversees research assistants, junior staff and students as required. Assists and provides guidelines to other research members as required.
Minimum Qualifications
For research work, a post-graduate degree or equivalent professional designation with a minimum of four years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Otherwise, an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline is required with a minimum of six years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own
- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
Preferred Qualifications
• Master’s degree or PhD in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, or related fields preferred
• Experience in laboratory research involving serological and virological methods.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate in the preparation and/or presentation of research
• Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities. Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint at an intermediate level. Excellent programming skills and mastery in one or more high level programming language (R or python preferred).
• Ability to troubleshoot and optimize bench-side experiments with high efficiency. Ability to resolve technical problems in an innovative manner.
• Excellent record-keeping skills.
• Ability to accurately create and maintain records.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Ability to work effectively independently and in a team environment.
• Ability to develop and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships.
• Ability to deal with a diversity of people in a calm, courteous, and effective manner. Ability to effectively train, supervise, and motivate employees.
• Excellent leadership skills and experience leading small teams Ability to validate data. Ability to keep abreast of current developments and trends in the field of information technology. Must conduct all activities in an ethical manner and treat funding information and research data confidentially.