Job Description

Staff - Non Union
Job Category
Non Union Technicians and Research Assistants
Job Profile
Non Union Salaried - Research Assistant /Technician 5
Job Title
Research Coordinator
Department
Cresswell Laboratory | Centre for Brain Health | Faculty of Medicine
Compensation Range
$6,088.24 - $6,966.27 CAD Monthly
Posting End Date
July 25, 2025
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
Jul 14, 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 Vision of the BC Brain Wellness Program is Brain Wellness, Beyond All Boundaries.
We are leveraging the collective power of clinical care, lifestyle programs, education, and research to design a comprehensive and integrated approach to brain wellness for people with chronic brain conditions, care partners and healthy agers.
The BC Brain Wellness Program is an interactive effort to establish clinically relevant lifestyle approaches to complement medical treatment in the clinics at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health. By combining clinical care with interventions that support healthier lifestyles, the BC Brain Wellness Program team hopes to improve and sustain quality of life for people living with brain disorders and their care partners, as well as to offer healthy agers the opportunity to enhance their wellness and engage in preventative lifestyle measures.
The BC Brain Wellness Program brings together the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Clinic at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health. Expertise is drawn from many fields including the School of Music, Physiotherapy, Kinesiology, Neurology, Psychiatry, Neurosciences, Nutrition as well as several community partners.
The position is for a contract Research Coordinator (0.8FTE). The Research Coordinator will be responsible for leading the IMPACT360 research study at the BC Brain Wellness Program. The individual will focus on the implementation and analysis of research, oversight of daily operations and finances of the IMPACT360 research study, and the supervision of research assistants, intervention instructors, and research volunteers. The individual will design, perform, analyze, and interpret complex assessments for clinical trials, incorporating specialized techniques. The individual will be responsible for writing these novel protocols. The individual will need to be trained and have experience in using a wide variety of programming languages for data and statistical analysis. The individual will need to have experience in and be responsible for the writing of ethics and grant applications. The individual will need to be trained and certified in the UPDRS assessment for Parkinson's disease, as well as any other necessary certification courses for outcome assessments for a range of brain diseases. The individual will schedule, train, and supervise research assistants, students, and instructors. They must ensure: 1) patient confidentiality and safety; 2) Clinical data reliability and quality.

Organizational Status

The individual will work closely with the Program Manager, Program Director, and the multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals and research staff at the Center for Brain Health to contribute to our current programs and research projects. The individual will work closely in a multidisciplinary team environment, and have access to electronic medical records.



Work PerformedOversees the technical operations of a research lab, ensuring smooth functionality and supporting advanced clinical trials. Performs advanced data analysis requiring extensive expertise in statistical modeling, data wrangling, and coding using programming languages such as R, MATLAB, Python, and SPSS. Responsibilities include designing and implementing complex statistical procedures (e.g., multilevel modeling, longitudinal data analysis, machine learning algorithms), cleaning and structuring large datasets, validating model assumptions, and ensuring reproducibility. Synthesizes analysis findings into clear, actionable insights and presents results to interdisciplinary teams within a service-based research facility, tailoring communication to both technical and non-technical audiences. Provides high-level mentorship to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting researchers, offering guidance on experimental design, protocol refinement, and data interpretation. Serves as a technical advisor to research staff and trainees, recommending the most effective use, adaptation, and implementation of data collection and analysis techniques. Innovates new, specialized techniques that elevates practices within the clinical trial and neuroscience industry, to improve data reliability and validity (e.g., using wearable technology to objectively assess balance and gait). Development of specialized techniques should be presented to collaborators in the neuroscience industry with the goal of becoming the industry standard. Designs, conducts, and evaluates assessments for a clinical trial that includes cognitive testing, fMRI, blood and fecal samples, DEXA scans, and hearing tests. Identifies opportunities for follow-up studies based on the interpretation of complex experimental data and develops proposals for continued research. Acts as a technical consultant for external research organizations, providing insight and complex data analysis that may lead to co-authorship on scientific publications. Collaborates with both internal teams and external institutions to develop experimental methods and drive joint research initiatives. Reviews scientific papers and experimental protocols upon request, offering expert commentary and critique in areas of technical specialization. Authors research reports and contributes to the preparation and revision of grant and ethics applications. Represents the organization at academic and professional conferences, presenting research findings through posters or talks. Maintains up-to-date knowledge of advancements, methodologies, and emerging technologies within the field of neuroscience. Engages with other researchers in the field to share insights and offer field-specific guidance when required. Takes on additional duties as needed, aligned with the qualifications and expectations of the role.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Poor decisions/errors in judgment may compromise the BWP, breech the trust and confidentiality of research participants, and may result in financial loss to the PI, the Centres, and the University. Even simple typographical mistakes may result in distress to stakeholders and be damaging to the program and the reputation of the team and Director. They may influence the ability of the PI to meet critical deadlines and affect funding applications and ongoing program obligations.



Supervision Received

The individual will work closely with staff, clinical investigators, clinicians, and multidisciplinary staff as well as students at the BC Brain Wellness Program and the Cresswell Lab. Overall supervision will be provided by the Program Manager and Program Director.



Supervision Given

The individual will be responsible for the supervision and direction of Brain Wellness Program and IMPACT360 research assistants, instructors, and volunteers involved in the research study. The individual will be responsible for training new and existing team members on various research assessment techniques used in the study.



Minimum Qualifications

University degree in relevant discipline or completion of a technical program and a minimum five 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 one's own Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one's own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications
Preference is given to those with a graduate level degree (Masters, PhD) in a scientific field (preferably in kinesiology or clinical exercise physiology field) where a thesis was completed, and research training was provided. Previous experience working in clinical research is preferred. Proficiency in the development and recommendation of operating procedure workflow improvements is preferred. Proficiency in English grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Ability to compose simple, clear, concise business letters. Effective communication skills. Ability to exercise tact and discretion with others in the obtaining and giving of information. Previous experience in a clinical setting and exercise instruction is preferred. Excellent interpersonal skills are required. The applicant must be able to collect, analyze, and present data in a concise and logical manner. The applicant must be sensitive to the issues faced by individuals living with neurological disease and be able to communicate compassionately with patient participants. The need for accuracy in reporting and attention to detail cannot be overstated. Organizational skills are important, including the ability to prioritize workload. The applicant needs to be well-organized in the training, hiring, and scheduling of employees. The applicant must have the ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities, and the flexibility to adjust to changing work plans, schedules and deadlines. We require a self-motivated team member with passion and enthusiasm for improving clinical care with the ability to work well in a team environment as well as be proactive at work. The desire to make a positive difference in the lives of participants and their families is essential. The applicant must enjoy working as part of a large multidisciplinary team. However, they will also have the ability to work independently once they have demonstrated the ability to show initiative. After a probationary period, they will be expected to step up and take an active role in project planning and support. Working between the public and University presents some communication challenges. Hence, the applicant must be adept in written and verbal English. Standard Level First Aid, and CPR are assets.