Research Asst.

Staff - Non UnionJob CategoryNon Union Technicians and Research AssistantsJob ProfileNon Union Salaried - Research Assistant /Technician 2Job TitleResearch Asst. - Lang. & Development LabDepartmentBlack Laboratory | School of Audiology and Speech Sciences | Faculty of MedicineCompensation Range$4, $5,155.61 CAD MonthlyPosting End DateNovember 25, 2025

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

Job End Date

October 17, 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. 

Job Summary
This position involves all aspects of research for specific projects in the Child Language and Cognition Lab, including preparing applications to conduct research with other organizations (e.g., school district), participant recruitment, data collection, data analysis, and participating in manuscript writing.

Organizational Status

In the Child Language and Cognition Lab (CLCL), we study how children learn and use language, and how children's language and thinking skills develop together. Members of the lab include affiliated researchers (emeritus and clinical faculty) who participate in the program and activities of the lab, graduate student researchers, and volunteer assistants (generally undergraduate students).

The research assistant will report directly to the principal investigator, and will be assigned to one or more specific projects. In this context, there will be some responsibility to oversee, train, and direct the work of less experienced research assistants or students in the lab.

Work Performed
Under the supervision of the PI, the research assistant will: contact organizations or agencies in order to obtain permission to conduct research, coordinate data collection either off-site or in the lab, interact as needed with the parents of our research participants, collect data, train and support junior research assistants in data collection and analysis (including administration of experimental tasks, language sample transcription and analysis, etc.), ensure that data reduction is performed correctly, perform preliminary analyses of the data and summarizing of the findings, and participating in manuscript writing.

Provides instruction and training in the use of specialized techniques and equipment. Researches and determines the applicability of new technology and systems related to work. Writes reports and assists in writing ethics and grant applications.

Carries out any other related duties as required in keeping with the qualifications and requirements of positions in this classification.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

The position will require exercising judgment when corresponding with other agencies or organizations, recruiting and interacting with participants, and collecting, coding and analyzing data.

Once trained by the supervisor, the assistant will be responsible for making day-to-day decisions about the work performed. Important decisions (e.g., eligibility of a prospective participant, adequacy of environment for collecting data, type of analysis to proceed with, how much direction or training to provide to other assistants, etc.) will be made in consultation with the principal investigator, who will regularly check in with the assistant.

Decisions made without consultation with supervisor could result in miscommunication with other organizations, and/or the loss of data.

Supervision Received
The assistant will report directly to the supervisors. The position requires considerable independent work as well as joint work with the supervisors at regular intervals. The supervisor will determine priorities, assign work, and review the assistant's work.

Supervision Given
The research assistant will participate in training, as well as oversee and direct the work of one or two other less experienced assistants who will be involved in data collection and coding.

Minimum Qualifications
High school graduation, some additional training in a related field and a minimum 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

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