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UBC Vancouver Campus - Vancouver, BC, Canada, Canada
Onsite
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Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
July 30, 2027
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 Experimental Modeling Facility (EMF) is a new initiative within the Life Sciences Institute (LSI) to provide specialized and humanized mouse modeling services to a variety of research groups with distinct aims and goals. The EMF Manager and Senior Scientist will play a critical role in establishing and maintaining collaborations with academic and industry partners; consulting, designing, executing, and analyzing experiments; pursuing funding opportunities and preparing budgets; and overseeing the activities of EMF research staff.
The EMF Manager and Senior Scientist will be responsible for developing tailored experimental protocols and will organize work timelines and execute experimental designs in order to meet the project outcomes as defined by and with the principal investigator(s). The incumbent will seek opportunities for collaboration and work with a variety of investigators, research groups, and UBC animal care and LSI staff. The role requires a creative, independent thinker with an aptitude for developing and managing research relationships between faculty and industry. As the Senior Scientist, the incumbent will be responsible for keeping up-to-date on new developments in fields related to humanized mice and specialized mouse modeling and for adapting new findings to upcoming projects. With limited instruction, the incumbent will manage the day to day administrative, financial, communication, and outreach activities of the EMF, with support available from the EMF Director.
Organizational Status
The EMF Manager and Senior Scientist will receive direction from and report to the Scientific Director, Dr. Marc Horwitz. Regular meetings with the Director will determine project and facility goals and assess progress. The incumbent will interact and collaborate with external and internal investigators, including industry partners, faculty, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students. They will also work closely with LSI administrators and staff, as well as UBC animal facilities and staff. The position supervises EMF staff and work-learn students.
Work Performed
The key role of the EMF Manager and Senior Scientist is to establish and operate a core service facility which will provide expertise and technical services in fields related to specialized and humanized mouse modeling of immunity and disease to UBC and external researchers and staff on a fee-for-service basis.
Major responsibilities include:
Providing scientific consult and overseeing project direction:
Provide expertise on and develop strategic research plans for projects using EMF humanized and specialized mouse models of immunity and disease
Manage a portfolio of various research projects, including identifying and employing technical approaches required to successfully complete project aims
Keep current with relevant advances in the fields of humanized and immunological mouse modeling in order to provide consultation and planning for biological and practical aspects for specialized mouse models, including relevant methodologies and anticipated outcomes, of proposed projects with researchers
Oversee and assess the success of newly implemented and regularly employed procedures and standards for specialized mouse model generation in the EMF
Assign the execution of experimental procedures and biological assays to EMF staff, including flow cytometry, immune cell analysis, histology, ELISAs, PCR (including for transgenic mouse lines), etc.
Oversee data analyses, result interpretations, and project reports to effectively make and communicate recommendations for follow-up analyses and future experiments/ project directions
Identify and manage the composition of grant applications by EMF staff for hypothesis driven funding opportunities with collaborators
Provide feedback and collaborate on research reports, proposals, and papers to be presented at conferences and/or submitted for publication
Building and maintaining collaborative and interpersonal relationships:
Interface with collaborators (UBC and other university faculty, graduate students, and research staff, as well as external industry groups, etc.) to engage researchers in EMF activities and projects
Organize meetings related to technical, scientific, and organizational aspects of EMF projects with all relevant parties to discuss and set expectations with collaborator and/or user groups surrounding aims and priorities, division of work duties, budgeting and applicable fee-for-service costs, anticipated timelines and research outcomes, and data analyses and interpretation of findings
Independently develop and facilitate collaborative agreements with granting agencies and identify research synergies and relevant funding opportunities to create opportunities for new avenues of research with academic and industry groups
Consult and regularly meet the EMF Director, principal investigators, and research staff to update on the status of projects and determine future facility needs and plans
Coordinate the operation of the facilities between various departmental research groups and external organizations
Maintain professional and positive working relationships with animal care staff, animal facility managers and researchers, and veterinarians
Communicate with laboratory mouse vendors and mouse modeling communities to learn and request information on the procedures/problems, and help develop new procedures as needed
Market facility services to the scientific community and developing strong clientele user base
Performing mentoring and managerial activities:
Establish priority in day-to-day work flow and assign tasks to EMF research staff
Monitor project timelines and progression
Hire, train, evaluate, and supervise research staff and trainee users of the EMF
Maintain CL2+ safety procedures in the EMF in accordance with UBC Risk Management and LSI policies
Ensure compliance with CCAC and UBC animal care policies
Provide oversight of laboratory operations, including training staff and students, coordinating biosafety compliance and onboarding, developing policies and standardizing procedures for ACS and REB submissions to ensure regulatory compliance and research excellence
Provide monthly updates to the EMF Director
Design and generate communications of EMF research outputs, activities, and opportunities
Design and update the facility website, brochures and information items for circulation to outside users
Treat confidentially all information related to research projects, personnel, and locations, and agree not to disclose any such information to any person except as may be necessary in the proper discharge of work obligations
Overseeing EMF finances and applying for funding:
Research and submit applications for equipment and infrastructure funding within UBC and externally
Develop and manage the EMF budget as well as those of collaborator/ user research group projects to ensure that all LSI and university requirements are met
Planning and managing financial resources to cover projected expenses
Consequence of Error/Judgement
The EMF Manager and Senior Scientist must consistently exercise sound professional judgment and initiative in the overall coordination, management, and implementation of research projects, as they are accountable for the effective execution of all research activities. This position will be interacting with many faculty and industry partners regarding research collaborations, including company confidential information. A lack of good judgement in understanding the needs of collaborators or users could negatively impact relationships with researchers engaging in EMF projects. Discretion is vital and decision-making capacity regarding research plan execution is required. Incorrect recommendations or decisions could result in inaccurate results, loss of time or delays in experiment completion, increased financial burden and resource loss, and reputational damage. Negligence in biosafety oversight poses risks to animals, facility users, and research staff. The incumbent must possess a high level of confidence and the ability to work effectively independently. Regular monthly meetings with the EMF Director will address new or unusual problems encountered.
Supervision Received
The EMF Manager and Senior Scientist is expected to work with a high degree of independence and with wide latitude under minimal supervision. Progress and completion of aims is reviewed periodically by the EMF Director, who provides guidance on future activities and goals.
Supervision Given
The EMF Manager and Senior Scientist provides training, direction, and technical knowledge for research staff and trainee users of the EMF, including students, technicians, and researchers from various groups. Work assignments are assigned by the manager to relevant staff based on the needs of ongoing projects.
Minimum Qualifications
For research work, a post-graduate degree or equivalent professional designation with a minimum of four years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Otherwise, an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline is required with a minimum of six 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
MSc or PhD in Immunology, Microbiology, Pathology, or related Health or Animal Science field with practical experience preferred
Demonstrated expertise using immunocompromised and humanized mouse models of immunity and disease, with a strong publication record, alongside advanced proficiency in immunological and molecular techniques
Experience in a supervisory role; managing and training research staff
Strong organizational, interpersonal, and analytical skills
Scientific writing skills to prepare internal and external reports, correspondence, and grant applications
Certifications in laboratory mouse husbandry/anesthesia/injection and biosafety preferred
Participate in continuing education programs and maintain required courses, certifications and training
Interest and enthusiasm for scientific research