Research Assistant/ Technician 2 - B.r.a.i.n. Lab

Staff - Non Union

Job Category

Non Union Technicians and Research Assistants

Job Profile

Non Union Hourly - Research Assistant /Technician 2

Job Title

Research Assistant/ Technician 2 - B.R.A.I.N. Lab

Department

Schuetz Laboratory | Department of Psychiatry | Faculty of Medicine

Compensation Range

$23.24 - $27.70 CAD Hourly

Posting End Date

July 25, 2023

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

Job End Date

Sept 30, 2024

This offer is conditional upon successful completion of a Criminal Record Check.

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 Red Fish Digital Innovation Project aims to design and implement exciting leading-edge virtual and digital care innovations to enhance the quality of care for clients experiencing serious and complex mental health and substance use challenges in all BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services (BCMHSUS) clinical programs.

Under the Direction of the BCMHSUS Project Director, the BRAIN Lab’s manager, and the project coordinator, the Research Assistant (RA2) will be responsible for performing research and administrative work primarily related to the pilot. They will perform various logistical and research activities related to the design, implementation, execution, and evaluation of research activities and deliverables, as indicated by supervisors.

This pilot has three components:

• Sleep and Circadian Rest-Activity Rhythms Pilot (DIP – SCRAR). This component will examine continuous sleep patterns and circadian rhythms using wrist-accelerometers.
• Objective Stress Detection Pilot (DIP – OSD). This component will track electrodermal activity to measure objective stress responses using a wearable galvanic skin response (GSR) sensor.
• Drug Craving Biofeedback Pilot (DIP – DCB). This component will identify neural correlates of cue-induced craving using EEG, a computerized probabilistic picture card task, and subjective reporting of craving by individuals seeking treatment for complex concurrent disorders.

We are interested in recruiting an RA2 for each component of the study. Please indicate which component you are interested in being involved with. Position will be part-time, until September 30, 2024.

This position will primarily work at the Red Fish Healing Centre in Coquitlam and requires travel to centre as required.

Organizational Status

Works within well-defined guidelines and procedures, but exercises judgment in establishing priorities and carrying tasks through to completion; new or unusual problems are referred to supervisor.

The Red Fish Healing Centre is a new state-of-the-art provincial 105-bed inpatient facility providing quaternary care for clients in BC with severe mental health and substance use disorders.

The B.R.A.I.N. Lab focuses on the psycho-neurobiological mechanisms underlying cognitive, affective, and stress-associated aspects of decision-making and impulsivity: specifically, those related to substance use and concurrent mental disorders. Visit our website for further information: https://brainlab.med.ubc.ca/

Work Performed

• Supporting collaboration and coordination across pilot components, including scheduling calls, teleconferences, and other activities as needed
• Writing and editing data collection instructions for volunteer research assistants
• Participating to lab meetings and discuss any update with the group in a weekly basis
• Other activities related to the research project.
• Logistical and administrative activities related to pilot, including drafting documentation for submission for ethics approval, drafting contractual frameworks for collaboration with partners and other related activities
• Keeping the project on track to meet the expected milestones, outputs and deliverables
• Recording experimental data according to good laboratory practice
• Providing logistical support (booking rooms, distributing agendas, taking meeting minutes, etc.) to team meetings, partnerships with stakeholders, Expert consultations, as well as documenting these encounters
• Editing documents related to study design and implementation, including conducting background research on specific issues (e.g., program evaluation; systematic, scoping, or targeted reviews related to specific disorders and their treatment, etc.)
• Providing support and training of volunteer research assistants
• Assisting with the management and maintenance of research files and documentation
• Ability to effectively communicate with staff in an inpatient psychiatric setting
• Supporting the collection and analysis of data relevant to the project

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Under general supervision performs a variety of experimental tasks. Failure to do so impacts experiments, scientific results, and increased costs.

Supervision Received

The project coordinator and lab manager will provide close supervision and training during the initial period of employment while techniques are learned and whenever new methods are explored. Once training is complete the individual should be able to work with basic supervision, although help will always be available for problem solving.

Supervision Given

Expected to convey procedures and lessons learned to two volunteer Research Assistants.

Minimum Qualifications

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

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English including report writing and publication/presentation of research activities and results to diverse stakeholders
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including weekends
• Excellent working knowledge of MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), and REDCap
• University degree in health or social sciences is preferred
• Experience conducting literature reviews and ability to understand and synthesize results from quantitative and qualitative data sources
• Ability to work both independently and within a team environment
• Excellent interpersonal, time management, problem solving and organizational skills
• Experience with SPSS and MATLAB is highly recommended