Staff - Non Union
Job Category
Non Union Technicians and Research Assistants
Job Profile
Non Union Salaried - Research Assistant /Technician 3
Job Title
Biomedical Technologist
Department
McKeown Laboratory Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre Division of Neurology | Department of Medicine | Faculty of Medicine
Compensation Range
$3,982.67 - $4,703.83 CAD Monthly
Posting End Date
August 9, 2023
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.
Job End Date
Aug 31, 2024
This position is located within a health-care facility, therefore, the successful candidate will be required to provide verification of full vaccination against Covid-19 provided prior to the start date, as required by a provincial health mandate.
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 Biomedical Technologist position involves implementation of a new, commercially available investigational device (low-intensity focused ultrasound -- LiFUS) for brain research. It will involve implementing the complex hardware and software for brain visualization and stimulus delivery, as well as developing software to utilize this device in ongoing experiments.
This position ensures that the PPRC research program continues to meet the high standards of quality and availability of the major facilities that the program has demonstrated over the years. The position also ensures that development of new and innovative methods is available to meet the needs of the users of the facility.
Organizational Status
This position reports directly to the PI and interacts daily with project managers, researchers, graduate students and MRI technologists. Interactions are characterized by a positive, professional interaction with colleagues. In particular, the recognition of the need to provide immediate response to time sensitive issues affecting day-to-day operation, and a sensitivity to working with patient populations is expected.
Work Performed
The technologist is responsible for the setting up of a new LiFUS machine for ongoing brain research. This will entail obtaining appropriate certifications for the hardware, and implementing sophisticated software for brain visualization and stimulus delivery. The work may also involve coding some GUI wrapper functions to ease implementation, and facilitating efficient data collection and analysis for EEG and fMRI data using MATLAB and/or Python. The work will also include developing, troubleshooting, and maintaining programming code for research experiments, data collection as well as implementing in-house/external algorithms for data analysis. Finally there may be a requirement to implement 3D-printed devices to hold the transducer to the head for stimulus delivery.
The technologist will be responsible for implementing and routinely monitoring quality control procedures to ensure that collected data are of the highest quality and strict privacy measures are maintained at all times. Data collection, handling and processing is an integral part of the responsibilities of this position. Finally, it will be necessary that the Technologist interfaces with neuroscience faculty and students to assist them in processing their data as well as work with external collaborators to match data types to general algorithms.
Consequence of Error/Judgement
Tasks are assigned and the incumbent plans and schedules his/her own work. Errors made could influence the ability of the PI to meet critical deadlines, as well as compromise the results of research projects and affect funding applications, thereby impacting the credibility of the PI. Poor decisions may be damaging to the reputation of and cause financial loss to the PI, PPRC, and the University.
Supervision Received
This position receives general direction with minimal supervision and is expected to exercise judgment in troubleshooting and work planning.
Supervision Given
This position advises and assists undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students in appropriate methods.
Minimum Qualifications
Completion of a relevant technical program or a university degree in a relevant discipline and a minimum three years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion
- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own
Preferred Qualifications
The Technologist will have a Bachelor’s or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, or equivalent. Experience with neuroimaging and various biomedical data or a related area is preferable.
The Technologist will either have, or rapidly acquire, a knowledge of EEG and MRI imaging and biomedical data. Excellent computer skills in MATLAB, Python, R, C/C++, MS Windows and Linux and background knowledge in signal processing (e.g, digital filter, Fourier transform) are required.
Some hardware familiarity and knowledge of basic electrical circuits will be necessary, and debugging will be required. Good communication and inter-personal skills and the ability to work under time pressure are essential.
