Research Assistant

Staff - Non UnionJob CategoryNon Union Technicians and Research AssistantsJob ProfileNon Union Salaried - Research Assistant /Technician 4Job TitleResearch AssistantDepartmentPrisman Research Laboratory Otolaryngology | Department of Surgery | Faculty of MedicineCompensation Range$5, $6,124.46 CAD MonthlyPosting End DateJanuary 13, 2026

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

Job End Date

January 15, 2027

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

Job Description

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 contributes to Dr. Prisman's research lab in head and neck reconstruction technology by researching and developing machine learning modules and other software tools to improve the efficiency of the reconstruction planning process.

Organizational Status

The UBC Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery educates students at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels, and pursues research to make innovative advancements in knowledge and practice to improve health. The Department consists of more than 600 physicians, surgeons, scientists and educators and over 70 administrative, research and technical staff in nine divisions distributed across British Columbia. Specialty training programs are offered in Cardiac Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, General Surgery, Neurosurgery, Otolaryngology, Pediatric Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Radiation Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Thoracic Surgery and Vascular Surgery. The Department is also home to the Branch for Global Surgical Care (BGSC).

This position reports to the Principal Investigator, Dr. Eitan Prisman. They also take function direction from co-Investigators from collaborating departments, including but not limited to, Dr. Sidney Fels, Dr. Antony Hodgson and Dr. Farahna Sabiq. The incumbent will work under general supervision; however, they have latitude for exercising independent initiative and judgment in the performance of specialized duties and responsibilities. Informal reports will be made regularly to the Principal Investigator, research manager, and co-Investigators. The incumbent will also liaise with graduate students in the Faculty of Applied Science as well as medical trainees.

Work Performed

• Research, develop, implement, and evaluate complex projects.

• Present findings and recommendations to the research team.

• Oversee and lead projects, including the design and development of:

• • Machine learning tools (radiomics, neural networks) to improve head and neck reconstruction outcomes.

  • Virtual reality applications for patient education.

  • Mixed reality modules for augmented reality guided head and neck reconstruction.

  • Novel functions and upgrades to the Da Vinci Robotic Surgery system for transoral robotic surgery.

• Plan and implement user studies to evaluate efficacy and ease of use of software tools.

• Develop system refinements based on study findings.

• Analyze and interpret findings from virtual experiments using machine learning tools.

• Report on clinical applicability and write manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals.

• Collaborate with computer and mechanical engineering graduate students and researchers.

• Identify gaps in image-guided surgery and functional modeling projects.

• Lead workflow development and integration plans for adopting research outputs.

• Maintain current knowledge of literature in engineering and head and neck reconstruction.

• Propose new research projects to address gaps in the field.

• Oversee operation and maintenance of the lab's 3D printer.

• Troubleshoot issues and manage printing material inventory.

• Recommend equipment upgrades and workflow improvements.

• Hire, train, and supervise undergraduate R&D co-op students.

• Provide regular feedback on co-op student performance.

• Present findings at academic conferences in engineering and head and neck reconstruction.

Working Conditions

This position is based in a clinical office environment on the Vancouver General Hospital campus, in the Diamond Health Care Centre.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

The incumbent must be willing to pay attention to details, be aware of pitfalls and willing to repeat tasks if necessary. The incumbent will improve upon existing protocols and provide input into the direction of the laboratory. The incumbent will focus solely on research and development projects; therefore, standard patient care will not be impacted.

Errors in judgment may result in insufficient progress of research projects, adversely affecting funding for studies and the scope of other members' learning experiences. Inappropriate handling of interactions and communications could create embarrassment for the Prisman Lab, the Division of Otolaryngology, and Department of Surgery in dealings with faculty, students, University, affiliated hospitals, patients, business affiliates, and the public.

Supervision Received

The incumbent reports directly to Dr. Eitan Prisman. The incumbent will work under general supervision, however, the incumbent will have latitude for exercising independent initiative and judgment in the performance of specialized duties and responsibilities.

Informal reports will be made regularly to the Principal Investigator.

Supervision Given
The incumbent supervises the undergraduate R&D co-op student who will assist with projects.

Minimum Qualifications

• University degree in a relevant discipline or technical program plus a minimum of four years of related experience, or equivalent combination.

• Willingness to respect diverse and conflicting perspectives.

• Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Applied Science (Biomedical Engineering or related field).

• Experience with machine learning, computer vision, and data science tools.

• At least 2 years of experience developing applications with Python and Java.

• At least 2 years of experience with augmented reality development using Unity (Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest 3).

• Experience with computer modeling tools (Blender, CAD tools).

• Experience with medical imaging segmentation and analysis (3D Slicer).

• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills.

• Strong organizational and time-management abilities.

• Strong listening and clarification skills.

• Effective oral and written communication skills.

• Ability to take initiative and anticipate issues.

• Ability to work independently and within a team.

• Tact, diplomacy, and discretion with confidential matters.

• High accuracy and attention to detail.

• Intermediate Microsoft Office skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

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