Research Technician - Animal Behaviour Training & Care

UBC; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 54,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is seeking a Research Technician in the Kwon Pre-clinical Group, ICORD, to focus on animal behaviour training and care for a swine model. The position is based at UBC’s Animal Care Services facility with occasional lab meetings near VGH.

Key duties include daily training and welfare coordination, perioperative support, record-keeping, and collaboration with veterinarians and other ICORD teams.

Responsibilities

• Supports daily animal training and care for a large animal model (swine).
• Coordinates training plans and ensures animal welfare standards are met.
• Assists perioperative care, medications, and sample collection per protocols.
• Maintains health records, logs, and lab documentation.
• Works with veterinary staff and other ICORD labs.

Job description

Job Title

Research Technician - Animal Behaviour Training & Care

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 Category

Non Union Technicians and Research Assistants

Job Profile

Non Union Salaried - Research Assistant /Technician 3

Job Family Group

Staff - Non Union

Department

Kwon Pre-clinical Group | International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries | Faculty of Medicine

Compensation Range

$4,845.17 - $5,713.66 CAD Monthly

Job End Date

January 14, 2028

Posting End Date

November 14, 2026

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

Job Description Summary

This position supports research on spinal cord function using a large animal (Swine) model. Main duties include daily animal training and care, as well as supporting experimental procedures in a research setting.

The position has a primary focus on behavioural training of research animals, coordinating their care with the animal care facility to ensure research goals and animal welfare standards are met.

Work duties will be carried out predominantly at UBC's Animal Care Services facility, but participation in regular lab meetings at the main lab near VGH is expected. The work environment is technically complex with the use of veterinary vitals monitors, diagnostic equipment, imaging devices and other specialized research equipment.

This position is a grant-funded position and is available beginning Jan 15, 2027, for 1 year initially, with the possibility of an extension.

Organizational Status

ICORD is a world-leading health research centre focused on spinal cord injury. Located at Vancouver General Hospital in the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, ICORD is supported by UBC Faculties of Medicine and Science, and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. More details are available at www.icord.org. The Kwon Laboratory at ICORD specializes in translational research related to SCI, with both clinical and preclinical projects. For additional information, visit www.kwonlab.ca.

As part of the research team, the Research Technician reports to the Research Associate and Principal Investigator of the research group, but receives daily instructions from senior staff for specific tasks. They work closely with other staff and graduate students in the lab and may also collaborate with researchers and their teams from other ICORD labs and other national and international teams on collaborative projects. The position involves close collaboration with Animal Care Technicians and Clinical Veterinarians at the UBC Animal Care Services facility.

Work Performed

Animal Behaviour Training and Preparation - Primary Duties

• Assists with the arrival of animals and their acclimation to the facility environment.
• Supports the development and implementation of individualized animal training plans to execute behavioural tasks, using target and clicker training and positive reinforcement.
• Maintains communication with research staff, animal care personnel, and facility veterinarians on animal research and care activities.

Perioperative Care, Veterinary, and Imaging Support

• Assists with postoperative care support according to the approved animal care protocols of the research group and reports findings to senior research personnel.
• Conducts daily health inspections, watching out for unusual or unexpected conditions that arise in the research animals over the course of the research study
• Assists with the administration of medications or other substances by injection, orally, or topically.
• Assists with the collection of bio-samples for diagnostic evaluations and research analysis.
• Creates medical entries in health records and maintains research lab logs.
• Prepares surgical rooms, including preparing instruments, equipment and supplies used for surgeries and study procedures.
• Assists with technical procedures involving the use of scientific devices such as, but not limited to, intraspinal pressure, blood flow and oxygenation sensors, urodynamics equipment, and neurostimulation devices.

Documentation and Research Support

• Assists with the collection of animal health and project data pertaining to research studies.
• Updates SOPs relating to established animal and technical procedures for review and approval by senior research staff.
• Documents animal care procedures and study activities in relevant logbooks and digital data bases.
• Assists with animal ethics documentation, animal use records and reporting as required.
• Ensures the training and lab spaces are kept clean, tidy, and well supplied to perform all research procedures.
• Performs other duties from time to time as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

The technician exercise