Research Associate – Injectable Hydrogels for Neural Tissue Engineering

About the role

The School of Biomedical Engineering at the University of British Columbia seeks a full‑time Research Associate to lead the synthesis, functionalisation, characterisation and optimisation of injectable hydrogels for neural tissue engineering within the international "Mend the Gap" spinal cord repair project.

Key responsibilities

• Design and synthesize injectable hydrogel formulations tailored for neural tissue applications.
• Functionalise hydrogels to enable controlled drug release and cell‑alignment cues.
• Characterise physicochemical properties, mechanical performance and biocompatibility of the materials.
• Optimise hydrogel formulations based on in‑vitro neuron culture results.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to integrate biomaterials into in‑vitro and in‑vivo spinal cord injury models.

Required profile

• PhD or equivalent experience in biomaterials, polymer chemistry, biomedical engineering or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in laboratory research, including material synthesis and cell‑culture techniques.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to work independently and within a collaborative team.

Required skills

• Hydrogel synthesis
• Hydrogel functionalisation
• Hydrogel characterisation
• Hydrogel optimisation

What we offer

• Competitive salary of $76,128 per year.
• Opportunity to contribute to a nationally funded, interdisciplinary spinal cord repair project.
• Access to UBC’s state‑of‑the‑art research facilities and collaborative academic environment.