Imaging Technologist

About Queen's University

Queen’s University is the Canadian research intensive university with a transformative student learning experience. Here the employment experience is as diverse as it is interesting. We have opportunities in multiple areas of globally recognized research, faculty administration, engineering & construction, athletics & recreation, power generation, corporate shared services, and many more.

We are committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcome applications from individuals from equity seeking groups such as women, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous/Aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, persons who identify in the LGBTQ+ community and others who reflect the diversity of Canadian society.

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Job Summary

1.Give a short summary of the duties and responsibilities of your job.

•The incumbent is responsible for providing technical skills to maintain and utilize specialized microscopes and related imaging platforms for health research core facilities. This includes maintenance of equipment and providing training and instruction to technical staff, research technicians, and graduate students on safe operation of advanced scientific equipment.
•Provide advice to students and staff on appropriate imaging modalities and sample preparation on an informal basis, or within imaging methods-related graduate courses.
•Recommend and design research experiment procedures and protocols using scientific methods and principles, in which overall goals are defined by the facility users, including approaches and procedures developed by the incumbent.
•Maintain equipment, making upgrades/repairs when necessary. Research and recommend purchase for new components of imaging systems for specific projects. Stay current with literature in a number of related fields as well as the technical advances and applications available for the instruments. Design and use new and advanced scientific imaging platforms, i.e. biophotonics, ultrasound, microscope platforms, flow cytometers and cameras.
•Track monthly usage of equipment and expenditures.
•In the absence of the Manager, Research and Laboratories, the incumbent will provide support for workplace accidents. This includes providing first aid and coordinating emergency response services to the individual.

Job Description

2.To fulfil your duties what knowledge, skills and specialized techniques are required? How would each be normally acquired? How long would it take to become proficient in each of the areas of your work?

Required Qualifications
•Minimum 3-year Technologist diploma in medical laboratory technology or related area.
•5 years’ experience in cell/tissue imaging systems, and advanced laboratory animal imaging and ability to trouble shoot problems that may arise with the function of this equipment.
•Advanced microscopy ie. Confocal, multiphoton, super-resolution and Cytometry applications experience is considered an asset
•Experience with data analytics, protocols and use of advanced imaging, scientific graphical and analysis and statistical software. Proficiency with MS Office is also required.
•Knowledgeable in Biohazard, Chemical laboratory and Radioisotope Safety and familiarity with health and safety and other compliance standards applicable to research laboratories.
•Good communication (oral and written), organizational, time management, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills to effectively manage multiple projects/tasks of varying complexities, meet deadlines and work well under pressure independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
•Ability to learn how to operate new imaging equipment in order to be able to oversee the daily operation, training and maintenance of the equipment.

3.Is it necessary in this position to oversee the work, or to instruct other staff? If so, what does this involve?

•Provide support to technical staff, research technicians and graduate students within core facilities.
•Triage service/work requests and assign priority to each job, provide timely feedback on progress.
•Provide training and guidance to individuals on how to safely operate advanced imaging equipment.
•Communicate with faculty, support staff and students on a daily basis. Provide support in research of personal scientific equipment. This may involve working with private sector service providers in order to maintain and repair equipment.

4.What other people must you deal with in this job and why? (i.e. is there direct contact with students, teaching staff, other departments, people outside the university community).

Work closely with the Manager Research and Laboratories, Department Manager, Instrumentation Specialist, Histology/Electron Microscopy Technologist, Technical support assistant, Environmental Health and Safety Department, all faculty members, scientific company service technicians, Facilities, and casual employees.

5.How is your work assigned to you and how closely is your work checked by someone else?

Work is generated via requests submitted by imaging users to online booking calendars or email. Additional work may come from the Manager, Research and Laboratories who will then assign tasks to core facilities staff. On a day-to-day basis the incumbent prioritizes his/her own schedule. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, the incumbent will cross-train to provide technical support to other cores in the department.

6. a) Are the sorts of problems encountered in this job usually covered by established procedures or do you frequently have to develop or invent solutions to problems yourself?

Some problems encountered are covered by established procedures, but many problems require the incumbent to be creative, innovative and flexible in designing and providing solutions. Unusual or complicated problems are referred to the Instrumentation Specialist or Manager, Research and Laboratories.

b) Are you involved in establishing standard procedures? (Give examples)

The incumbent maintains established standard training procedures in order to ensure compliance with the safe operation of potentially hazardous equipment. Provide input and contribute to new or revised guidelines and procedures.

7.a) What is the size of your department (i.e. #of classes for which you are involved with labs., # of students, # of staff you might come in contact with, # of technicians in department).

Faculty - 55
Departmental Technicians - 15
Administrative Support Staff - 16
Graduate Students - 130

b) What kind of equipment or material are you responsible for? Are you solely responsible for it and what is its approximate value?

There is a wide variety of research imaging equipment the incumbent will be solely responsible for, including confocal microscope, spinning disk confocal microscope, live cell imaging systems, epifluorescence microscopes and flow cytometers. This is a representative but not an exhaustive list of the multitude of equipment the incumbent will be working with. The technical work/repair is the responsibility of the incumbent. The total value of the equipment is in excess of $1,000,000.

8. Give details of any unusual factors affecting this job? i.e. hazards, unusual working conditions, requirement for a high degree of manual dexterity etc.

The incumbent may encounter biohazardous and chemical materials in the course of her/his duties and must be able to recognize the risk and take appropriate preventative measures. The incumbent may at times work with small research animals such as mice and rats.

9.Do you have any general comments about this position which may not be covered by the preceding questions?

The incumbent will need to be highly collaborative and establish positive working relationships with the Manager Research and Laboratories, core facilities staff and users, and the Department Manager to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of all imaging equipment in the department.

Employment Equity and Accessibility Statement

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen’s is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, visible minorities, Aboriginal Peoples, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

The University provides support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant's accessibility needs.