Postdoctoral Research Fellow Full-time

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

The Department of Emergency Medicine at UBC is seeking an outstanding postdoctoral candidate with expertise in epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, or health services research to contribute to research in influenza surveillance, vaccine effectiveness, and pandemic preparedness through the Canadian Emergency Department Research Network (CEDRN). This role will focus on developing and piloting ED-based surveillance methods, generating high-quality data to inform public health decision-making, and advancing national capacity for future pandemic response.

Emergency Departments (EDs) are critical low-barrier access points to the healthcare system and often the first to encounter new viral outbreaks. CEDRN was established during the COVID-19 pandemic and has since developed into a national research infrastructure producing over 25 manuscripts, 38 protocols, and six government-solicited reports. In 2024, CEDRN executed new Membership and Data Sharing Agreements across urban, rural, and remote EDs, enabling large-scale analyses and new surveillance initiatives. Building on this foundation, the network is now piloting influenza surveillance as a test case to enhance vaccine effectiveness monitoring and pandemic preparedness.

The incumbent will work under the supervision of Dr. Corinne Hohl, Emergency Physician and Professor in UBC's Department of Emergency Medicine and working closely with Dr. Danuta Skowronski, Epidemiology Lead for influenza and emerging respiratory pathogens at the BC Centre for Disease Control.

The successful applicant will join a thriving pan-Canadian network with 60 active member sites, a nationally harmonized dataset, and partnerships with the Public Health Agency of Canada, provincial Ministries of Health, and other stakeholders.

Responsibilities

The primary activities of the Postdoctoral Research Fellow will include:

• Develop and implement ED-based influenza surveillance and vaccine effectiveness (VE) monitoring protocols
• Undertake scoping assessment and report across CEDRN sites to capture and summarize ED-specific information required for influenza surveillance and VE monitoring by potential study site such as testing volumes, assays, indications/restrictions to testing/participation, clinical and laboratory workflow, sub-typing and/or sequencing practices, and specimen testing location. Map qualitative findings around workflow, barriers, and facilitators.
• Identify barriers or challenges in feasibility, implementation, or data capture, and develop mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate and oversee pilot site activities, including research ethics submissions, verbal consent procedures, and extraction/collection of relevant patient information (e.g., demographics, symptoms, vaccination history, laboratory-confirmed test results).
• Undertake descriptive analyses such as site-specific specimen testing volumes, percent positivity, participant characteristics, and more advanced quantitative analyses such as VE as authorized and feasible
• Maintain rigorous documentation and ensure adherence to protocols, ethics, and data governance requirements.
• Prepare work plans, progress reports, and deliverables for stakeholders, including funders and government partners.
• Provide regular updates at research meetings and contribute to network-wide planning activities.
• Mentor graduate students and research staff in study design, analysis, and dissemination.
• Produce analytic plans, conduct vaccine effectiveness analyses, and tabulate results.
• Develop abstracts, manuscripts, and conference presentations to advance the scientific evidence base for pandemic preparedness.
• Contribute to knowledge translation activities with health system partners and policy makers.
• Other project-related duties as required.

Qualifications

Successful applicants will have:

• PhD in epidemiology and/or biostatistics, public health or related field
• Demonstrated expertise in epidemiologic study design, vaccine effectiveness evaluation, and/or infectious disease surveillance.
• Experience coordinating multi-site research and managing complex study protocols. Project management training would be an asset.
• Strong quantitative analytical skills; additional experience with mixed-methods research considered an asset.
• Experience in dealing with multiple commitments, short deadlines and sensitive clinical or research issues
• Intermediate or advanced computer skills in the following software packages: MS Office (particularly Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and Stata, SAS or R preferred.
• Experience with NVivo is considered an asset.
• Familiarity with clinical and health services data, emergency medicine settings, or laboratory workflows is desirable.
• Familiarity and experience with grant funded projects and study protocol requirements including ethical conduct, ethics approval process, standard operating procedures, source documentation and good clinical practice
• Excellent communication skills, including strong writing, research and interpersonal skills.
• Innovative and creative thinking and a logical approach to problem solving are also necessary
• Self-directed, self-motivated and independent work skills
• 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.