Research Associate - UBC, Vancouver

What you'll do

As a Research Associate at the Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre (PPRC) at UBC, you will play a critical role in advancing our understanding and treatment of Parkinson's disease and related movement disorders. Your primary focus will involve applying advanced neurophysiological signal processing and computational models to analyze EEG data, aiming to identify clinically meaningful biomarkers. This research position offers the opportunity to contribute significantly to health-related research and innovation within a leading academic environment.

• Developing and implementing advanced neurophysiological signal-processing and computational models to analyze EEG data and extract clinically meaningful biomarkers related to neurological disorders.
• Conduct research on EEG preprocessing, artifact removal, and denoising to improve data quality.
• Develop and implement advanced algorithms for analyzing neurophysiological signals and extracting clinically meaningful biomarkers.
• Apply advanced EEG analysis methods to study neural responses during electrical brain stimulation, including expertise in Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS) and the characterization of EEG dynamics under stimulation protocols.
• Integrate computational modeling and machine learning approaches to enable robust biomarker discovery, validation, and evaluation of disease-related neural changes.
• Apply comprehensive EEG signal-processing frameworks to characterize neural dynamics and quantify disease-related alterations in patient populations.
• Design and conduct experiments in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams; support data collection and analysis.
• Prepare and present research findings at scientific conferences, workshops, and academic meetings.
• Contribute to peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and grant proposals.
• Participate in dissemination activities, including tutorials, training sessions, and collaborative workshops.
• Stay current with advancements in EEG signal processing, computational neuroscience, and related technologies.
• Mentor junior researchers and support lab operations as needed.
• Perform other research-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

To excel in this Research Associate role at UBC, candidates must possess a strong academic background and demonstrated technical skills in quantitative neuroscience and data analysis. The position requires significant experience in research methodologies and a commitment to continuous learning in a dynamic scientific environment.

• Strong educational background: A Ph.D. in computer science, statistics, physics, electrical engineering, neuroscience, or a related field, plus a minimum of 10 years of experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Solid technical skills: Strong expertise in signal processing, quantitative analysis and machine learning.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, and MATLAB is essential. Experience working with big databases and having completed requirements for all PHSA pre-requisitions for working with human data.
• Experience in health-related research or clinical neuroscience is an asset.
• Strong problem-solving skills: Ability to identify critical scientific questions in the health sector and apply appropriate analytical methods to address them.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills: Must be able to communicate effectively with researchers, clinicians, and interdisciplinary teams.
• Leadership skills: Experience mentoring junior researchers and contributing to team-based scientific environments. Must display advanced organizational and administrative skills.
• Must have experience with / or been responsible for data analyses, writing of manuscripts, preparation of figures, and publication of data, as demonstrated in candidates' publications.
• Must have good interpersonal skills, be motivated, adaptable to a changing work environment and be energetic with a solid work ethic.
• Project management: Ability to plan, organize, and manage multiple research projects effectively.
• Flexibility and adaptability: Ability to adopt new research methods, technologies, and analytical approaches as needed.
• Continuous learning: Must be inquisitive and eager to learn new skills and knowledge to stay current in their field and improve their research skills.

Who you'll work with

This Research Associate position offers a collaborative environment within the McKeown Laboratory at the Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre. You will report directly to the Principal Investigator (PI) and work closely with an interdisciplinary team dedicated to innovative research. This role also involves leadership, providing supervision and mentorship to junior researchers, including Research Assistants, Graduate, and Undergraduate students, fostering a supportive learning environment.

• Reports directly to the Principal Investigator (PI) regarding research activities and data analysis.
• Requires minimal supervision, exercising independent judgment regarding scheduling and timely completion of tasks.
• Supervises Research Assistants, Graduate, and/or Undergraduate students.

What's on offer

UBC offers a stimulating environment for research and learning, recognized as one of the world's leading universities. This full-time Research Associate position provides an expected annual salary of $76,128. UBC is committed to employment equity and fostering a diverse workforce, believing that inclusion and fairness are key to excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff, and students. Join UBC careers to contribute to a civil and sustainable society through outstanding research.