Academic
Job Category
Faculty Non Bargaining
Job Title
Research Associate - Child Obesity
Department
Masse Laboratory | School of Population and Public Health | Faculty of Medicine (Louise Masse)
Posting End Date
August 15, 2025
Note:Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
Sept 30, 2026
The expected salary range for this position is $75,000 to $90,000 per annum.
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.
The School of Population and Public Health (SPPH) is seeking a Research Associate to support the childhood obesity research team at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute to investigate the socio-determinants of childhood obesity. This position will support a program of research which examines the systemic causes of childhood obesity and combines both behavioural and population health sciences to elucidate the mechanisms involved in childhood obesity interventions.
Under the supervision of Dr. LC Mâsse, Professor School of Population and Public Health and Senior Scientist at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, the successful candidate will formulate, design and lead research programs, generate proposals for external support from appropriate granting agencies, and be responsible for supervising postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduates in all aspects of their research. Proven leadership, mentoring, and grant writing are essential. Candidates are expected to think creatively in the design and execution of research projects and to the lead on many aspects of the research.
The School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia is home to approximately 60 faculty members and 350 graduate students whose research interests align with four divisions: 1) Epidemiology, Biostatistics & Public Health Practice; 2) Health in Populations; 3) Health Services and Policy; and 4) Occupational and Environmental Health. The research of the childhood obesity research team aligns closely with the Health in Populations division within the School of Population and Public Health. The research unit is integrated at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute which offers a vibrant in-person environment which is supported by IT team, REDCap team, biostatistical services, and Research and technology development office to support researchers and trainees grant application.
The primary activities include:
- Leading a program of research that combines observational research and randomized control trials to a) Enhance the understanding of the mechanisms that influence childhood obesity with a particular focus on parenting practices; b) Elucidate knowledge that support scaling up childhood obesity in real world settings including the childcare and school settings.
- Conducting analyses using appropriate qualitative and statistical methods
- Authoring/co-authoring manuscripts for peer-review publications
- Drafting, editing, and reviewing technical reports and research briefs
- Leading and supporting colleagues in preparing grant applications
- Presenting research findings at conferences and workshops with academic and non-academic audiences and having regular engagement with decision-makers for translation of research evidence into practice.
- Supervising analysts, research assistants, students and/or junior graduate students
- Participating in team meetings and contributing to the research
Qualifications
Qualified candidates will have a PhD in a relevant discipline such as Population and Public Health, Clinical Psychology, or any health science field or social sciences (i.e., Kinesiology, Nutrition) with a focus on childhood obesity prevention (preferred); and a strong mixed-method background in applying both qualitative and quantitative method to longitudinal data, randomized control trials, and linking with administrative data. Ideally the candidate will have at least three years of experience in managing or leading multiple research projects of various scopes and sizes. Experience mixed methods research applied to childhood obesity prevention is required. The following skills are required:
- Advanced understanding of, and proven experience using, advanced statistical analysis methods, as well as proficiency with related software (Stata, R, MPlus).
- Demonstrated expertise in psychometric methods (Factor analysis)
- Demonstrated experience analyzing longitudinal datasets using both nutrition and physical activity data including data collected from 24-hr dietary recalls and accelerometers.
- Demonstrated experience in analyzing qualitative date with related software (NVivo).
- Demonstrated experience in leading and conducting scientific reviews.
- Sound theoretical knowledge of theories/models of behaviour change adapted to childhood obesity supplemented with an understanding of scale-up framework.
- Experience with writing scientific manuscripts in the field of public health and childhood obesity.
- Experience in developing and evaluating childhood obesity prevention interventions.
- Experience in developing infrastructure for longitudinal and randomized control trials using REDCap.
- Experience interacting in leading research projects, supervising research staff and trainees, and ensuring that the team meet recruitment goals.
- Experience in managing budgets and all aspects of administrative research grants.
- Excellent communication skills, including strong writing, research and interpersonal skills.
- Organizational skills including the ability to multi-task, while being accurate and keeping attention to detail.
The Research Associate will work independently, with regular updates on progress and challenges. The Research Associate must exercise judgment on the day-to-day progress of research projects. The individual must perform their duties and interact tactfully with co-workers, researchers and study participants. A high level of confidentiality is essential. Structured decision making and an ability to work independently are critical.
Consequence or error/judgement
Errors made or poor decisions could influence the ability of the research team to meet critical deadlines, as well as compromise the results of research projects, and therefore impact the credibility of the Principal Investigator, the School, the BC Children Research Institute and the University and could lead to incorrect or inappropriate policy recommendations being made.
This position will be responsible for access, collection, use and disclosure of personal information in accordance with the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSBC 1996) and other UBC privacy and security policies. This position requires employees to work under strict confidentiality requirements; internal procedures and policies to protect personal information must be followed and adherence to these requirements will be regularly reviewed by the employer.
Security clearance
This position interacts with children and therefore successful completion of a criminal record check will be required.
The expected salary range for this position is $75,000 to $90,000 per annum. The Faculty of Medicine is committed to offering equitable and competitive salaries, commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Application packages consisting of cover letter, detailed curriculum vitae, and the names and contact info of 3 supervisory references should be addressed to Dr. LC Mâsse and submitted online at https://ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/ubcfacultyjobs (JR21573).
Should you have any queries around this position, please Amanda Versteeg at amanda.versteeg@ubc.ca.
Review of applications will begin on September 1, 2025 and continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date for this position is October 1, 2025 or upon a date to be mutually agreed.
We invite applications from qualified candidates who share our commitment to employment equity and inclusive excellence, and we welcome applications from candidates belonging to historically, persistently, or systemically marginalized groups: Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) Peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, and trans and non-binary people.
The University is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for all members of its workforce. An inclusive work environment presumes an environment where differences are appreciated, recognized, and integrated into current structures, planning, and decision-making modes. Within this hiring process we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable process for all candidates (including but not limited to people with disabilities). Confidential accommodations are available on request. Please contact Amanda Versteeg via email at amanda.versteeg@ubc.ca. If you have any questions regarding accommodations or accessibility during the recruitment and hiring process or for more information and support, please visit UBC’s Centre for Workplace Accessibility website at https://hr.ubc.ca/health-and-wellbeing/workplace-accessibility/centre-workplace-accessibility or contact the Centre at workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca.
With gratitude, we acknowledge that the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine and its distributed programs, which include four university academic campuses, are located on traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of First Nations Peoples and communities around the province.
Our Vision: To Transform Health for Everyone.
Ranked among the world’s top medical schools with the fifth-largest MD enrollment in North America, the UBC Faculty of Medicine is a leader in both the science and the practice of medicine. Across British Columbia, more than 12,000 faculty and staff are training the next generation of doctors and health care professionals, making remarkable discoveries, and helping to create the pathways to better health for our communities at home and around the world.
The Faculty - comprised of approximately 2,200 administrative support, technical/research and management and professional staff, as well approximately 650 full-time academic and over 10,000 clinical faculty members - is composed of 19 academic basic science and/or clinical departments, three schools, and 24 research centres and institutes. Together with its University and Health Authority partners, the Faculty delivers innovative programs and conducts research in the areas of health and life sciences. Faculty, staff and trainees are located at university campuses, clinical academic campuses in hospital settings and other regionally based centres across the province.
UBC - One of the World's Leading Universities. As one of the world's leading universities, the University of British Columbia creates an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship, advances a civil and sustainable society, and supports outstanding research to serve the people of British Columbia, Canada and the world.
UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. 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.