Academic
Faculty Non Bargaining
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Research | Hung Older Adults | School of Nursing | Faculty of Applied Science (Lillian Hung)
June 18, 2026
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
August 31, 2028
The expected pay for this position is $60,000 per year at 1.0 FTE
The School of Nursing at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver campus, is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow with a strong computer science or engineering background to lead the technical development and real-world implementation of autonomous mobile robot assistants in long-term care (LTC) settings. The Fellow will work with the UBC IDEA lab (https://idea.nursing.ubc.ca/) at the intersection of robotics, human–robot interaction (HRI), user-centred design, and implementation science, in close collaboration with industry partners and people with lived experience. The anticipated start date is September 1, 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.
Under the supervision of Dr. Lillian Hung, Canada Research Chair in Senior Care and Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, the Fellow will contribute to a two-year collaborative research project focused on co-designing visual and auditory communication modalities that enable robots to clearly convey intent, actions, and decision logic to older adults, family caregivers, and healthcare staff. The project prioritizes technical robustness, usability, transparency, and workflow compatibility, ensuring robotic assistants can be responsibly and effectively integrated into everyday LTC care environments.
Research responsibilities will include:
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Develop and modify robot in collaboration with industry partner
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Refine robot communication and interaction systems (visual, auditory, multimodal)
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Integrate UX/UI features with autonomous mobile robot platforms
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Conduct usability testing, system evaluation, and iterative debugging in real-world settings
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Lead and support deployment of the robot in a LTC home
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Deliver technical training for staff and project partners
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Collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data related to system performance and user interaction
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Contribute to technical documentation, academic publications, and knowledge translation activities
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Mentor graduate and undergraduate students working on technical components of the project
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Mentor graduate and undergraduate students
Candidate Qualifications
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PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, Human–Computer Interaction, or a closely related field (completed within the past five years)
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The candidate will demonstrate evidence of strong research knowledge, skills and attitudes, an interest in the subject matter.
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The ideal background includes familiarity with UX/UI implementation for interactive systems (e.g., multimodal interfaces, visualization, audio feedback)
Application:
Qualified individuals should submit their application which includes a curriculum vitae, a research statement, a sample of publications, to online at http://www.hr.ubc.ca/careers-postings/faculty.php. Review of applications will begin June 20, 2026. All applications received by June 19, 2026 will receive full consideration. The position will remain open until filled.
Salary, Benefits and Employment Conditions
The salary for this position will be $60,000 per year @ 1.0 FTE for a two-year term. This is a full-time position based on-site at UBC Vancouver campus (UBC Gateway Health Building).
Further information about the School is available on the School of Nursing website at http://www.nursing.ubc.ca, and information on the employment environment in the Faculty of Applied Science is available at https://apsc.ubc.ca/faculty/career-opportunities.
The University is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for all members of its workforce. An inclusive work environment presumes an environment where differences are accepted, recognized and integrated into current structures, planning and decision-making modes. To learn more about UBC’s Centre for Workplace Accessibility, please visit their website https://hr.ubc.ca/health-and-wellbeing/workplace-accessibility/centre-workplace-accessibility. To learn more about how the University is working to create a more inclusive working and learning environment, please see the UBC Inclusion Action Plan's goals related to recruitment and retention https://equity.ubc.ca/about/inclusion-action-plan/inclusion-action-plan-what-we-heard/.
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.
Land Acknowledgement:
The School of Nursing at UBC gratefully acknowledge that our students, faculty, and staff gather on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Coast Salish people, particularly the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nations. In all our work, we are committed to enacting the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, to upholding the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, and to fostering Indigenous health and cultural safety.
