Postdoctoral Fellow in Drug Development

University of British Columbia; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Canadian university in Vancouver is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow in Drug Development to focus on drug discovery through electrophysiology and pharmacology. The ideal candidate will have a PhD in neuroscience, biophysics, or pharmacology and strong skills in electrophysiological techniques. This role offers a unique opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary environment and contribute to advancing novel drugs targeting brain diseases. The position is for an initial 4 months, with potential for extension up to two years.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in electrophysiology/biophysics and statistical analyses.
• Independently perform pharmacological testing to assess drug affinities.
• Expertise in whole cell patch clamp of native cells and/or cell lines.

Responsibilities

• Test and advance small molecule drug candidates through electrophysiological testing.
• Work closely with academic and industry experts on drug development.
• Contribute to a multidisciplinary team in drug discovery.

Skills

Advanced electrophysiological and biophysical techniques

Manual whole cell patch clamp

Experience in cell culture

Familiarity with Axopatch and Multiclamp

Familiarity with software Clampex and Clampfit

Education

PhD in neuroscience, biophysics or pharmacology

Tools

Axopatch

Multiclamp

Axon Digidata digitizer

Job description

Postdoctoral Fellow in Drug Development

Department: Research | Snutch | Michael Smith Laboratories | Faculty of Science (Terrance Preston Snutch)

Posting End Date: December 21, 2025 – Applications accepted until 11:59 PM on the posting end date.

Job End Date: April 30, 2026

The expected pay for this position is $60,000 per year.

The Michael Smith Laboratories at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow (PDF) position in drug discovery employing electrophysiology and pharmacology research under the supervision of Dr Terrance Snutch. The successful candidate will join a multidisciplinary team developing novel drugs targeting brain diseases.

Project

The position focuses on testing and advancing small molecule drug candidates through electrophysiological testing on native cells and exogenously expressed calcium channels. The project is part of a collaborative research initiative funded through the Mitacs program and offers the fellow the chance to work closely with academic and industry experts from UBC and RBI, a local company developing new treatments for neurological diseases.

Opportunity

This is a unique opportunity to join a highly innovative and interdisciplinary research environment across UBC and affiliated hospitals, with exposure to both academic and biotech sectors. Vancouver offers a vibrant research community and a high quality of life.

Candidate

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow with strong experience in electrophysiology/biophysics and relevant data and statistical analyses, with a focus on ion channel targets. Candidates must have a PhD in neuroscience, biophysics or pharmacology. The candidate will have expertise in whole cell patch clamp of native cells and/or cell lines expressing cloned ion channels or neurotransmitter receptors. Candidates must have relevant expertise in cell culture, patch clamp data acquisition and data analyses using standard software and protocols. should be able to independently perform pharmacological testing to assess drug affinities and mechanism of blockade. The ideal candidate will also have electrophysiological expertise in animal models related to human disorders including patch clamp recordings involving brain slices.

Required Skills and Experience

• Advanced electrophysiological and biophysical techniques.
• Manual whole cell patch clamp of native and/or cultured cells aimed at measuring ionic currents in the presence and absence of drug, including calculation of drug affinity parameters such as Kd and IC50.
• Experience measuring and quantifying relevant biophysical parameters including cell capacitance, resistance, action potential waveform, gating kinetics, voltage-dependence, and time constants.
• Experience with cell culture as it relates to handling established cell lines.
• Familiarity with hardware used in the field, namely Axopatch, Multiclamp and Axon Digidata digitizer.
• Familiarity with software packages used in the field, namely Clampex and Clampfit.
• Previous work with brain slices using rodents (mice, rats) including synaptic physiology considered an asset.

Application Process

Interested applicants should submit a CV and cover letter that details their experience and contact details for three references to the UBC Careers portal no later than the posting date.

The appointment start date is flexible, with a target date of January to March 2026. The initial appointment is for 4 months, with expected extension up to two years, subject to performance and funding.

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.