Research Assistant /Technician 3

University of British Columbia•Vancouver, BC

2d•CA$4,567 - CA$5,386•Onsite

About The Position

Under supervision of the Gross Anatomy Lab Team Lead, this role provides support in the Gross Anatomy laboratory and other Gross Anatomy teaching areas. The UBC Body Donation Program, housed within the Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences in the Faculty of Medicine, is a cornerstone of medical education and research in British Columbia. It plays a fundamental role in supporting teaching in the Gross Anatomy Laboratory, providing hands-on anatomical training to over 1,000 learners annually, including future doctors, dentists, physical therapists, and other healthcare professionals. The employee will work from oral and written instructions or schedules and will report to the Gross Anatomy Faculty Lead and the Team Lead to discuss new and unusual problems.

Requirements

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.

Nice To Haves

Anatomy background highly recommended.
Proven ability to carry out moderately complex procedures without supervision.
Experience in handling cadavers.
Good communication skills required in dealing with students and public.
Discretion in dealing with Body Donor Program.
Willing to work on weekends to help facilitate workshops.
Effective oral and written communication, interpersonal and organizational skills.
Ability to work both independently and within a team environment.
Computer experience required.

Responsibilities

Repair skeletons and anatomical models, maintain and organize student bone collection and prosected specimens; cataloguing these collections.
Oversee inventory and maintenance of prosected specimen collection for Gross Anatomy teaching labs.
Manage chemical and SDS inventory for Gross Anatomy teaching labs, morgue, and plastination lab.
Purchase supplies and equipment for the Gross Anatomy teaching labs, morgue, and plastination lab.
Maintain, update, and develop SOPs for labs and administrative procedures.
Coordinate and prepare gross anatomy lab set-up using cadavers and prosected specimen, for medical, dental, and other health affiliated programs; clean-up, support with lab demonstrations, exam set-up, and exam clean-up.
Perform other duties in the plastination lab, Gross Anatomy Lab, morgue, and Multi-Purpose Lab as may be required by the Department keeping within the scope T3 job duties.
Receive body program phone calls from families, liaise with physicians and medicalcare providers, and determine acceptance of donated bodies in accordance with established SOPs, consultation with a supervisor, and professionals.
Monitor time sensitive BDP phone calls and emails over weekends and holidays on a rotating schedule.
Liaise with MAiD Coordinators and Providers to coordinate MAiD donations.
Perform intake and preparation of donor bodies in accordance with program requirements, including embalming, soft embalming, placement of bodies in appropriate locations.
Apply established anatomical laboratory procedures and handling protocols to coordinate and execute the safe transfer of cadavers into and out of storage coolers; arrange dissecting tables and other lab equipment.
Maintain accurate and timely data entry to ensure cadaver and specimen databases are up to date.
Arrange delivery of bodies and specimens to the University, to other sites and hospitals, and to funeral home for cremation.
Acquire and progressively develop technical skills in specimen prosection under the guidance and supervision of the Head Prosector.
Coordinate collection, packaging, shipment, and documentation of cadaver serology samples in accordance with established laboratory and biosafety protocols.
Maintain Gross Anatomy medical student laboratories, morgue and dissecting areas including: cleaning cadaver trays, counters, sinks, commodes and laboratory floors as required; washing instruments; tidying rooms; replacing, organizing supplies; putting away specimens; making solutions.
Identify safety concerns and maintenance needs in the lab spaces and present them in bi-monthly safety team meetings.
Optimize and develop new methods/techniques for embalming and ethical bone acquisition.
Box cadavers for shipment to distributed sites, workshop sites, or funeral home for cremation.
Assist instructors during student laboratories sessions and external workshops, including AV equipment.
Liaise with workshop directors and assist with coordination and setup of workshops.
Perform minor maintenance in the lab if required.
Other duties as required.