Ville : Vancouver

Catégorie : Full time

Industrie : Educational Services

Employeur : University of British Columbia

Staff - Non Union

Job Category

M&P - AAPS

Job Profile

AAPS Salaried - Research and Facilitation, Level B

Job Title

Research Operations Manager

Department

Yachie Laboratory | School of Biomedical Engineering | Faculty of Medicine

Compensation Range

$6,747.50 - $9,701.42 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date

April 20, 2026

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

Job End Date

April 19, 2027

 

 

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
The laboratory of Dr. Nozomu Yachie at the University of British Columbia (UBC)’s School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) (https://yachie-lab.org) is currently seeking a Research Operations Manager to support the rapidly growing research projects and operations of the group, and to promote the School’s vision, especially in research and translational innovation. The incumbent provides strategic and operational leadership for the laboratory, exercising considerable independence and judgment in managing research operations, financial administration, compliance, resource planning, grant development, and partnership coordination. The position provides operational leadership for the lab to ensure the effective delivery of research, translational, and administrative priorities.

 

The human body is a multiscale, self-organizing system in which a large number of molecules and cells operate in coordination. While observation is challenging, understanding and modulating this system is an overarching goal of the life sciences. To address key challenges and drive innovation across the broader biomedical research field, the Yachie Laboratory has been leading several ambitious projects. These include developing a molecular video camera to observe multi-scale animal systems within cells, creating a time-reversing system for stem cell differentiation to isolate fate-primed elite stem cells, and building a virtual human cell simulator. The work incorporates genome engineering, cell engineering, and high-performance computing. The laboratory, with diverse talents and a dynamic structure, has continually contributed to science and generated new intellectual properties. The successful candidate is expected to not only manage the laboratory but also oversee various projects with Dr. Nozomu Yachie, especially through partnership development, and establish a strategic portfolio of technology translations. The successful candidate will bring demonstrated experience in research operations management, strategic planning, and the ability to serve as a close operational partner to the Principal Investigator.

The School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is a partnership between the Faculties of Applied Science and Medicine, established in 2017. The school is a nucleus for education and training, research, and innovation in biomedical engineering, creating new knowledge, new academic and training programs, and fostering translation and innovation. Its vision is to transform health and healthcare for all, achieved through innovative research and education at the convergence of engineering, medicine and biology. Through collaborative, innovative, and interdisciplinary approaches and building on UBC’s academic and research excellence, the School of Biomedical Engineering aspires to be a global leader in biomedical engineering research, education and translation. The SBME has two locations on Vancouver’s campus, the Gordon B Shrum building and the Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). For more information about the School of Biomedical Engineering, please visit https://www.bme.ubc.ca/.

Organizational Status
Reports directly to the Principal Investigator, Dr. Nozomu Yachie. The Research Operations Manager serves as the operational and strategic leader of the laboratory, functioning as a close partner to the PI, who retains scientific and research directorship of the group. The Research Operations Manager coordinates and supports the administrative and operational needs of technical staff, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows in collaboration with the PI. Works closely with other labs’ managers and with collaborative labs within Canada and internationally. Liaise with industry partners and vendors.

Work Performed

1. Manages Research Projects and Grants

 

The Research Operations Manager serves as the laboratory's primary operational leader, exercising delegated authority and independent judgment to advance the lab's research and administrative priorities. In this capacity, the incumbent proactively manages the lab’s portfolio of active and prospective grants and projects, provides strategic recommendations to the PI, and builds and oversees the administrative systems and tools needed to sustain a productive research environment. While the PI leads the scientific direction and mentors trainees, the incumbent takes ownership of operational decision-making and strategic planning and serves as a key advisor on resource allocation, staffing, and funding strategy.

 

• Develops analytical and operational computational tools for lab management, including dashboards, expenditure forecasting models, and reporting systems that support data-driven decision-making across the lab.

• Proactively identifies and analyzes upcoming funding competitions and provide strategic recommendations to the PI, including advice on which grants to pursue based on lab priorities, timelines, competitiveness, and budgetary parameters.

• Assesses the lab’s operational capacity and recommends the creation and structure of technical and support staff positions needed to sustain and scale lab operations.

• Coordinates and monitors administrative and milestone-related deadlines for trainees and students in collaboration with the PI, supporting the timely completion of program requirements, reports, and progress documentation.

• Manages the preparation of grant applications on behalf of the PI in collaboration with other partners; provides strategic input into proposal drafts and design, develops research plans and budgets, and supports other appropriate sections of the application. Programs may include Genome BC, Genome Canada, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Western Economic Diversification, and other UBC, local, provincial, federal, and international programs.

• Edits and proofs documents, including research grant applications, reporting documentation for funding agencies, student reports, manuscripts, fellowship applications, sponsored research agreements, and other contracts with non-academic research collaborators.

• Manages and oversees the implementation of research projects to ensure that funding agency and Research Ethics Board (REB) requirements are met.

• Manages the onboarding of new projects, including the development and submission of biosafety and ethics applications.

• Provides oversight of all reports, documentation, and funding progress updates for funders and partners; advises on performance trends and mitigation strategies, working collaboratively with lab staff.

• Leads the planning, execution, monitoring, and reporting of funded projects to ensure all milestones and objectives are achieved; provides regular updates to the PI.

• Ensures funds are spent within UBC policies and guidelines; monitors expenditures of assigned grants to ensure funds are spent as planned and within budget.

• Manages financial duties, including expense budgeting, expenditure forecasting, and financial tracking for reporting purposes.

• Manages financial and resource allocation and fund transfers for projects across research teams and collaborators.

• Assists the PI in overseeing and ensuring the quality of project deliverables, and develops and manages the administrative systems that support this oversight.

• Acts as a project manager for collaborative research initiatives spanning academic, industry, and multi-institutional partnerships.

• Coordinates the preparation of scientific proposals for future phases of collaborative research projects in partnership with scientific teams and industry collaborators.

• Manages scientific and logistical elements of collaborative projects, including tracking milestones, setting and following up on action items, monitoring budgets and timelines across lab teams, and communicating progress and deliverables to stakeholders.

• Enhances the collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment, for example, by setting up and managing data-sharing systems and cross-team communication platforms.

• Prepares scientific documents, including project reports and publications, and assists with meeting regulatory requirements (e.g., animal ethics, biosafety) and tracking legal documents (e.g., MTAs).

• Provides strategic input on new project directions by synthesizing relevant literature and assessing alignment with the lab's research priorities and funding landscape.

• Acts as a liaison between the research team and industry stakeholders.

2. Develops Strategic Planning in Knowledge Mobilization

 

The Research Operations Manager directs and manages the lab’s knowledge mobilization and commercialization efforts, actively carrying out these tasks and supervising team members who support them. This involves turning the lab’s research outputs into real-world impact through entrepreneurship, technology transfer, and strategic partnerships.

 

• Develops and implements a strategic plan for knowledge mobilization, IP translation, and commercialization, identifying and evaluating opportunities to advance the lab’s technologies toward real-world application.

• Spearheads entrepreneurship initiatives, including developing business plans, engaging with incubators and accelerators, and taking active steps toward the formation of spinout companies based on lab-generated intellectual property.

• Coordinates the assembly and development of a translational team within the lab, working with internal and external stakeholders to identify talent and establish roles aligned with commercialization and impact goals.

• Manages donor communications and cultivates philanthropic relationships in support of the lab’s strategic research and translational goals.

• Manages and develops company and industry partnership communications, including maintaining and expanding relationships with strategic partners such as industry collaborators and university-based technology transfer offices.

• Coordinates and facilitates the advancement of experimental systems and research tools toward translational and commercialization objectives, working with lab scientists to ensure timely progress.

• Contributes to IP strategy for new and existing technologies by identifying innovation opportunities, organizing supporting technical information, and assisting with documentation for translation and commercialization activities.

• Analyzes and compiles data for report preparation, presents results, and participates in the preparation of presentation materials related to commercialization and translational activities.

• Facilitates the resolution of operational and logistical challenges encountered in translational research activities, coordinating support across lab members as needed.

  

3. Promotes SBME Research through the Yachie Laboratory Resources

 

The Research Operations Manager serves as the primary representative of the Yachie Laboratory within the SBME community, taking a leadership role in fostering collaboration, visibility, and resource sharing across the broader SBME community.

 

• Takes a proactive leadership role in representing the Yachie Laboratory within the SBME community, fostering a collaborative, well-resourced, and professionally engaged environment for all occupants.

• Serves as the primary point of contact and liaison between the Yachie Laboratory and SBME administration (e.g., Director of Operations, building staffs), managing communications on space, resource-sharing, operational issues, and community matters.

• Leads coordination of shared initiatives, events, and communications that promote the Yachie Lab’s contributions to SBME’s research and innovation mandates.

• Participates actively in the UBC SBME local safety team and represents the lab in School-level committees and working groups as appropriate.

• Identifies and facilitates opportunities for the lab’s equipment, expertise, and resources to benefit the broader SBME research community.

  

4. Manages Research Lab Operations

 

• Oversees and coordinates the daily operations of the research laboratory, including ensuring laboratory equipment is maintained, vendor accounts are managed, and supply inventories are sustained; transitions into a structured supervisory model as technical staff are onboarded.

• Oversees and coordinates the daily operations of the research laboratory, including ensuring laboratory equipment is maintained, vendor accounts are managed, and supply inventories are sustained; transitions into a structured supervisory model as technical staff are onboarded.

• Establishes and enforces policies for lab cleanliness, organization, and shared space management, delegating responsibilities to designated personnel and monitoring compliance as the team grows.

• Sources new suppliers to account for supply chain issues and to identify better pricing and higher-quality products.

• Leads the development and documentation of laboratory operating procedures, including SOPs for laboratory operations and an onboarding guidebook for new lab members; coordinates contributions from lab scientists as expertise grows.

• Communicates lab safety guidelines to all lab members, ensuring all members meet regulatory and institutional training requirements; liaises with UBC Safety & Risk Services and serves as the lab's primary safety representative.

• Ensures regulatory compliance for chemical and biological waste management, overseeing proper documentation, labeling, and coordination with institutional waste disposal services.

• Manages budgeting and forecasting for lab finances.

• Manages laboratory biosafety and ethics certification, ensuring they are current and establishing new protocols and applications as needed.

• Works closely with HR to facilitate staff and student appointments and reappointments, including writing job descriptions, participating in recruitment, interviewing, onboarding, and training; as the team grows, develops a structured supervisory model for support and technical roles.

• Assists in offboarding departing lab members, ensuring a timely and complete transition of lab resources, lab notebooks, and experimental data.

• Develops standard operating procedures for research methodology with input from lab scientists.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
Decisions in this role are vital to the laboratory's operation. Errors could jeopardize experimental results, harm the lab's reputation, and lead to the loss of current grant funding. Errors in the timely ordering of supplies and managing the lab’s inventory could also hinder operational efficiency and research progress.

Supervision Received

Supervised by Principal Investigator, Dr. Nozomu Yachie, with minimal oversight. The Research Operations Manager must exercise considerable independence, judgment, responsibility, and initiative to manage their workload effectively and oversee the unit’s daily activities.

Supervision Given

The incumbent will be responsible for supervising and training junior staff, technical personnel, and students. Also responsible for providing advice on recruitment and performance evaluation of junior staff and students, and for defining the scope and structure of new support roles as the lab grows.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of two 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

• A degree in a life science, biotechnology, biomedical, or related discipline is preferred.

• A prior lab management experience.

• Demonstrated experience managing research operations in an academic or institutional setting, including grant administration, compliance, and reporting.

• Familiarity with UBC or Canadian university research administration systems and funding portals (e.g., Workday, ResearchNet, UILO submissions) an asset.

• Experience working with and supporting trainees.

• Self-driven and capable of independent thinking, with excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail.

• Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment, manage competing priorities, and operate with minimal oversight in a dynamic research environment.

• Strong oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.

• Strong problem-solving skills.

• Demonstrated experience in project management, including planning, execution, monitoring, and reporting of complex projects.

• Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities.

• Ability to liaise with funding agencies and other internal and external partners.

• Ability to develop and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships with researchers, funding agencies, and industry partners.

• Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines.

• Ability to understand and apply institutional policies, procedures, and instructions.

• Ability to prepare clear, concise, and accurate research reports.

• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional weekends, evenings, and early mornings, as required.

• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment.

• Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative research environment.

• Demonstrated experience in grant writing and development.

• Computer competency with knowledge of spreadsheet, database, graphics editing, and word processing applications.

• Experience developing computational tools or dashboards for research operations.

• Experience with wet lab research environments and the operational needs of experimental research programs is an asset

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and interact with empathy, understanding, and humility with people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse identities, perspectives, and behaviors.

• Excellent political acuity, tact, judgment, and discretion.