Research Associate

Classification & Regular Hours

Hours per Week: 35

Salary Grade: R2

The base salary will be $67,680 - $96,590 per annum. Starting salary will be aligned with the successful candidate’s experience, skills, and demonstrated qualifications.

Please note, this is a temporary full-time, wholly grant-funded contract opportunity with an anticipated end date of March 31, 2027.

About Western

With an international reputation for success, Western ranks as one of Canada's top research-intensive universities. Our research excellence expands knowledge and drives discovery with real-world application. Western also provides an exceptional employment experience, offering competitive salaries, a wide range of employment opportunities and one of Canada's most beautiful campuses.

About Us

The Robarts Research Institute within the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Westerap University has a mission to accelerate medical discovery. Through a powerful integration of basic and clinical research, we are driving major advances that impact on many of today's most devastating diseases.

The mission of Dr. Rieder's research is to conduct food and drug safety research. In this project, the mission is to study approaches to delabeling of deDHRs to ß-lactam antibiotics with the goal of being able to accurately diagnose, treat and ultimately prevent these serious adverse drug reactions as well as to de-label patients who have been believed to have sustained a deDHRs but who can actually tolerate ß-lactam therapy.

Responsibilities

The Research Associate will apply their expertise and knowledge to a research project under the direction of a Principal Investigator (PI), and will carry out and oversee original and independent research to assist the PI in achieving their research outcomes in the area of delayed drug hypersensitivity reactions to antibiotics. The role will play a lead role in training students, and in resolving issues that arise in the research environment. The Research Associate will support and operationalize new and innovative research opportunities as requested, develop research and project plans, and design, build and run experiments involving work with human tissue samples in a biosafety level 2 research facility. The role will evaluate and interpret experimental results, develop models or correlations, and prepare reports and other written material for presentations and submissions to various stakeholders as required.

Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s Degree in Pharmacology, Immunology or relevant discipline

Experience:

• 3 years working experience in a biosafety level 2 research intensive laboratory environment in the areas of molecular biology and genetics including working with human tissue samples, tissue culture, PCR proteins and genomes
• Experience in flowcytometry techniques and data analysis preferred

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of bacterial tissues and culture with the ability to work with contagious, chemical, biological and/or hazardous substances is required
• Advanced knowledge of, and ability to use, related equipment and instrumentation (e.g. analytical balance, spectrophotometer, ELISA plate reader)
• Familiarity with regulations and guidelines governing research ethics in an academic environment and with best practices for reviewing and writing grant proposals
• In depth knowledge with methods for research design, implementation, and analysis
• Familiarity with techniques for updating, managing and extracting data from a research database
• Ability to collaborate across internal and external boundaries to meet common objectives, improve outcomes and support work beyond one's own unit
• Communication skills to describe technical concepts effectively to both novice and sophisticated users
• Communication skills with an ability to complete detailed analytics and reports
• Ability to work in a manner that models best practices in confidentiality standards
• Ability to provide solutions and ideas for improvement by using imaginative approaches where constructive thinking and innovation are required
• Detail-oriented with an ability to function and process information with high levels of accuracy
• Ability to work within a flexible schedule to accommodate the University’s events and activities
• Ability to provide guidance, support and feedback in a way that is positively received
• Results-oriented with the ability to motivate and coach employees to meet high performance standards, while working effectively as a member of the leadership team
• Ability to investigate defined issues, solicit input, and suggest remedies and alternative approaches that meet the needs of the situation
• Proven ability and natural inclination to develop relationships by interacting with people in a professional, respectful and diplomatic manner
• Ability to interpret and identify key results from research and to succinctly summarize research findings
• Ability to work independently and effectively as a member of the team to achieve department goals
• Ability to adhere to legislated safety requirements and Western safety policies
• Demonstrated working knowledge of relevant scientific/research principles
• Advanced skills in software and applications used to produce and analyze research outcomes (Excel)
• Demonstrated ability to research/investigate issues and resolve problems
• Familiarity with University policies and procedures preferred

Western Values Diversity

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Human Resources or phone 519-661-2194.

Please Note:

This position is an existing vacancy. This position is fully in-person, on-site. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.