Research Assistant/Technician 3

Staff - Non UnionJob CategoryNon Union Technicians and Research AssistantsJob ProfileNon Union Salaried - Research Assistant /Technician 3Job TitleResearch Assistant/Technician 3DepartmentCheung Laboratory | School of Biomedical Engineering | Faculty of MedicineCompensation Range$4, $5,385.67 CAD MonthlyPosting End DateNovember 29, 2025

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

Job End Date

January 11, 2027

We are looking to have the successful candidate start the week of January

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 School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is a partnership between the Faculties of Applied Science and Medicine, established in 2017. The School is a nucleus for education and training, research, and innovation in biomedical engineering, creating new knowledge, new academic and training programs, and fostering translation and innovation. Its vision is to transform health and healthcare for all, achieved through innovative research and education at the convergence of engineering, medicine and biology. Through collaborative, innovative, and interdisciplinary approaches and building on UBC's academic and research excellence, the School of Biomedical Engineering aspires to be a global leader in biomedical engineering research, education and translation. The SBME has two locations on Vancouver's campus, the Gordon B Shrum building and the Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). For more information about the School of Biomedical Engineering, please visit

The Cheung Lab in collaboration with The Mend the Gap team, a transformative biomaterials platform for Spinal Cord repair, has an opening for Research Assistant/Technician available for a 1-year term with possibility of extension, located at the Life Sciences Centre. Mend the Gap develops biomaterials for cell alignment and  biomaterials for drug release, performing in vitro evaluation of biomaterials to support neuron growth, with the goal to achieve a viable and ethical treatment for spinal cord injury.

The Research Assistant/Technician will be involved in developing an in vitro model of the injured spinal cord. Experiments will assess the biocompatibility of different materials, and measure the growth of primary neural cells in different biomaterials, for the purposes of maximizing the aligned, long-distance growth and viability of neurons. The successful applicant will also be involved in data analysis, communicating with the team, training students, and writing manuscripts.

Organizational Status:

Reports to the Principal Investigator within Cheung Lab and a senior staff member. The Research Assistant/Technician will support and work in conjunction with other members in the Cheung Lab and Mend the Gap.

Work Performed:

• Maintain cell cultures and generation of new cell lines from primary tissue using aseptic techniques, and plans and performs cell viability assays.

• Perform tissue collection procedures and euthanasia on rats.

• Perform perfusions and tissue extraction.

• Plan and perform immunocytochemistry.

• Perform general histology processing.

• Assists with image analysis and data collection.

• Assist in developing and implementing standard operating protocols (SOPs).

• Assist in general maintenance, reagent preparation, receiving and inventory of lab supplies.

• Plan and perform experiments; troubleshoot problems; collect, record, analyze and interpret experimental results with senior staff.

• Carry out any other related duties as assigned or required in keeping with the qualifications and requirements of this level of technician.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Errors made could delay experimental progress, require experiments to be repeated, result in excessive use of expensive consumables, influence the ability of our interdisciplinary team to meet critical deadlines.

Supervision received:

Will receive direction from Principal Investigator and Senior Staff Member. The incumbent will receive detailed instructions on new duties and escalate unusual problems as needed.

Supervision given:

May assist in supervising and/or mentoring a small number of co-op students.

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

• Candidate will need to complete the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) Ethics Course.

• Candidate will need to complete the UBC animal husbandry course - Introduction to working with rodents in research (IWRR) in order to work with rats in the lab.

• Successful completion of UBC Chemical and Biohazard Safety Courses is required.

• Background in Biomedical Engineering, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, or a related discipline preferred.

• Demonstrated experience in harvesting and culture of primary cortical explants, dissociated neuronal and central nervous system cultures.

• Experience in primary cell culture and aseptic cell culture techniques.

• Experience with complex cell culture models.

• Demonstrated experience in animal handling, research and euthanasia.

• Knowledge of basic immunoassay techniques (e.g., Immunohistochemistry, Immunocytochemistry) is required.

• Experience with cryostat tissue sectioning.

• Experience in data analysis with statistical software.

• Experience with lab management tasks.

• Effective oral and written communication, interpersonal and organizational skills, and attention to detail required.

• Must be able to work both independently and within a team environment.

• Prior experience working in a laboratory environment is mandatory.

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