Job Title and Details

Job Title Technician Job Category BCGEU Okanagan Support Staff Job Profile BCGEU OK Salaried - Technician V Job Family Group Staff - Union Department UBCO | Technicians | Smith | School of Engineering | Faculty of Applied Science Compensation Range $5,519.00 - $6,326.00 CAD Monthly Job End Date July 31, 2028 Posting End Date November 16, 2026 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 Laboratory Technician's primary responsibility is to support the smooth operation of the School of Engineering teaching and research laboratories. This position will work with faculty members and will train graduate research assistants and teaching assistants. This position will also carry out complex, precise tasks requiring comprehensive technical knowledge and skills. The incumbent will be responsible for fabricating and/or assembling complex equipment and test fixtures, as well as prepare test samples as needed for use in teaching and research facilities. The candidate must also demonstrate proper and safe use of instrumentation, machinery, and laboratory equipment. This position will procure, install, and maintain equipment and maintain lab manuals. The incumbent will understand university safety guidelines, purchasing and receiving procedures.

Organizational Status

The incumbent will report to the School of Engineering Laboratory Manager.



This position interacts directly with undergraduate and graduate students and faculty members. This position must interact on a regular basis with the School of Engineering Machine Shop and other technical staff within the School of Engineering. This position must also interact with technical support and sales staff at the various companies that supply equipment and consumables.

Work Performed

- Provides research support by: Working closely with researchers and research assistants to ensure projects, laboratories and research schedules are met and that all safety aspects are implemented;
- Building or fabricating test fixtures as needed using sketches, schematics, functional drawings and/or as per researcher's instructions;
- Working with hydraulic testing machines to test full size civil columns and beams to failure;
- Working with a strong floor, strong wall and post tensioning equipment to secure items for testing;
- Working with chemistry related tools such as spectrophotometer, automatic pipetter, analytical balance, muffle furnace, incubator, centrifuge, autoclave etc.;
- Working with researchers to develop new laboratory experiments and improving existing laboratory experiments;
- Assisting with adapting, modifying and maintaining equipment and providing troubleshooting support to researchers and research assistants;




- Developing solutions to technical problems and applying or recommending corrective or alternative methods;
- Assembling and testing research equipment prior to use to verify proper operational status;
- Adapting, modifying, servicing and maintaining test equipment per established maintenance schedules and manufacturers specifications;
- Arranging for and overseeing the repair of instruments that need service calls;
- Support student clubs with manufacturing of parts and assisting in procuring materials.

Trains Users

- Understanding equipment functions and training users in the safe operation of research and undergraduate teaching lab equipment. Instruction may be in the context of one-on-one training sessions or small groups;
- Communicating and ensuring adherence to safe operating procedures;
- Documenting training procedures and compiling equipment use manuals.

Procurement Support

- Coordinating major equipment purchases for researchers, working with various vendors, arranging competitive quotes;
- Ordering replacement parts as well as receiving equipment and supplies, and then dispersing and assembling equipment;
- Sourcing supplies and recent equipment and critically evaluating equipment costs for recommendation to purchase;
- Purchasing consumable materials and coordinating sample deliveries to other testing facilities;
- Responsible for credit card purchases and reconciliation;
- Ordering replacement parts and maintaining a minimal stock of expendable items;
- Maintaining an inventory of research equipment and consumable supplies.

Equipment Installation Coordination

- Coordinating purchases according to School of Engineering procedures and University policies, ensurin

📌 Technician (Canada)
🏢 UBC
📍 Canada