Research Administrative Assistant

University of British Columbia - Staff; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

The University of British Columbia is seeking a Research Administrative Assistant for the Bryan Laboratory. This part-time role involves providing administrative support for research, managing communications, and organizing meetings for research projects. The successful candidate will need strong proficiency in Microsoft Office and possess excellent organizational skills, as well as a commitment to diversity and equity.

Qualifications

• High School graduation plus one year of related training and two years of related experience.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office suite and electronic record-keeping.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide general administrative support for research activities and manage multiple tasks.
• Coordinate meetings, process reimbursements, and maintain record-keeping systems.
• Assist in creating and formatting online surveys and resolve routine issues.

Skills

Proficiency in Microsoft Office

Communication Skills

Time Management

Problem-Solving Skills

Collaboration

Education

High School Graduation

One Year of Related Training

Two Years of Related Experience

Tools

Qualtrics

Workday

Job description

Staff - Union

Job Category CUPE 2950 Job ProfileCUPE 2950 Salaried - Administrative Support 2 (Gr3) Job Title Research Administrative Assistant Department Bryan Laboratory C2E2 | School of Population and Public Health | Faculty of Medicine Compensation Range $4,208.00 - $4,316.00 CAD Monthly Posting End Date June 13, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Mar 31, 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 Research Administrative Assistant is responsible for providing general administrative support for the ongoing and emerging research activities within the School of Population and Public Health and at the Centre for Clinical Epidemiology & Evaluation (C2E2). The incumbent will support the operational functions of research projects held by Dr. Stirling Bryan and Dr. Jehannine Austin, and interact predominantly with the Research Program Manager at C2E2. The position will involve scheduling a variety of meetings with a variety of interested/affected individuals (researchers, policy-/decision-makers, clinicians, patient partners), recording and circulating high-level actions and decisions from meetings, arranging travel/accommodation, booking rooms/catering/ audiovisual equipment for workshops, as well as processing reimbursement for research participants, patient research partners, and clinical advisors. This is a part-time role, with a 0.8 FTE commitment.

Organizational Status

The Research Administrative Assistant reports directly to and works with the Research Program Manager on organizational and project management aspects. The incumbent will interact with other faculty and research staff on Dr. Stirling Bryan’s and Dr. Jehannine Austin’s co-led projects, and external collaborators and policymakers.

The Centre for Clinical Epidemiology & Evaluation (C2E2) undertakes research and training and provides evidence-based advice to advance a sustainable health system for British Columbians. C2E2 scientists and many of its staff, including this position, are part of the School of Population and Public Health (SPPH), which is in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia.

SPPH is an innovative unit that encompasses many of the health-related groupings at UBC as a collaborative venture. The School is structured around four divisions: Occupational and Environmental Health; Health Services and Policy; Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health Practice; and Health in Populations. The resulting mix of professions and disciplines is seen as a means of connecting individuals and learners to galvanize the relationship between health research, public health and health services and to enhance learning.

Work Performed

• Prepares a variety of routine correspondence to research team and other key interested/affected individuals affiliated with the project (researchers, clinicians, policymakers, patient research partners, participants) in a timely fashion, usually via email and with clear instruction given by the Research Program Manager

• Provides administrative coordination for meetings, interviews, workshops, and events (e.g., arranging Doodle or When2Meet polls, Outlook calendar invitations with Zoom details generated, room bookings, catering, audiovisual needs)

• Provides assistance to the Research Program Manager by compiling and preparing agendas and other basic documentation, as well as accurately recording high-level actions and decisions from meetings and ensures timely dissemination to relevant parties

• Processes reimbursement via Workday for research participants, patient research partners, and clinical advisors; supplier set-up may be necessary

• Obtains and ensures appropriate approvals/signatures are on documentation

• Maintains efficient filing and record-keeping systems to ensure easy retrieval of information (e.g., relevant references, meeting documents, contact lists)

• Occasional updates added to UBC-hosted project study website (e.g., new publications)

• Creating and formatting online surveys (e.g., using Qualtrics) from templates

• Resolves routine problems and refers other problems to senior staff

• Develops and implements administrative procedures, such as meeting attendance tracking, lists of project working groups and their contact details

• Performs other responsibilities, as required

Consequence of Error/Judgement

This position works independently under general direction. Work is performed in accordance with established procedures and accepted practices, involving freedom to select which methods are applicable in any given situation. The incumbent is expected to use sound judgment and prioritize assignments to accomplish goals related to Dr. Bryan’s projects.

Errors may significantly impact both the clinical and academic reputation of the unit and could result in loss of funding, confidentiality breaches or delays in payment.

Supervision Received
This position reports to the Research Program Manager for Dr. Stirling Bryan’s projects. The incumbent may also take direction from the project co-leaders, Dr. Stirling Bryan and Dr. Jehannine Austin.

Supervision Given
None.

Minimum Qualifications
High School graduation, plus one year of related training, plus two 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

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, email, Outlook, electronic record keeping systems, and file sharing systems

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with team members and independently with minimum supervision

• Proven experience in coordinating and scheduling events, including meetings and workshops

• Excellent skills in taking accurate meeting minutes, with good attention to detail

• Excellent time management skills including the ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines effectively

• Experience in handling basic financial transactions, such as processing expenses, booking travel arrangements, and reimbursing non-staff members (e.g., research participants)

• Exceptional oral and written communication skills

• Experience with health research projects in either an academic or policy setting is an asset

• Ability to exercise problem-solving skills, initiative, maintain confidentiality, and use good judgment

• Willingness and ability to adapt to changing priorities, learn new procedures or tools, and support various research projects or initiatives as needed

• Resourcefulness and ability to identify and resolve issues or challenges that may arise in the research administrative processes

• Deep appreciation for and understanding of cultural differences, valuing and respecting diverse perspectives and experiences