Job Description

Staff - Non Union
Job Category Non Union Technicians and Research Assistants
Job Profile Non Union Salaried - Research Assistant /Technician 4
Job Title Research Assistant/Technician 4
Department Gross Anatomy Laboratory | Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences | Faculty of Medicine
Compensation Range $5,220.98 - $6,124.46 CAD Monthly
Posting End Date July 25, 2024
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date Aug 31, 2025
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
Under supervision of Body Program Manager, employee will provide support in the Gross Anatomy laboratory and other Gross Anatomy teaching areas and assist with supervision of other technical staff.
Organizational Status
Employee works from oral and written instructions or schedule, and will report to Body Program Manager to discuss new and unusual problems.
Work Performed
Gross Anatomy Laboratory (80%)

• Receive bodies and prepare, embalm and store.
• Move cadavers into coolers and onto dissecting tables; move dissecting tables and other lab equipment.
• Manage chemical inventory for Gross Anatomy teaching labs, morgue and plastination lab.
• Order supplies and equipment for the Gross Anatomy teaching labs, morgue, and plastination lab.
• Assist with the supervision of technical staff in the Gross Anatomy teaching labs, morgue, and plastination lab; act as Team Lead when Manager is absent
• Receive body program phone calls from families, and doctors, and make decisions as to the acceptance of the body based on a Standard Operating Procedure, through doctors experience and discussion with supervisor.
• Arrange delivery of bodies and prosections to the university, to other sites (UBCO, UNBC, UVIC) and hospitals, and to funeral homes for cremation.
• Maintain Gross Anatomy medical student laboratories, morgue and dissecting areas including: cleaning cadaver trays, counters, sinks, commodes and laboratory floors as required; washing instruments; tidying rooms; replacing, and organizing supplies; putting away specimens; making solutions.
• Inventory and maintenance of prosection collection for Gross Anatomy teaching labs including prioritizing replacement of specimens and liaising with Distributed Program staff (UBCO, UNBC, UVic) to determine their specimen needs.
• Prosect specimens under direction of the Manager.
• Repair skeletons and anatomical models, maintain and organizing student bone collection and prosected specimens; cataloguing these collections.
• Update SDS inventories for the Gross Anatomy teaching areas, morgue and plastination lab.
• Update body program database with new donor information.
• Optimize and develop new methods/techniques for embalming.
• Liaise with workshop directors and assist with coordination and set up of external workshops.
• Monitor invoices received under program POs and invoices sent for workshops and courses to ensure timely payment and accurate record keeping
• Assist instructors during student laboratories sessions and external workshops.
• May be required to assist the AV technicians with minor duties in the lab and lecture theatres.
• Perform minor maintenance in the lab if required.
• Other duties in the teaching areas as may be required by the Department.
• Other duties as required in the Gross Laboratory lab.
• Inform Manager of equipment failures or repair/maintentance requirements, contact Building Operations to arrange for these.

Other Duties (20%)

• Identify and prioritize specimen acquisition and allocation for the plastination lab.
• Plastinate specimens under supervision of the Manager.
• Optimize and develop new methods/techniques for plastination.
• Supervise technical staff assisting with plastination.
• Routine maintenance and cleaning of plastination pumps and equipment.
• Other duties in the plastination lab as may be required by the Department.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

• Follows procedures and protocols as outlined by supervisor.
• Unusual problems are referred to supervisors.

Supervision Received
Body Program Manager is the supervisor. Overall responsibility is provided by the Director of the Gross Anatomy Program.
Supervision Given
Assists with training and supervision of new employees within the program, during labs and for the students. Provides responsibility for the lab when Manager is absent.
Minimum Qualifications
Completion of a university degree in a relevant discipline or technical program and a minimum four years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Some positions may require a graduate degree.
- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with ones own
- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing ones own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
Preferred Qualifications

• High School Graduation (B.Sc. or Technical Diploma preferred).
• Three years of related experience.
• Proven ability to carry out moderately complex procedures without supervision.
• Good communication skills required in dealing with students and public.
• Discreteness in dealing with Body Donor Program.