Research Technician

University of British Columbia - Staff; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of British Columbia is seeking a Research Technician to support data-intensive research at the Vancouver School of Economics. This position involves working closely with faculty members on various projects requiring advanced data manipulation and analytical skills, focusing on topics such as immigration, healthcare, and macroeconomics.

Qualifications

• Completion of a relevant technical program or degree.
• Minimum three years of related experience or equivalent education.
• Demonstrates commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Responsibilities

• Oversee complex data collection and manipulation.
• Conduct literature reviews and contribute to research projects.
• Assist with writing reports and grant applications.

Skills

Data retrieval and manipulation

Data visualization

Empirical methods

Literature reviews

Programming

Education

Technical program or university degree in a relevant discipline

Job description

Staff - Union

Job Category CUPE 116 Job ProfileCUPE 116 Salaried - Research Assistant /Technician 3 Job Title Research Technician Department Administrative Support | CIDER Admin Support and RA's | Vancouver School of Economics Compensation Range $4,757.00 - $5,187.00 CAD Monthly Posting End Date June 25, 2025

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

Job End Date

Jul 31, 2026

Job Description Summary
The Centre for Innovative Data in Economics Research (CIDER) at UBC, a research centre in the Vancouver School of Economics, is a state-of-the-art facility for data-intensive research. CIDER encourages collaboration with other world-leading researchers and institutions through workshops, exchanges and visits. The Vancouver School of Economics is Canada’s top-ranked department and among the leading economics departments in the world.

The research assistants will support the research initiatives of leading research faculty members at the Vancouver School of Economics. The work entails data-intensive research collaborating with team members across the VSE and worldwide. Areas of inquiry include political economy, immigration and labour markets, international trade, healthcare, urban development, and macroeconomics. The position requires data retrieval and manipulation skills, empirical methods, and data visualization.

Organizational Status
The job entails close collaboration with CIDER faculty members on research projects in applied microeconomics involving large and complex data sets. The successful candidate will be involved in all aspects of research, from new project development to data acquisition, data analysis, and presentation of results.

Work Performed

- Oversees complex data collection, manipulation, and data storage.
- Plans and performs the research outlines and looks after data retrieval (e.g., data scraping) and analysis (e.g., big data analysis) using cutting-edge tools and methods.
- Responsible for complex tasks in relation to data retrieval and analysis.
- Works with senior level faculty in the design and execution of empirical tests. Supports the project/study by surveying literature and using empirical tools to work with the data.
- Conducts literature reviews and contributes to the development of research projects.
- Writes reports and assists with writing grant applications –

- Oversees the day-to-day research project operations and oversees and directs work of undergraduate research assistants.
- Oversees data reporting and prepares information for presentation and publication.
- Carries out any other related duties as required in keeping with the qualifications and requirements of positions in this classification.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
This is a research assistant position within a research project involving a variety of projects and sophisticated research methods. The work requires considerable judgement in the management of research priorities, data, applications, schedules, and task delegation.

Confidentiality: Employees of the University of British Columbia always work under strict confidentiality because of the nature of the data holdings. Any breach in data security would place the future of the VSE, and its many programs of research, at risk.

Accuracy and Accountability: Accuracy is essential since errors may have implications for published reports, grant funding, data access, and public relations. The Research Assistant is responsible for checking the reliability and accuracy of work done and reporting challenges and threats directly to her/his supervisor.

Supervision Received
The successful candidate will work under the direction of the Director of Operations of the Centre for Innovative Data in Economics Research, along with UBC research faculty.

Supervision Given
May coordinate and organize tasks of research assistants participating in the research team.

Minimum Qualifications

Completion of a relevant technical program or a university degree in a relevant discipline and a

minimum three 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

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline such as Economics, Statistics, Computer Science, or, Mathematics. The ideal candidate will have: (i) a strong quantitative background, preferably in economics; (ii) strong computer skills, such as programming, data analysis and; (iii) the ability to work autonomously within a team and to solve problems independently; (iv) strong written and verbal communication skills; and (v) a long-term interest in pursuing research in economics.