Staff - Non Union
Job Category
Non Union Technicians and Research Assistants
Job Profile
Non Union Hourly - Research Assistant /Technician 3
Job Title
Exercise Program Research Coordinator
Department
Cresswell Laboratory | Centre for Brain Health | Faculty of Medicine
Compensation Range
$28.10 - $33.14 CAD Hourly
Posting End Date
July 2, 2025
Note:Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
Jun 30, 2026
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 Vision of the BC Brain Wellness Program is Brain Wellness, Beyond All Boundaries.
We are leveraging the collective power of clinical care, lifestyle programs, education, and research to design a comprehensive and integrated approach to brain wellness for people with chronic brain conditions, care partners and healthy agers.
The BC Brain Wellness Program is an interactive effort to establish clinically relevant lifestyle approaches to complement medical treatment in the clinics at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health. By combining clinical care with interventions that support healthier lifestyles, the BC Brain Wellness Program team hopes to improve and sustain quality of life for people living with brain disorders and their care partners, as well as to offer healthy agers the opportunity to enhance their wellness and engage in preventative lifestyle measures.
The BC Brain Wellness Program brings together the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Clinic at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health. Expertise is drawn from many fields including the School of Music, Physiotherapy, Kinesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Neurosciences, Nutrition as well as several community partners.
The position is for a contract program research coordinator (15-20 hours per week). The program research coordinator will mainly work on the online exercise programming of the IMPACT360 research study and the BC Brain Wellness Program. The individual will design, modify, implement, and oversee the exercise program of the research studies, including the development of protocols, quality control initiatives, and supervision of other instructors and other research team members. The individual must be knowledgeable and mindful of the research enterprise ongoing. The individual will coordinate multiple research study cohorts running simultaneously. They must ensure: 1) patient confidentiality and safety; 2) Clinical data reliability and quality. The individual will use their knowledge from exercise physiology perspective to analyse the collected data to interpret findings and provide recommendations.
Organizational Status
The individual will work closely in a multidisciplinary team environment, and have access to electronic medical records. They will work with the exercise team lead and Program Manager.
Work Performed
- Lead the IMPACT360 exercise program coordination:
- Revises and modifies IMPACT 360 exercise intervention when necessary.
- Ensures proper data collection during exercise classes.
- Coordinates instructor hiring, training, scheduling, and supervising.
- Provides training for new instructors and ensure consistency in exercise instruction.
- Designs in-person and online Brain Wellness exercise programs.
- Develops, researches, and writes novel research protocols on online exercise program for individuals with chronic brain conditions (e.g. intervention circuit and frequency designing)
- Oversees the progress of online exercise program and participates in complex research activities such as data collection coordination, and providing personalized modification of exercise intervention.
- Incorporate the use of objective balance assessments into the BWP assessment battery (for example SWAYSTAR system to assess trunk postural sway)
- Assist in the collection, analysis, and maintenance of research data. Assist in the interpretation of research findings to provide insights and recommendations.
- Assist in writing reports, ethics and grant applications.
- Develops process to assess readiness-to-change within the behaviour modification framework for the research participants.
- Oversees the exercise intervention operations and finances by tracking expenses and preparing project budgets.
- Assist in the implementation of research protocols related to exercise science. This includes participant recruitment, obtaining informed consent, and conducting research study visits (e.g., focus groups, surveys).
- Other related tasks assigned by the program manager.
Consequence of Error/Judgement
Poor decisions/errors in judgment may compromise the BWP, breech the trust and confidentiality of research participants, and may result in financial loss to the PI, the Centres, and the University. Even simple typographical mistakes may result in distress to stakeholders and be damaging to the program and the reputation of the team and Director. They may influence the ability of the PI to meet critical deadlines and affect funding applications and ongoing program obligations.
Supervision Received
The individual will work closely with staff, clinical investigators, clinicians, and multidisciplinary staff as well as students at the BC Brain Wellness Program. Overall supervision will be provided by the Program Manager and Team Lead in Exercise Programs and Education.
Supervision Given
The individual will be responsible for the supervision of Brain Wellness Program and IMPACT360 instructors, assistants, and volunteers involved in the exercise research programs.
Minimum Qualifications
Completion of a relevant technical program or a university degree in a relevant discipline and a minimum three 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
- Registered kinesiologist
- Previous experience working with clinical population and exercise prescription
Preferred Qualifications
Preference is given to those with a graduate level degree (Masters, PhD) in a scientific field (preferably in kinesiology or clinical exercise physiology field) where a thesis was completed, and research training was provided. Previous experience working in clinical research is preferred. Proficiency in the development and recommendation of operating procedure workflow improvements is preferred. Proficiency in English grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Ability to compose simple, clear, concise business letters. Effective communication skills. Ability to exercise tact and discretion with others in the obtaining and giving of information. Previous experience in a clinical setting and exercise instruction is preferred. Excellent interpersonal skills are required. The applicant must be able to collect, analyze, and present data in a concise and logical manner. The applicant must be sensitive to the issues faced by individuals living with neurological disease and be able to communicate compassionately with patient participants. The need for accuracy in reporting and attention to detail cannot be overstated. Organizational skills are important, including the ability to prioritize workload. The applicant needs to be well-organized in the training, hiring, and scheduling of employees. The applicant must have the ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities, and the flexibility to adjust to changing work plans, schedules and deadlines. We require a self-motivated team member with passion and enthusiasm for improving clinical care with the ability to work well in a team environment as well as be proactive at work. The desire to make a positive difference in the lives of participants and their families is essential. The applicant must enjoy working as part of a large multidisciplinary team. However, they will also have the ability to work independently once they have demonstrated the ability to show initiative. After a probationary period, they will be expected to step up and take an active role in project planning and support. Working between the public and University presents some communication challenges. Hence, the applicant must be adept in written and verbal English. Standard Level First Aid, and CPR are assets.
