Staff - Union Job Category CUPE 116 Job Profile CUPE 116 Salaried - Research Assistant /Technician 2 Job Title Kelp Culture Technician Department Research | Martone Lab | Department of Botany | Faculty of Science Compensation Range $4,426.00 - $4,845.00 CAD Monthly Posting End Date December 9, 2025 Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date. Job End Date December 31, 2026 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. Job Summary This is a research technician (Tech 2) position in the UBC Department of Botany. This position will be responsible for maintaining and optimizing macroalgal cultures to support restoration and enhancement of bull kelp populations near Vancouver, BC. Activities will include managing and maintaining existing bull kelp cultures, conducting experiments on lab cultures, and seeding tiles with bull kelp gametophytes for outplanting. Organizational Status The technician will report to the PI, Dr. Patrick Martone (Professor, UBC Botany). Work Performed Lab duties: Spore release and culture initiation Prepare and replace media in all cultures Re-fragmenting cultures to expand collection Observe, inventory, and report on the health of kelp culture library Microscopic culture inspection Contaminant identification and management Unialgal clone isolation Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot kelp culture equipment, including incubators, flumes, tumble tanks, and chillers Lab experimental support: Conduct experiments on the response of kelp cultures to stress (temperature, siltation, salinity) Conduct experiments on culture density to improve outplanting success Conduct experiments on tile texture and shape to increase the survivorship and longevity of outplanted kelp in the field Summarize data to be reviewed by PI and kelp researchers Help support other researchers in ongoing culture experimentation Scrub tanks Macroscopic sporophyte culture inspection and maintenance Refine culture methods to increase capacity and efficiency Contaminant identification and management undefined Restoration: Help organize environmental data collected at site by field technicians (salinity, light, substrate, temperature, flow) Organize and seed tiles with gametophyte fragments for outplanting Support the preparation and transport of tiles for field work Coordinate with field technician to synchronize lab and field experimentation Consequence of Error/Judgement All work being done will be under close supervision by the PI, Dr. Patrick Martone, and all decisions about experimental procedures will be made in cohort with the PI, Dr. Patrick Martone. Supervision Received The technician will work independently and as part of a team, including external collaborators. Work will be overseen by the Principal Investigator with direct support provided by other lab researchers. Supervision Given None. Minimum Qualifications High school graduation, some additional training in a related field and a minimum two years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. - Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own - Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion Preferred Qualifications Experience in macroalgal cultivation or sterile culture techniques Experience developing and maintaining biological experiments The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities globally. A large part of what makes us unique is the community of engaged students, faculty, and staff who are collectively committed to shaping a better world. Recognized as a leading employer in British Columbia and Canada, UBC supports inspired students, faculty and staff on their journey of discovery, and challenges them to realize their greatest potential. New ideas, changing infrastructure, innovative technology, and fresh approaches are opening up possibilities for the future of research, teaching, and work. Are you ready to embrace the future together? 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.
