Job Description

Staff - Non Union
Job Category Non Union Technicians and Research Assistants
Job Profile Non Union Hourly - Research Assistant /Technician 2
Job Title Research Assistant
Department Amri Laboratory | School of Population and Public Health | Faculty of Medicine
Compensation Range $26.67 - $31.73 CAD Hourly
Posting End Date September 26, 2025
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date November 30, 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 purpose of this position is to contribute to understanding the dynamics between civil servants working within the Ministry of Public Health in Afghanistan and international organizations in setting policy priorities. The research assistant will be supporting IRB submissions, data collection, assisting in analysis, supporting drafting of manuscripts, maintaining liaisons with collaborators, and related research tasks.
Organizational Status
The Research Assistant will report to Dr. Michelle Amri, an Assistant Professor of Global Health Ethics and housed at the Centre for Applied Ethics and the School of Population and Public Health. The PI's work is focused on normative questions in global health and public policy. The incoming Research Assistant will contribute to this broader program of research.
Housed within the Faculty of Medicine, the School of Population and Public Health (SPPH) is an innovative unit that encompasses many of the health-related groupings at UBC as a collaborative venture. The School is structured around four divisions: Occupational and Environmental Health; Health Services and Policy; Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Public Health Practice; and Health in Populations. The resulting mix of professions and disciplines is seen as a means of connecting individuals and learners to galvanize the relationship between health research, public health and health services and to enhance learning.
Work Performed
The Research Assistant will perform:
Contributing to securing IRB approval (the RA will work from a draft to fill in the IRB application with the primary goal being learning and the PI will discuss gaps and fill in remaining sections)
Recruitment (coordination of recruitment through sending emails)
Conducting virtual key informant interviews
Transcribing
Coding (no pre-existing coding knowledge is necessary and the PI will discuss how to qualitatively code the transcripts)
Analysis (discussing with the PI on what codes to highlight in study findings)
Drafting (no technical knowledge is required and drafting will be summarizing what the main findings of the study are based on coding and analysis)
Meeting with the PI and adapting efforts based on feedback
Liaising with other collaborators (sharing draft manuscript(s) with collaborators for their input)
The condition of this employment is not to exceed 120 hours, unless approved by the PI in writing. The maximum number of hours to be worked in one week is 19 hours.
Consequence of Error/Judgement
The RA is expected to exercise judgement to perform regular research tasks (coding, etc.) but is always welcome to consult the PI for further clarity. It is expected that the RA will exercise professionalism in all tasks.
This position will be responsible for access, collection, use and disclosure of personal information in accordance with the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSBC 1996) and other UBC privacy and security policies. This position requires employees to work under strict confidentiality requirements; internal procedures and policies to protect personal information must be followed and adherence to these requirements will be regularly reviewed by the employer.
Supervision Received
The RA is expected to report to the PI on a frequent basis by touching base every one to two weeks at a minimum. It is expected the PI and RA will be frequently meeting for the PI to provide the RA with directions, feedback, and guidance.
Supervision Given
The RA will not be supervising anyone.
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
Areas of experience preferred: public health, global health, international development, health systems, public policy.
Preference for a candidate with a public health, global health, and/or health administration background.
Experience with public health programs or projects.
Knowledge of global health, public health, and health systems and excellent communication skills are necessary to be successful in this position.

Skills Required