Job Title Research Technician
- Surgical Support and Overnight Care Job Category Non Union Technicians and Research Assistants Job Profile Non Union Salaried
- Research Assistant /Technician 4 Job Family Group Staff
- Non Union Department Kwon Pre-clinical Group | International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries | Faculty of Medicine Compensation Range $5,538.94
- $6,497.44 CAD Monthly Job End Date January 14, 2028 Posting End Date November 14, 2026 Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date. 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 Research Assistant/Technician 4 will perform a senior and highly specialized role within a research program using large animal (Swine) models for spinal cord injury (SCI) research. The incumbent will be responsible for supporting complex surgical procedures, managing acute and post-operative animal care (including overnight and weekend shifts), and making informed decisions regarding veterinary interventions. A key aspect of this position is acting as a subject matter expert on veterinary best practices, ensuring strict compliance with CCAC guidelines, and taking part in the refinement of surgical techniques and animal care practices. This position requires a high degree of independent judgment and initiative, particularly in matters related to surgical procedures, post-operative care, and protocol development.



Duties will be performed primarily at UBC’s Animal Care Services facility and occasionally at the main lab here at VGH; therefore, travel between facilities may be required. The work workplace is technically complex, with the use of veterinary anesthetic machines, diagnostic and imaging devices, as well as specialized research equipment for in-vivo characterization of the spinal cord after injury. This position is a grant-funded position and is available beginning Jan 15, 2027, for 1 year initially, with the possibility of an extension.

Organizational Status

ICORD is a world-leading health research centre focused on spinal cord injury. Located at Vancouver General Hospital in the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, ICORD is supported by UBC Faculties of Medicine and Science, and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. More details are available at www.icord.org. The Kwon Lab at ICORD specializes in translational research related to SCI, with both clinical and preclinical projects. For additional information, visit www.kwonlab.ca. As part of the research team, the Animal Veterinary Research Technician reports to the Research Associate and Principal Investigator of the research group, but receives instructions from senior staff for specific tasks. They work closely with other staff and graduate students in the lab and may also collaborate with researchers and their teams from other ICORD labs and other national and international teams on collaborative projects.



The position involves close collaboration with Animal Care Technicians and Clinical Veterinarians at the UBC Animal Care Services facility governed by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) and UBC Animal Care Committee (ACC). The incumbent may also provide guidance and supervision to junior staff and students.

Work Performed

- 1. Surgical Procedures: Performs specialized and complex surgical procedures in large animal models, including surgical preparation, intraoperative technical support and completion of assigned surgical procedures, in accordance with approved protocols and applicable veterinary requirements. Provides anesthetic monitoring during surgical procedures using appropriate monitoring equipment. Collects tissues and biological samples for histological processing. Refines existing surgical techniques and animal care practices to minimize invasiveness, trauma, and postoperative complications, thereby enhancing animal welfare and improving research outcomes.
- 2. Perioperative Care, Veterinary, and Imaging Support: Leads and provides acute and post-operative care, including anesthetic recovery monitoring, routine veterinary nursing support and postoperative treatments in accordance with approved protocols and veterinary direction. Provides scheduled overnight monitoring of post-operative animals, documents observations, and makes informed determinations regarding the necessity and type of veterinary intervention required for animal health complications. Performs advanced technical procedures, including placement of intravenous catheters, setup and operation of monitoring equipment, and support for anesthetic induction and management. Performs and provides technical oversight o

📌 Research Technician (Vancouver)
🏢 UBC
📍 Vancouver