Academic Job Category Faculty Non Bargaining Job Title Postdoctoral Research Fellow Department Schaeffer Laboratory | Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine | Faculty of Medicine (David Schaeffer) Posting End Date November 29, 2025 Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date. Job End Date January 14, 2027 The expected salary for this position is $70,000 per annum At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. Pancreas Centre BC is currently seeking a highly-motivated postdoctoral fellow to work on a research project focusing on mechanisms underlying cachexia in pancreatic and other gastrointestinal cancers. The centre is dedicated to improving outcomes of patients with pancreatic cancer by fostering clinical, translational and basic research. Pancreas Centre BC has built unique resources to lead and support collaborative research including patient-derived pre-clinical models, tumour tissue biobank, tumour genome and transcriptome sequencing, and the development of clinical studies. As a multidisciplinary centre, Pancreas Centre BC provides opportunities for collaborative research in BC and beyond. This position will be employed by the Department of Pathology and Laboratory, within the Faculty of Medicine, at the University of British Columbia. The research laboratory is located at the BC Cancer Research Centre. BC Cancer strives to improve the lives of patients through the integration of basic biomedical research, genomics, clinical trials, health services research, cancer surveillance, population health, and the development of innovative new technology, programs, and interventions. Organized through departments and programs with various themes, BC Cancer supports ground breaking cancer research and personalized care approaches through world-class facilities and platforms including genomics, bioinformatics, imaging, drug development and tissue banking. The ideal candidate will be self-driven, have excellent communication skills and demonstrated experience in cancer metabolism and the use of co-culture systems in cancer research including organoids and other cell types. This is a full-time position (1.0 FTE). The candidate will work under the supervision of clinician scientists Drs. David Schaeffer and Daniel Renouf who lead Pancreas Centre BC, and will interact regularly with a staff scientist. The position will be supported by a translational research team. RESPONSIBILITIES Reporting to Drs. David Schaeffer and Daniel Renouf, the incumbent will be responsible for: Design and execution of innovative organoid and co-culture experiments to investigate tumour-host interactions involved in initiating and maintaining cancer cachexia with focus on lipid metabolism Work collaboratively with patient-derived biospecimens including blood and tumour tissues to analyze cancer cachexia biomarkers Proactively engage with other team members and collaborators to integrate multi-omics (genome, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome) and clinical data Maintain high quality of detailed research data recording and analysis Provide mentorship and training to graduate/undergraduate students and research assistants Effective presentation of research project design, progress, results, and conclusions through oral and poster presentation, and manuscript preparation and submission Participate in weekly team meetings, actively contribute to discussion and provide meaningful feedback and guidance to other team members Adhere to all relevant safety protocols, institutional and research ethics guidelines, and policies at all times Identify sources of research funding and assist with grant writing Establish new collaborations to support research at Pancreas Centre BC QUALIFICATIONS Successful applicants will have: A PhD with experience in cancer metabolism and in vitro pre-clinical tumour model systems (organoids, cancer and other cell lines) Proficiency in basic and translational research experimental design, performing experiments, statistical analysis, interpretation and dissemination of results Expertise with co-culture studies will be an asset First authorship and co-authorship in relevant research field in peer-reviewed journals Proficiency in research presentation, figure preparation, and scientific writing Effective and proactive interpersonal communication skills and ability to work with others Excellent organizational skills, attention to details, priority setting, and task management Ability to work independently with minimal supervision Commitment to upholding quality standards, safety protocols, and regulatory compliance Commitment to the goals and collaborative vision of Pancreas Centre BC Commitment to self-growth and maintaining high levels of productivity Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one's own Demonstrate a commitment to enhancing one's own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion. The expected salary for this position is $70,000 per annum. The Faculty of Medicine is committed to offering equitable and competitive salaries, commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate. The position is full-time for one year with the possibility of extension subject to work performance, funding availability and compliance with UBC and BC Cancer policies. APPLICATION PROCEDURE An application package should include: A letter of application outlining the applicant’s research interests and relevant experience A detailed curriculum vitae; Contact information for referees Applications should be submitted online at https://ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/ubcfacultyjobs. Review of applications will begin on December 1, 2025 and continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date for this position is January 15, 2026 or upon a date to be mutually agreed. We invite applications from qualified candidates who share our commitment to employment equity and inclusive excellence, and we welcome applications from candidates belonging to historically, persistently, or systemically marginalized groups: Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) Peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, and trans and non-binary people. 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. 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 at https://hr.ubc.ca/health-and-wellbeing/workplace-accessibility/centre-workplace-accessibility or contact the Centre at workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca. With gratitude, we acknowledge that the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine and its distributed programs, which include four university academic campuses, are located on traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of First Nations Peoples and communities around the province. Our Vision: To Transform Health for Everyone. Ranked among the world’s top medical schools with the fifth-largest MD enrollment in North America, the UBC Faculty of Medicine is a leader in both the science and the practice of medicine. Across British Columbia, more than 12,000 faculty and staff are training the next generation of doctors and health care professionals, making remarkable discoveries, and helping to create the pathways to better health for our communities at home and around the world. The Faculty - comprised of approximately 2,200 administrative support, technical/research and management and professional staff, as well approximately 650 full-time academic and over 10,000 clinical faculty members - is composed of 19 academic basic science and/or clinical departments, three schools, and 24 research centres and institutes. Together with its University and Health Authority partners, the Faculty delivers innovative programs and conducts research in the areas of health and life sciences. Faculty, staff and trainees are located at university campuses, clinical academic campuses in hospital settings and other regionally based centres across the province. UBC - One of the World's Leading Universities. As one of the world's leading universities, the University of British Columbia creates an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship, advances a civil and sustainable society, and supports outstanding research to serve the people of British Columbia, Canada and the world. UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. UBC - One of the World's Leading Universities As one of the world's leading universities, the University of British Columbia creates an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship, advances a civil and sustainable society, and supports outstanding research to serve the people of British Columbia, Canada and the world. UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, and/or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. If you have any accommodation or accessibility needs during the job application process, please contact the Centre for Workplace Accessibility at workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca.
