Research Associate Full-time NEW

Research Associate

The School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver campus, invites applications for a full-time Research Associate who will help lead efforts to synthesize, functionalize, characterize, and optimize injectable hydrogels for neural tissue engineering applications.

The School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) is a partnership between the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Applied Science, acting as 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 care outcomes through unconstrained exploration of the best possible integrative solutions across engineering, medicine, and biology. Through a collaborative, innovative, and interdisciplinary approach 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.

“Mend the Gap: A Transformative Biomaterials Platform for Spinal Cord Repair (Mend the Gap)” is an international, interdisciplinary research project that aims to develop a regenerative treatment for spinal cord injury (SCI). It is an ambitious project that brings together dozens of team members across 12 academic institutions, 2 non-profit organizations, and 1 charity. Our shared goal is to achieve a viable and ethical treatment option. Six-year funding for the project is provided by the Government of Canada through the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) Transformation Program.

The overall research project will involve teams focusing on developing biomaterials for cell alignment, developing biomaterials for drug release, in vitro evaluation of biomaterials to support neuron growth, and in vivo validation of those materials for guiding axons across a spinal cord injury site. More specifically, at UBC, we are developing an in vitro model of the injured spinal cord, comprising neurons cultured within a three-dimensional model system, and experiments will assess the biocompatibility of different materials, and measure the growth of neural cells in different biomaterials, for the purposes of maximizing the aligned, long-distance growth and viability of neurons. These materials are also tested in in vivo injury models, and combined with local drug delivery and anisotropic structures to promote axonal growth. The Research Associate's goal is to optimize key hydrogel properties. Physical properties, including stiffness, porosity, stress relaxation, topography, and chemical properties, including charge density and molecular presentation, will affect not only neuron growth and neurite extension, but also the immune response to the injected biomaterials. The successful candidate will contribute to a mature, multi-year biomaterials development program and will be expected to provide technical leadership, maintain continuity of established experimental workflows, and accelerate translation of optimized hydrogel formulations into in vitro and in vivo studies.

The successful candidate will bring extensive experience in chemistry, specifically the rational design, synthesis, modification, and characterization of hydrogels for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Preference will be given to candidates with demonstrated experience developing GelMA-based and dynamic hydrogel systems and translating these materials into biological evaluation workflows. The Research Associate will join our multidisciplinary team with complementary expertise in microfluidics, neuroscience, tissue engineering, and biomedical engineering. They will be expected to rapidly contribute to ongoing experiments and collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team of biomaterials scientists, tissue engineers, and neuroscientists.

The successful candidate will work closely with the principal investigators of the multidisciplinary team, consisting of Principal Investigators (PIs) Prof. John DW Madden, Prof. Karen Cheung, and Prof. Jay Kizhakkedathu. Prof. Madden brings engineering expertise and oversees the overall project, as well as the development of new magnetically alignable materials. Prof. Cheung brings tissue engineering expertise and oversees the development of a microscale in vitro model. Prof. Kizhakkedathu brings biomaterials and polymer synthesis expertise and oversees the development of new polymers.

Responsibilities

• Leading optimization of GelMA-based and dynamic hydrogel formulations for neural tissue engineering applications.
• Developing, documenting, and maintaining specialized hydrogel synthesis, purification, characterization, and quality-control protocols.
• Tuning hydrogel properties such as stiffness, porosity, and functionalization (e.g., grafting bioactive groups) for optimized injectability, biocompatibility, and neurite extension.
• Designing synthetic polymers with accurately tailored physicochemical characteristics to have immunomodulatory functionalities.
• Preparing hybrid hydrogels from both natural and synthetic polymers.
• Characterizing physical and chemical properties of the hydrogels.
• Interpreting hydrogel characterization data and integrating findings into biomaterial design decisions for subsequent in vitro and in vivo studies. Providing technical expertise and continuity for hydrogel-related activities spanning multiple research teams and trainee cohorts.
• Training and supervising graduate students, undergraduate students, and research personnel in established hydrogel fabrication and characterization methodologies.
• Supporting technology transfer and knowledge retention within the project through maintenance of experimental protocols, records, and best practices.
• Assisting in ensuring that our teams are following Good Laboratory Practice.

Qualifications:

• Doctorate degree in Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, or a related discipline with an excellent publication record
• Graduating thesis in the field of hydrogel synthesis and modification for tissue engineering or a related topic.
• Demonstrated experience (for example, through publication record) involving hydrogel development and characterization.
• Demonstrated expertise in advanced hydrogel characterization techniques, including rheological and mechanical analysis.
• Demonstrated experience in chemical and polymer synthesis, peptide synthesis and conjugation, purification techniques, and chemical characterization of biomaterials. Demonstrated experience in the design, synthesis, modification, and characterization of hydrogel systems for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.
• Experience working with gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels, including GelMA synthesis, modification, crosslinking, formulation optimization, and physicochemical characterization.
• Experience developing and characterizing dynamic hydrogel systems, including hydrazone-crosslinked biomaterials such as gelatin-hydrazine and hyaluronic acid-aldehyde formulations.
• Experience characterizing hydrogel properties relevant to neural tissue engineering, including stiffness, swelling, degradation, porosity, gelation kinetics, stress relaxation, and structure-function relationships.
• Required: Hands-on experience with oscillatory rheology and mechanical characterization of soft biomaterials and hydrogels.
• Required: Hands-on experience with confocal microscopy and fluorescence microscopy for characterization of biomaterials and cell-material interactions.
• Experience with polysaccharide-based hydrogels and hybrid natural–synthetic polymer systems. Experience with tissue engineering, cell–material interactions, and the development of biomaterials for regenerative medicine applications. Experience working within interdisciplinary research teams involving biomaterials, tissue engineering, neuroscience, and biomedical engineering. Ability to work effectively with faculty, research staff, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduate trainees, including mentoring and training personnel in established hydrogel synthesis and characterization protocols.
• Experience contributing to ongoing collaborative research programs, maintaining continuity of experimental workflows, and rapidly integrating into active multidisciplinary projects with minimal training and supervision.
• Excellent oral and written English communication skills required.
• Experience with hydrogel design and synthesis, protein and peptide conjugation, and bioactive materials is an asset.
• A self-driven leader and a highly motivated researcher is preferred.

Start date and salary

The expected start date is July 20, 2026. The position is located at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver campus). The position is full-time for a 9-month term. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The expected salary for this position is $76,128 per annum.

How to Apply

Candidates should provide a one-page letter of intent that includes a statement of your research interest, a detailed curriculum vitae, a PDF copy or a link to one of your recent and related peer-reviewed publications, and the names of three references. Please submit your applications directly via Workday. Review of applications will begin on July 6, 2026 and will continue until the position is filled.

The University is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for all members of its workforce. An inclusive work environment presumes an environment where differences are appreciated, recognized, and integrated into current structures, planning, and decision-making modes. Within this hiring process, we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable process for all candidates (including but not limited to people with disabilities). Confidential accommodations are available on request. Please contact Farzana Fancy via email at farzana.fancy@ubc.ca. If you have any questions regarding accommodations or accessibility during the recruitment and hiring process or for more information and support, please visit UBC's Centre for Workplace Accessibility website or contact the Centre.

The UBC Vancouver Campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of thexʷm əθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people.