Research Assistant

University of British Columbia - Staff; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of British Columbia seeks a detail-oriented Research Assistant for the Healthy Families Laboratory, supporting research on mental health and family well-being. This position involves both remote and onsite work, offering a flexible environment while assisting with significant research projects aimed at understanding family health during challenging contexts.

Qualifications

• High school graduation with at least one year of related experience required.
• Commitment to enhancing awareness of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Ability to learn from feedback in a collaborative environment.

Responsibilities

• Support day-to-day research and administrative activities for ongoing projects.
• Assist in preparing study materials and conducting literature searches.
• Help with data collection, entry, and general administrative tasks.

Skills

Organization

Communication

Time Management

Interpersonal Skills

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in psychology or a related field

Tools

MS Office

SPSS

Zoom

REDCap

Job description

Job Category CUPE 116 Job Title Research Assistant Department Research Group | Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen | Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education | Faculty of Education Posting End Date July 9, 2025

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

Job End Date Jul 15, 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 Healthy Families Laboratory, led by Dr. Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen (Associate Professor), conducts research on stress, mental health, and family wellbeing. We are seeking a Research Assistant to support the day-to-day operations of the lab and ongoing projects.

The Research Assistant will work under the supervision of the lab’s Research Coordinator and Principal Investigator. This position will provide administrative and research support for two projects:

• Pregnancy During the Pandemic (PdP): a longitudinal study on parent and child wellbeing.
• Sleep Health Equity Reimagined: a CIHR-funded project examining sleep health from an intersectional public health perspective.

The successful candidate will be detail-oriented, organized, and comfortable working in a collaborative academic setting. Prior experience in a research environment is an asset but not required. Training will be provided.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone interested in gaining experience in health or psychological research.

Organizational Status
The Research Assistant will be supervised by and report to the Research Coordinator and Principal Investigator. In accordance with the UBC hybrid work guidelines, the position will offer a flexible workplace environment that includes both remote work and onsite work at UBC and may include some onsite work at the BC Women’s and Children’s Research Institute.

Work Performed
• Support day-to-day research and administrative activities for the PdP and Sleep Health Equity Reimagined project and related studies under supervision.
• Conduct literature searches and assist in summarizing relevant scientific articles.
• Assist in preparing study materials and documentation, including ethics submissions and amendments, following guidance from senior staff.
• Communicate professionally with patient partners and external collaborators, with oversight as needed.
• Work collaboratively with members of the Healthy Families Lab, including students and staff.
• Provide general support to volunteers and research assistants, as assigned by senior staff.
• Attend and take notes during team and project coordination meetings.
• Support grant management under direction of the Principal Investigator.
• Follow established workflows and procedures to help maintain organized and confidential research files, records, and project materials.
• Prepare recruitment materials and assist with participant communication (e.g., emails, reminders, scheduling), including supporting participant retention strategies.
• Assist with survey data collection, entry, cleaning, and basic organization.
• Support data tracking using spreadsheets or databases under supervision.
• Help with general administrative tasks such as ordering supplies, scanning, and photocopying.
• Assist in preparing content for knowledge translation efforts (e.g., web updates, participant communications, social media), under guidance.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Training will be provided to ensure that the Research Assistant will have a strong understanding of the established lab and research protocols. Errors made could influence the ability of the research team to meet deadlines, compromise the results of research projects, and relationships with participants, and therefore impact the credibility of the investigators and the lab.

The Research Assistant is required to conduct all research activities in an ethical manner and with adherence to the Tri-Council Policy Statement concerning Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS-2). Any procedures or data recorded as part of this research must be accurate and must accurately reflect the work performed. Strict confidentiality of all study participants must be adhered to. All activities involving participants are accountable to the Research Assistant, Principal Investigator, the Department Head, and the Research Assistant’s governing professional organization (if applicable).

Supervision Received

Most aspects of the work will be done under the supervision of the lab’s Research Coordinatorand Principal Investigator, while some other aspects will be done independently.The Research Assistant will work closely with the Principal Investigator, project co-coordinators, students (undergraduate, graduate), staff, and collaborators in the Healthy Families Lab.

The Research Assistant will attend weekly supervision meetings with the Principal Investigator, weekly Healthy Families Lab meetings and study coordination meetings, which will be held onsite and virtually (on Zoom), depending on operational requirements.

Supervision Given
The Research Assistant may provide guidance to volunteers and undergraduate students by explaining research procedures and demonstrating specific tasks as needed. The RA will help support team coordination by ensuring research activities are carried out according to established protocols.

Minimum Qualifications
High school graduation and a minimum one year 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

A bachelor's degree or equivalent in psychology or a related field and a minimum of one year of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

They will demonstrate an openness to receiving feedback and a willingness to learn from others in a collaborative, team-based environment. A commitment to enhancing awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion is essential.

Successful applicants will have excellent organization, time management, and communication skills (written and oral). They will have an interest in family health research, and understanding of health equity and intersectionality, be able to work on assigned task independently, and have excellent interpersonal skills that support teamwork and professional interactions with patients and collaborators at other institutions. Demonstration of proficiency in systems management and project management would be an asset.

The Research Assistant must successfully complete the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS-2) online tutorial. Experience with MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), SPSS, and Zoom is required. Experience with constructing and managing electronic surveys (REDCap), analyzing survey results, managing and improving databases is preferred.

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1.A cover letter outlining your interest in the position and relevant experience, speaking specifically to minimum qualifications and preferred qualifications listed in the application.
2.A current CV or résumé.

3. We thank all applicants, but only successful applicants will be contacted for an interview.