Research Assistant, Thomsen Research Lab

Staff - Non UnionJob CategoryNon Union Technicians and Research AssistantsJob ProfileNon Union Hourly - Research Assistant /Technician 3Job TitleResearch Assistant, Thomsen Research LabDepartmentAdministrative Support | Centre for Health Education Scholarship | Faculty of MedicineCompensation Range$ $33.14 CAD HourlyPosting End DateOctober 13, 2025

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

Job End Date

October 1, 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

The Research Assistant will provide support to the Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-Investigators by coordinating materials development; collecting, organizing, analyzing, and interpreting data; and drafting reports and manuscripts.

The program of research this role will support aims to understand the experiences of UBC Family Medicine residents as they navigate personal and professional boundaries in rural communities. We hope to gain a better understanding of how these experiences may influence future choices to work in rural communities.

The Research Assistant will work an average of 7.5 hours per week for a 6-month period (with potential for extension).

Organizational Status

The Research Assistant will report to the Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator and may receive administrative support from the CHES Administrative Manager and other administrative personnel.

The Centre for Health Education Scholarship (CHES) was formed in April 2008 to enhance health education scholarship across the Faculty of Medicine through collaboration, team-building, mentorship of new faculty, successful funding applications, and other activities. CHES serves as a resource to help support best practices related to the delivery and assessment of the Faculty's educational programs. Its researchers include faculty, post-graduate fellows, and clinical education fellows engaged in various research projects.

Work Performed

The Research Assistant will: 
- Assist with qualitative research activities, including instrument and study material revision; conducting interviews; data collection and coordination; and qualitative data analysis (e.g. from assessment and interview data) using software.

- With guidance, perform literature reviews and prepare literature summaries by conducting online searches of journal databases.

- Assist in the assessment of study designs for the collection, maintenance, interpretation, and reporting of data.
- Foster cooperative relationships with the research team and other stakeholders to facilitate the flow of information and ideas, and ensure timely completion of the project.
- Assist with the preparation and dissemination of results, including assisting in the drafting of research reports, posters, slide presentations, and manuscripts for publication.
- Maintain and secure data and files in strict adherence to ethics protocols and to CHES and UBC policies.
- Provide general administrative and logistical support to the investigators as directed by the PI.

- Distribute honoraria to research participants

Working Relationships of the Research Assistant:
- Reports directly to the Principal Investigator (PI).
- Interacts/works closely with other Project Investigators and collaborators at UBC and at other institutions as needed.
- Interacts with CHES Administrative Manager and other CHES staff as needed.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Failure to adhere strictly to protocols approved by Ethics Boards, and to CHES and UBC policies regarding security of data has the potential to cause harm to study participants, to negatively impact the reputation of the investigators, CHES, and UBC, and to threaten ethics approval, access to funding sources, and access to study participants. 

Poor decisions could delay timely completion of projects, cause financial loss and be damaging to the reputation of the PI, the Director, the Centre, the Faculty of Medicine and the University of British Columbia. In addition, errors could cause misinterpretation of results in information disseminated to decision-makers, the public and academic audiences. The consequences could lead to inappropriate policy and decision-making related to health professions education.

Supervision Received

The Research Assistant will receive direction from Principal Investigator. Co-Investigators or the CHES Administrative Manager may provide supervision under request of the PI.

Supervision Given
No supervision given.

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

Experience preferably in qualitative research in education or a social sciences related field. The ideal candidate will have research experience in a health-related field, including qualitative analysis of data.

The successful applicant must have experience with the secure management of confidential research material and a strong understanding of UBC ethics protocols. The successful candidate must have a proven ability to work in a confidential environment, and must be able to adhere strictly to policy concerning security of data and research ethics protocols. The candidate should possess strong analytic, communication, and organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail. Demonstrated ability to work independently and within a team is critical. The candidate must be able to follow direction and to show initiative and self-direction in adapting to the changing needs of the project and the research team. The candidate must be a proactive team member capable of fostering cooperative relationships with the research team, stakeholders, and CHES staff to enhance the flow of information and ideas. The successful candidate should be able to work with diverse populations effectively, possess the ability to identify and relate to concerns of others, and exercise good judgment when resolving difficulties. Fluency in the following computer applications is an asset: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and EndNote. Skill with analytical software such as SPSS or NVivo is an asset.

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