Research Associate

Hours per Week: 35

Salary Grade: R2

Please note, this is a wholly grant funded, temporary full time contract opportunity with benefits. The expected end date is March 13, 2026.

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With an international reputation for success, Western ranks as one of Canada's top research-intensive universities. Our research excellence expands knowledge and drives discovery with real-world application. Western also provides an exceptional employment experience, offering competitive salaries, a wide range of employment opportunities and one of Canada's most beautiful campuses.

The Robarts Research Institute within the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University has a mission to accelerate medical discovery. Through a powerful integration of basic and clinical research, we drive major advances that impact on many of today's most devastating diseases.

The mission of Dr. Prado’s multi-institute initiative is to make translation from basic research to clinical outcomes faster and more reliable. This project includes a number of research groups and stake holders, including Western’s BrainsCAN and McGill’s Healthy Brains and Healthy Lives (HBHL) as well as the TRIDENT initiative.

The Research Associate will apply their expertise and knowledge of advanced microscopy techniques to assist the Principal Investigator (Dr. Marco Prado) in achieving the research milestones of the project funded by the Western-McGill Initiative for Translational Neuroscience. In addition, the role involves achieving research outcomes as part of the Pan-Canadian TRanslational Initiative to DE-risk NeuroTherapeutics (TRIDENT) project. The position will play a lead role in training staff, graduate students, undergraduate students, and post-doctoral fellows on advanced microscopy techniques, and in resolving issues that arise in the research environment. The Research Associate will support and operationalize new and innovative research opportunities as requested, participate in the development of research and project plans, and design, build and run experiments to image small animal brain tissue using advanced microscopy techniques. The role will plan, implement, and coordinate data collection, perform data analysis, develop microscopy best practices, troubleshoot whole-brain imaging and clearing techniques, evaluate and interpret experimental results, develop models or correlations, and prepare reports, including scientific manuscripts, and other written material for presentations and/or submissions to various stakeholders as required. The role will carry out original and independent research under the guidance of Dr. Prado and collaborators.

Education:

• Master’s degree in Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology, Neuroscience, or related field
• PhD in Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology, Neuroscience, or related field is preferred

Experience:

• 2 years of demonstrated experience in fluorescence microscopy techniques, using light-sheet, confocal, or super resolution, in a related academic research environment
• Published experimental findings involving microscopy work would be an asset

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Expertise in advanced microscopy techniques involving rodent brains
• Ability to learn new microscopy techniques and to troubleshoot microscopy-related issues quickly and effectively
• Ability to produce high-quality microscopy images and to analyze microscopy data
• Ability to troubleshoot perfusions of animal models (mice and marmosets) and to troubleshoot clearing methods
• Ability to train others and to develop and maintain procedures with high attention to detail
• Familiarity with regulations and guidelines governing research ethics in an academic environment and with best practices for reviewing and writing grant proposals
• In depth knowledge with methods for research design, implementation, and analysis
• Familiarity with techniques for updating, managing and extracting data from a research database
• Ability to collaborate across internal and external boundaries to meet common objectives, improve outcomes and support work beyond one's own unit
• Communication skills to describe technical concepts effectively to both novice and sophisticated users
• Communication skills with an ability to complete detailed analytics and reports
• Detail-oriented with an ability to function and process information with high levels of accuracy
• Ability to work in a manner that models best practices in confidentiality standards
• Ability to provide solutions and ideas for improvement by using imaginative approaches where constructive thinking and innovation are required
• Ability to work within a flexible schedule to accommodate the research group’s events and activities
• Ability to provide guidance, support and feedback in a way that is positively received
• Results-oriented with the ability to motivate and coach research group members to meet high performance standards, while working effectively as a member of the leadership team
• Ability to investigate defined issues, solicit input, and suggest remedies and alternative approaches that meet the needs of the situation
• Proven ability and natural inclination to develop relationships by interacting with people in a professional, respectful and diplomatic manner
• Ability to interpret and identify key results from research and to succinctly summarize research findings
• Ability to adhere to legislated safety requirements and Western safety policies
• Demonstrated working knowledge of relevant scientific/research principles
• Advanced skills in software and applications used to produce and analyze research outcomes
• Demonstrated ability to research/investigate issues and resolve problems

Please note, successful applicants may be required to produce a current police information record check(s) from a police service prior to commencing employment.

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Human Resources or phone 519-661-2194.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.