Research Assistant / Technician 1

University of British Columbia; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent Canadian university in Vancouver is seeking a Research Assistant/Technician 1 to support research initiatives in the Mood Disorders Clinic. The ideal candidate should have strong compassion for clinical populations, experience in a research setting, and proficiency in various software tools. Responsibilities include managing patient data, assisting with clinical trials, and effective communication within the research team. Positions available until September 2025.

Qualifications

• Minimum one year of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives.

Responsibilities

• Assist with writing and preparing protocol material.
• Recruit and screen potential research participants.
• Administer questionnaires and transcribe patient data.
• Coordinate appointments for research participants.

Skills

Compassionate interaction with clinical populations

Effective oral and written communication

Multi-tasking and organizational skills

Knowledge of psychiatric questionnaires

Statistical analysis skills

Education

High school graduation

Tools

MS Word

MS Excel

PowerPoint

SPSS

Job description

Overview

Staff - Non Union

Job Category: Non Union

Job Profile: Non Union Salaried - Research Assistant /Technician 1

Job Title: Research Assistant/ Technician 1

Department: Lam Laboratory | Department of Psychiatry | Faculty of Medicine

Compensation Range: $4,109.47 - $4,507.06 CAD Monthly

Posting End Date: September 9, 2025

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

Job End Date: September 3, 2026

This position is expected to be filled by promotion/reassignment and is included here to inform you of its vacancy at the University.

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.

Organizational Status

The Research Assistant reports to the Principal Investigator and Director of the Mood Disorders Centre (Dr. Raymond Lam). The Research Assistant also interacts with other research assistants in the team, and with members of other clinics and departments within the CBH and UBC Hospital (pharmacy and laboratory medicine), as necessary.

Work Performed

• Assists with writing and preparing protocol material (e.g. screening materials, consent forms, ethics applications, data collection forms, patient information sheets);
• Recruits and screens potential research participants;
• Obtains Informed Consent;
• Administers questionnaires and other assessments (e.g., computerized cognitive testing) to clinical subjects and transcribes patient data into study report forms;
• Scores instruments (tallying scores, checking scores for accuracy) completed by patients and clinicians;
• Prepares participants for other study procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and electroencephalography (EEG), including positioning equipment on study participants (scalp and head region), computer set-up, and monitoring.
• Maintains study patient records in good order;
• Performs data entry;
• Packs and ships processed biological samples (does not take blood or perform laboratory processing);
• Assists with patient flow through the clinic, as needed;
• Coordinates appointments for research participants;
• Completes literature reviews and internet searches, and retrieving articles from the library;
• Performs other related duties as required.

Working Conditions

• Works in the Mood Disorders Clinic (an outpatient hospital facility); also works in a laboratory on-site;
• Works with bodily fluids using protective equipment (e.g. gloves and safety goggles).

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Errors in tracking aspects of the project, data recording and entry, or breaches in confidentiality have the potential to negatively impact research projects.

Supervision Received

Supervised by Principal Investigator (Dr. Raymond Lam). Weekly meetings held to cover significant issues; daily supervision and guidance provided by Research Assistants at higher classifications.

Supervision Given

None.

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

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in a research setting, including experience in Clinical Trials would be an asset;
• Ability to work with clinical populations, e.g. clinically depressed patients or bipolar patients, in a compassionate and sensitive manner;
• Familiar with psychiatric questionnaires and interviews;
• Experience with computers and computer software including MS Word for Windows, MS Excel, PowerPoint and SPSS;
• Effective oral and written communication, interpersonal, multi-tasking, and organizational skills;
• Ability to work independently and within a team environment;
• Due to collaborative projects based in Shanghai, China, the ability to speak, read, and write Mandarin Chinese fluently would be an asset;
• Familiar with technology and technological equipment would be an asset;
• Statistical analysis skills would be an asset.