RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, CLINICAL GENOMICS INFORMATICS

BC Cancer
Vancouver, BC
Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre (GSC) of the BC Cancer Research Institute is a state-of-the-art, large-scale, high-throughput, clinically accredited genomics and bioinformatics facility located in one of the most vibrant and diverse cities in the world.
As a Research Associate within the Centre for Clinical Genomics Informatics team at the GSC, you will play a pivotal role in advancing clinical bioinformatics capabilities by developing, validating, and optimizing workflows and pipelines to support cutting-edge genomic technologies. The Research Associate will report to the Team leader and is anchored within a team of exceptional computational scientists, programmers and clinical researchers, who collaborate directly on the development and maintenance of robust, cost efficient, and competitive clinical genomics pipelines.
This is an opportunity to work with highly motivated colleagues in a science-oriented, creative and dynamic environment. We offer a competitive salary, excellent benefits and significant career development opportunities.
This position is initially funded for two years.

WHAT WE DO

BC Cancer provides comprehensive cancer control for the people of British Columbia. BC Cancer is part of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).
PHSA plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Create equity – Be courageous.
Learn more about PHSA and our programs: jobs.phsa.ca/programs-and-services
PHSA and BC Cancer are committed to anti-racism and equity in our hiring and employment practices. With learning and compassion, we are addressing existing inequities and barriers throughout our systems. PHSA is seeking to create a diverse workforce and to establish an inclusive and culturally safe environment. We invite applications and enquiries from all people, particularly those belonging to the historically, systemically, and/or persistently excluded groups identified under the B.C. Human Rights Code.
One of PHSA’s North Star priorities is to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism, which includes ongoing commitments to Indigenous recruitment and employee experience as well as dismantling barriers to health care employment at every level. We welcome Indigenous individuals to apply and/or contact the Sanya’k̓ula Team (Indigenous Recruitment & Employee Experience) for support at indigenous.employment@phsa.ca.
Indigenous-specific anti-racism initiatives are rooted in addressing the unique forms of discrimination, historical and ongoing injustices, and exclusion faced by Indigenous peoples. These initiatives align with an Indigenous rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent rights and title of BC First Nations and self-determination of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. PHSA is mandated to uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents including the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.

Key Accountabilities:

• Developing clinical bioinformatics workflows for new projects that require quick turnarounds and/or reproducible results and, where relevant, containerizing them.
• Analyzing clinical sequencing data from technology development experiments in the lab, summarizing results and formally presenting findings in internal meetings and discussions, including at local, and national meetings.
• Supporting technological advances and providing recommendations to wet and dry lab production groups on new technology and workflow optimizations based on comparative analyses, often with custom bioinformatics tools and workflows.
• Facilitating the transfer of novel analysis pipelines and technologies into production, such as writing clinical validation documents, drafting Standard Operating Procedures, training production staff, and assisting with troubleshooting exercises.
• Training designated members of the clinical bioinformatics group in new or optimized analysis workflows. Writes or revises protocols accordingly.
• Identify processes/procedures that can improve and optimize the clinical validation process.
• Review data to identify opportunities to offer new or improved assays.
• Identify and pursues opportunities to publish in peer reviewed journals to contribute to the broader community.
• Perform other technical functions related to the Bioinformatics groups of the GSC

• Propose experimental hypotheses for research and designs experimental questions and protocols in consultation with the Principal Investigator.
• Apply standard scientific techniques and utilizes technical expertise and experience to plan, coordinate, conduct and report on assigned research projects. Notify Principal Investigator of issues related to laboratory protocols and experimental designs and recommends solutions.
• Prepare Research Ethics Board applications and amendments as required and ensure compliance with Research Ethics Board guidelines.
• Develop new laboratory methods and modifies existing procedures to facilitate research projects.
• Collect, record, analyze, validate, interpret and organize experimental and research data and communicate scientific findings to Principal Investigator. Recommend research direction based on preliminary findings in consultation with the Principal Investigator.
• Source funding opportunities and provide input into writing research proposals and developing budget for grant applications. Can apply for fellowship funding.
• Conduct regular literature reviews relating to research areas. Contribute intellectual and scientific input to manuscripts for publications. Present research findings at national and/or international conferences.

• Facilitate constructive and collaborative relationships with both the Principal Investigator and internal and external research partners.

  Key Accountabilities:

• Developing clinical bioinformatics workflows for new projects that require quick turnarounds and/or reproducible results and, where relevant, containerizing them.

• Analyzing clinical sequencing data from technology development experiments in the lab, summarizing results and formally presenting findings in internal meetings and discussions, including at local, and national meetings.
• Supporting technological advances and providing recommendations to wet and dry lab production groups on new technology and workflow optimizations based on comparative analyses, often with custom bioinformatics tools and workflows.
• Facilitating the transfer of novel analysis pipelines and technologies into production, such as writing clinical validation documents, drafting Standard Operating Procedures, training production staff, and assisting with troubleshooting exercises.
• Training designated members of the clinical bioinformatics group in new or optimized analysis workflows. Writes or revises protocols accordingly.
• Identify processes/procedures that can improve and optimize the clinical validation process.
• Review data to identify opportunities to offer new or improved assays.
• Identify and pursues opportunities to publish in peer reviewed journals to contribute to the broader community.
• Perform other technical functions related to the Bioinformatics groups of the GSC.