Research Assistant-Data Analysis

Staff - Non Union

Job Category

Non Union Technicians and Research Assistants

Job Title

Research Assistant-Data Analysis

Department

Wang | James Hogg Research Centre | Faculty of Medicine (Ying Wang)

Posting End Date

March 30, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Aug 31, 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

A research assistant is sought to support basic ‘Omics’ data analysis. Candidates are expected to work independently with well-established RNA-sequencing pipelines without additional training (please see details of work performed). The Wang lab pioneers in endotyping cardiovascular tissues at the single-cell and spatial level. Self-motivated candidates will have the opportunity to build their own pipelines tailored for answering clinically relevant questions about cardiovascular disease with support from industry experts and collaborators. Candidates are expected to generate high-quality data plots to support research manuscripts.

How to apply:

A CV and a cover letter summarizing past work should be included. Applicants are encouraged to read (PMID: 40076574; PMID: 32541024, PMID: 34849613) to learn about the complexity of bioinformatics analyses (from basic to complex) this position may involve. Applicants are advised to make their experience/proficiency level measurable with evidence. For example, if any research publications are listed, please specify figures generated by the applicants.

Organizational Status

The candidate will report directly to Dr. Ying Wang and coordinate their work with wet-lab members.

Dr. Ying Wang is a Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar and a Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada New Investigator. Upon joining UBC in 2021, she attracted >1.8 million research funding as the principal investigator. In 2022, Dr. Wang was appointed as the Director of Bruce McManus Cardiovascular Biobank, which has the largest collection of explanted hearts in Canada. Dr. Wang’s research program leverages biobank human specimens, mechanistic studies, and cutting-edge ‘Omics’ technologies to advance cardiovascular medicine for patients who suffer from atherosclerotic disease (blockage of the blood vessels). Therapeutics, vascular biology, and technology development are the three pillars of the research program. The Wang lab currently has one lab manager, one postdoctoral fellow, five graduate students, and two undergraduate students on the team. Her team embraces a can-do attitude to transcend the boundaries between disciplines and push back the limits of traditional methods.

Faculty profile: https://pathology.ubc.ca/2022/12/01/ying-wang/

Lab website: https://wanglab.med.ubc.ca/

Work Performed

- Utilizing existing analysis pipelines to efficiently perform bulk/scRNA-sequencing RNA, PCA, trajectory, and gene ontology analyses for several research projects.

- Troubleshoots problems and interprets data analysis independently.

- Present analysis results in lay scientific language at laboratory meetings and assist with data analysis for grant applications and research manuscripts.

- Test different analysis pipelines and customize existing pipelines to meet cardiovascular research needs.

- Participates in the development of new pipelines for spatial ‘Omics’.

- Oversee the lab’s high-performance computing platforms (e.g., UBC Sockeye)

- Operate and troubleshoot problems with standard analysis methods

- Write protocols for data analysis

- Carries out any other related duties as required in keeping with the qualifications and requirements of positions in this classification.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Work requires judgment and initiative. Errors could jeopardize the reputation of the Wang lab, thus affecting the likelihood of obtaining support to perform the research on an ongoing basis.

Supervision Received

Works under general supervision; receives detailed instructions on the assignment of new duties and thereafter only on new or unusual problems. Overall direction will be provided by Dr. Ying Wang.

Supervision Given

The candidate does not have the responsibility in training and mentoring students at the early stage of this position.

Minimum Qualifications
Completion of a relevant technical program or a university degree in a relevant discipline and a minimum three years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

- Completed Master’s Degree in Bioinformatics-related discipline and have at least 2 years of research experience in RNA-sequencing data analysis.

- Proficient in R and competent in Python

- Critical thinking and have a strong sense of data quality control

- Ability to work effectively with wet-lab team members

- Well organized and open to suggestions

- Self-motivated to learn new analysis pipelines