Research Assistant/Technician 2 - UBC, Vancouver

About the Role

As a Research Assistant/Technician 2 at UBC, you will play a crucial role in supporting the day-to-day delivery of clinical research studies within the Samuel Lab. These studies often involve children and youth with kidney disease, as well as healthy control participants. This position is integral to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning at UBC, contributing to a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Working within a clinical research environment at BC Children’s Hospital and the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, you will collaborate with a wide range of professionals. This includes investigators, research staff, clinical teams, laboratory and biobank personnel, participants, and their families. Your work will ensure all activities are completed in accordance with approved protocols, standard operating procedures, research ethics requirements, and institutional policies.

Who We're Looking For

We are seeking a detail-oriented and collaborative individual committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion, ready to support vital clinical research. The ideal candidate will possess strong organizational and communication skills, capable of managing competing priorities across multiple studies.

• 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 include:

• Post-secondary education in health sciences, life sciences, psychology or a related discipline.
• Experience supporting clinical or health research, preferably in a pediatric, hospital or academic research environment.
• Experience interacting with research participants and families; experience with recruitment and informed consent is an asset.
• Experience with research data entry, chart abstraction and database maintenance. Experience with REDCap, OpenSpecimen or similar clinical research systems is an asset.
• Experience supporting qualitative research, including interviews or focus groups, transcription, de-identification, coding or thematic analysis, is an asset.
• Familiarity with qualitative data analysis software, such as NVivo, and the ability to apply an established codebook consistently are assets.
• Experience preparing biospecimen collection kits and coordinating, processing, tracking, storing or shipping biological samples is an asset.
• Knowledge of research ethics, privacy, informed consent, Good Clinical Practice and biosafety principles is preferred. Relevant institutional training must be completed before undertaking assigned duties.
• Strong attention to detail and demonstrated ability to maintain accurate, complete and confidential records.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact calmly, respectfully and professionally with children, youth, families and interdisciplinary teams.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities and work across multiple studies.
• Ability to work both independently within established procedures and collaboratively as part of a research and clinical team.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams.
• Ability to work occasional early morning or after-hours study visits, where operationally required and scheduled in advance.

Responsibilities

This role encompasses a variety of responsibilities crucial to the successful execution of clinical research studies, from participant coordination and biospecimen collection to meticulous data management and administrative support. You will be instrumental in ensuring all research procedures are followed accurately and ethically.

Key responsibilities include:

• Reviews clinic schedules, study databases and other approved sources to help identify potentially eligible participants in accordance with study screening procedures.
• Approaches and recruits potential participants and families only as authorized by the approved research ethics application and under the direction of the study team.
• Explains study procedures using approved materials and, once appropriately trained and delegated, obtains and documents informed consent and assent in accordance with the protocol, institutional policy and applicable regulations.
• Schedules study visits, confirms appointments, prepares visit materials and coordinates research activities with participants, families, clinical staff, laboratories and other service areas.
• Supports participants during study visits, administers approved questionnaires and collects study information using standardized procedures.
• Maintains professional, respectful and culturally sensitive communication with children, youth, families and members of the interdisciplinary care and research teams.
• Documents participant contacts, visit status, recruitment outcomes, protocol deviations and follow-up requirements in approved study records.
• Sets up study sample collections by preparing participant-specific kits, labels, requisitions, collection instructions and tracking documentation according to the protocol and collection schedule.
• Coordinates blood, urine, saliva and other approved biospecimen collections with clinical and laboratory personnel; confirms collection requirements, timing, volumes and processing arrangements.
• Supports the collection of non-invasive participant-provided specimens, such as urine or saliva, in accordance with approved study procedures. Blood collection and venipuncture are performed by qualified laboratory personnel and are not duties of this position.
• Receives, labels, processes, aliquots, stores and retrieves study samples according to established standard operating procedures and biosafety requirements, as assigned and once trained.
• Maintains accurate sample inventories and chain-of-custody records in approved paper and electronic systems, including OpenSpecimen or equivalent platforms.
• Coordinates packaging and shipment of research samples to collaborating laboratories in accordance with study requirements and applicable transport procedures.
• Monitors study and laboratory supplies, prepares collection materials, maintains organized storage areas and alerts the supervisor to anticipated shortages or equipment issues.
• Collects and abstracts research data from approved sources, including participant interviews, questionnaires, clinical records, laboratory reports, paper forms and electronic health or research systems.
• Enters study data accurately and promptly into REDCap, Excel, OpenSpecimen and other approved databases using study-specific data entry conventions.
• Reviews data and study records for completeness, consistency and accuracy; resolves routine discrepancies and escalates missing, conflicting or clinically significant information to the appropriate study staff.
• Supports data quality activities, including source-document review, query resolution, duplicate checks, validation reports and preparation of records for monitoring, audit or long-term storage.
• Maintains screening, enrolment, consent, visit, sample, shipment and study activity logs, ensuring that records are current and appropriately filed.
• Protects participant confidentiality and handles identifiable and coded research information in accordance with ethics approvals, privacy requirements and institutional policies.
• Supports qualitative research activities, including scheduling and preparing for interviews, focus groups and other participant-engagement sessions.
• Once trained and delegated, conducts or assists with semi-structured interviews and focus groups using approved interview guides and study procedures.
• Takes field notes and supports secure audio-recording, transcription, transcript review, de-identification and organization of qualitative research data.
• Assists with coding and categorizing qualitative data using established codebooks and qualitative analysis software, such as NVivo, under the direction of the study investigator or qualitative research lead.
• Maintains reflexive notes and contributes to team discussions regarding emerging themes, data quality and interpretation while accurately distinguishing participant perspectives from researcher observations.
• Supports the preparation of qualitative summaries, tables and other materials for team review, presentations, reports and manuscripts.
• Assists with the preparation and maintenance of study binders, manuals, source documents, consent materials, standard operating procedures and other study documentation.
• Supports submissions to the Research Ethics Board by assembling documents and tracking approved versions, renewals, amendments and reportable events under the direction of senior study staff.
• Participates in study start-up, training, team meetings and quality-improvement activities, and communicates operational issues or risks promptly to the Research Program Manager or Principal Investigator.
• Liaises with participating sites and collaborators to support routine data, documentation, supply and sample-coordination activities.
• Performs other related duties consistent with the classification and the operational needs of the research program.

Who You'll Work With

This position is located within the Samuel Lab in the UBC Department of Pediatrics, operating within a dynamic clinical research environment at BC Children’s Hospital and the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. You will be an integral part of a collaborative team dedicated to advancing research.

You will report directly to the Research Program Manager and receive study-specific direction from the Principal Investigator and designated study staff. Collaboration is key, and you will work closely with research coordinators and assistants, investigators, clinicians, nurses, outpatient laboratory and biobank staff, trainees, and other collaborating laboratories and research teams across participating sites. While this role does not involve formal supervisory responsibilities, you may provide routine orientation or technical guidance to students, trainees, or new team members.