Research Associate, Cell Biology & Anatomy

University of Calgary

Reporting to the Principal Investigator, we are seeking a Research Associate for the animal model deep phenotyping core for One Child Every Child, a Canada First Research Excellence Program based at the University of Calgary. This position involves generating, processing, and managing high-throughput phenomic data. The research associate will perform different tasks of varying degrees of complexity, including developing and running automated image processing pipelines, processing and analyzing imaging datasets, and curating large-scale phenomic databases with extensive metadata. A core objective for the Research Associate will be developing the back-end code for an online web application that can store, acquire, analyze, and aggregate phenomic data. This will require methodological innovation and close collaboration with the supervisor, other internal collaborators, and external collaborators. In addition, the Research Associate will be responsible for completing time-sensitive imaging informatic tasks for various grants. Participation in shared lab-related work, such as lab meetings, student and visitor training, meeting arrangements, and other teamwork activities, is expected.

One Child Every Child is a Parallel Paths project that has Indigenous and non-Indigenous Paths. While this position will not involve direct interaction with human participants or human subjects data, all members of the program will perform training on work with Indigenous people, communities and data. Experience with Indigenous community-based work is an asset for all members of the OCEC research team.

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

Develop, implement, and evaluate novel machine learning-based methods for real-time image processing and analysis
Work collaboratively with team members to advance software development for largescale phenomics. Act as a resource for colleagues with less experience.
Collect, standardize, and analyze imaging data to accomplish grant research aims
Application of programming languages such as Python, Linux bash, R, and Git
Develop back-end code for an online web application that can store, acquire, analyze, and aggregate phenomic data
Curate and manage large-scale databases and ensure that standards are met
Train other staff and students how to deploy technical workflows
Act as a resource and in-scope supervisor for junior staff members and graduate students
Apply concepts and methods from biomedicine, medical image analysis, machine learning, and data science to guide ongoing internal and external research collaborations with respect to large-scale phenomics databases
As a subject matter expert, contribute to project planning and management, including requirements gathering, project scheduling, and risk management. May lead small projects with manageable risks and resource requirements.
Provide weekly updates to supervisor and internal/external collaborators to ensure effective and timely completion of tasks
Demonstrate strong communication, team and customer service skills, and an ability to exercise judgment within established guidelines
Qualifications / Requirements:

Doctoral degree in Bioinformatics is required
Minimum of 3-5 years of related technical experience within the fields of comparative biology, bioinformatics, phenotypic analyses, and craniofacial developmental biology is required
Advanced education and experience in bioinformatics, RNAseq analyses, QTL and GWAS mapping, and quantitative genetics is required
Advanced programming skills in imaging informatics and statistics using Bash, Python, R, and/or Julia is required
Previous experience working with large-scale databases (e.g., SQL) and biomedical imaging data is required
Previous experience working with compute clusters (e.g., Digital Research Alliance of Canada) is required
Knowledge and experience working with mouse models, including husbandry, handling, and breeding is required
Previous experience mentoring and/or teaching at the graduate or undergraduate level
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Experience working and collaborating with international and diverse research groups
Knowledge and/or experience in IT infrastructure (networking, data storage) is valuable
Strong communication, team and customer service skills, and an ability to exercise judgment within established guidelines
Knowledge of University core business systems is desirable
Application Deadline: January 28, 2025

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. In this connection, at the time of your application, please answer the following question: are you a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada? (Yes/No).

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

Additional Information

To Apply, please visit the University of Calgary¿s career opportunities page:

http://careers.ucalgary.ca Job Opening ID #33622

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Technical Job Family, Phase 3 (Salary range is $40.59 - $58.63 per hour).

For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.

Business address: 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary AB T2N 1N4

Contact information: hrhire@ucalgary.ca, Re: Job Opening #33622

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada¿s entrepreneurial university, located in Canada¿s most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada¿s leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (equity@ucalgary.ca) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources (hrhire@ucalgary.ca).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.