Academic
Faculty Non Bargaining
Research Associate
Thamboo Research Lab Otolaryngology | Department of Surgery | Faculty of Medicine (Andrew Thamboo)
June 22, 2026
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
July 31, 2027
The expected pay for this position is $76,128 per year.
The Research Associate is responsible for initiating and leading research projects, leading research communications and arrangements, and interacting with the sponsors/ collaborators and advising team members as part of the Sinus Clinic at St. Paul’s Hospital and the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation (HLI). The incumbent will design and lead and liaise with Dr. Thamboo as the Principal investigator (PI), study sponsors, and collaborators as well as team members regarding project progress and deliverables.
The incumbent will join faculty, students, and staff engaged in innovative, leading edge research, education and community service on university and hospital campuses across BC. Together, we aim to create knowledge and advance learning that will make a vital contribution to the health of individuals and communities, locally, nationally and internationally.
The UBC Faculty of Medicine Department of Surgery educates students at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate levels, and pursues research to make innovative advancements in knowledge and practice to improve health. The Department consists of more than 600 physicians, surgeons, scientists and educators and over 60 administrative, research and technical staff in nine divisions distributed across British Columbia. Specialty training programs are offered in Cardiac Surgery, General Surgery, Neurosurgery, Otolaryngology, Pediatric Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Radiation Oncology, Thoracic Surgery and Vascular Surgery. The Department is also home to the Branch for International Surgical Care.
The Research Associate reports directly to the Principal Investigator, Dr. Andrew Thamboo. The incumbent liaises with Research Technicians and trainees in the Thamboo laboratory and in the Core Facilities at HLI and Sinus Centre at UBC. The Research Associate supports, trains and provides functional direction to Undergraduate, Graduate, and Postgraduate students as well as other staff working in the lab.
Establish, implement and lead research projects, including designing and performing experiments related to “Unified Airway Hypothesis” and Inflammatory respiratory tract diseases
Develop and implement clinical research study protocols, including operational plans, timelines, and logistics for studies involving human participants
Manage and coordinate industry-sponsored and basic science collaborative research projects, ensuring alignment with project priorities and timelines
Manage the development and improvement of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to support the clinical research workflows
Design research methodology including questions and approaches for clinical and basic science research projects; critically review the literature on a regular basis
Direct the organization, inventory, and maintenance of research data and collected clinical samples
Coordinate new infrastructure purchase, delivery and installation; organize calendaring systems for shared infrastructure
Analysis and coordinate presentations of complex data in meetings, conferences and publications
Lead and perform grant application activities, including searching funding opportunities, preparing and submitting the application packages and leading further communications with collaborators and grant agencies
Manage the team research related purchasing and budget and liaise with funding agencies and HLI/UBC staff to coordinate financial reportin
Liaise with other academic and industrial collaborators to report on the research project, the milestones, and collection of data
Liaise with the Research Ethics Board to write applications, obtain approval for multiple projects, and oversee compliance with approved protocols
Advise technical staff and faculty members on experimental techniques, design and SOPs
Train undergraduate, Co-Op, and graduate students in performing experiments and provide direction with associated tasks
Perform PBMC isolation, RNA extraction (Bulk and ScRNA), and genetic analyses on RNA and DNA samples obtained from human airway specimens
Perform flow cytometry and fluorescence activated cell sorting on labelled PBMC or airway cells
Maintain and monitor infrastructure required for efficient airway studies
Perform and prioritize other research-related responsibilities, as required by the PI
The position is based in the Sinus Clinic at St. Paul’s Hospital and Dr. Thamboo laboratory within the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation (HLI).
The incumbent may have access to confidential data. The quality of work performed will determine the success of future projects and funding. Exercising poor judgment and lack of appropriate consultation with research team members and supervisors can adversely affect the viability and validity of research projects or programs, and may compromise the UBC Division’s and Department’s ability to secure grant-based funding for future research projects.
The Research Associate reports directly to the Principal Investigator, Dr. Andrew Thamboo through formal weekly Research meetings, weekly lab group meetings, and other communications.
No formal supervision, however the incumbent will train and act as a resource for faculty, staff, and students on specific techniques, procedures and processes.
PhD in Biology, Immunology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or relevant discipline plus a minimum of 3 years’ related experience, or an equivalent combination of training and experience, is required.
Up-to-date experience in research performing relevant techniques to “Unified Airway Hypothesis” and airway inflammatory diseases. This includes:
Molecular & Protein Analysis: ELISA, multiplex cytokine assays, RT-qPCR, gene expression profiling, Bulk RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-seq, Proteomics, immunoassays, and biomarker discovery
Cellular & Immunology Techniques: Flow cytometry and immune phenotyping, Primary airway epithelial cell culture, Air–liquid interface (ALI) models, PBMC isolation and immune cell functional assays, Co-culture and ex vivo tissue models
Advanced / High-Tech Approaches: Single-cell multi-omics (scRNA-seq, CITE-seq), Spatial transcriptomics
High-dimensional cytometry (CyTOF / spectral flow), High-content imaging and automated microscopy
Clinical & Translational Techniques: Human biospecimen processing (blood, sputum, BAL, tissue), Biobanking and longitudinal sample analysis, Inflammatory endotyping and biomarker validation, Patient-reported outcomes and clinical correlation
Experience developing study protocols and coordinating clinical and translational research logistics
Demonstrated experience contributing to successful competitive grant applications, including proposal development, budget coordination, and submission management
Excellent organizational and project management skills with the ability to prioritize multiple projects and meet deadlines deadlines along with an outstanding level of accuracy and attention to detail
Ability to exercise tact, discretion and confidentiality
Strong attention to detail and commitment to data quality and research integrity
Ability to anticipate challenges and implement proactive solutions
Proficiency with standard computer applications including word processing, spreadsheets, and data analysis software
Experience with data interpretation, reporting, and knowledge translation
Ability to work both independently and in harmony with others within a team environment
Ability to take initiative, anticipate emerging issues and recommend actions to mitigate problems
Review manuscripts, final reports, and conference presentations for scientific rigor, clarity, and grammatical accuracy
Ability to actively listens and probe for information to clarify complex requests
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including additional hours on weekends, evenings and early mornings, as required by the PI due to urgent tasks, time strains, and deadlines
Effective oral and written communications, with the ability to compose clear and grammatically correct correspondence, business documents, and administrative communications
