Technician 3 – Nutritional Assessment

Job Summary

The incumbent Nutritional Assessment Research Assistant will be responsible for a range of tasks related to longitudinal clinical research in the Panagiotopoulos and Devlin labs whose focus is on childhood diabetes, cardiometabolic complications, and obesity. The Nutritional Assessment Research Assistant role includes leading dietary intake data collection and analysis, ongoing ethics renewals, study coordination (including communication with other centres across Canada/North America), and data entry and collection.

The incumbent is required to conduct all research activities in an ethical manner, suited to the proper activities of the University of British Columbia and to the professional organizations governing the activities of the institution and all other investigators. Any procedures undertaken as part of a trial must be accurate and must accurately reflect the work performed. Strict confidentiality of all study matters must be adhered to. The incumbent’s research activities are accountable to the Principal Investigator(s).

Organizational Status
The incumbent will report to and receive direction from the Principal Investigator, Dr. Angela Devlin, as well as her close collaborator and co-Principal Investigator, Dr. Dina Panagiotopoulos.

This position requires working both independently and in cooperation with hospital physicians, residents, nurses, research staff at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), and other staff at Children’s and Women’s Health Centre. The incumbent will collaborate and work with external staff at participating organizations, hospitals and collaborating laboratories located at different sites nationally and internationally. The workspace is located in the Childhood Diabetes Laboratories in BCCHR of Children’s and Women’s Health Centre of BC Campus.

Work Performed

The position involves guiding participants through reporting dietary intake as part of clinical research and will include data collection, management and analysis, subject follow-up, and assist with ongoing ethics renewals.

Specific duties include:

• Collect dietary intake data and supplement use during clinical visits with participants
• Instruct participants on reporting portion sizes
• Responsible for study follow-up activities
• Responsible for data management using ASA24 and ESHA software
• Analyze dietary date and estimate nutrient intakes using ASA24 and ESHA software
• Work closely with study Principal Investigators, on study start-up activities.
• Assist with the drafting of study specific consents, assents and other required study documents.
• Assist Research Associate with the timely RISe submission of amendments as it pertains to collection of dietary data.
• Responsible for maintaining REB records and associated documents to ensure that study investigator binders and Central Binder folders are accurately maintained.
• Provide feedback on proposed study protocol issues at the time of the review.
• Completion, updating and submission of existing study regulatory documents to sponsors/CROs/Health Canada and other regulatory bodies as required by Good Clinical Practice standards
• Data collections as required (e.g. May include chart review, administering questionnaires, performing other clinical research assessments for which adequate training will be provided).
• Performing other related tasks and projects as deemed necessary.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
Consequences of error are high and this is a position with significant responsibility. The activities described above impact the direction of Division of Endocrinology research program objectives. Errors could impact upon the reputation of the program as a whole and jeopardize the options for collaborative participation with industry and other centers.

Supervision Received
It is expected that the RT3 will demonstrate the ability to work independently once training has been successfully completed. The RT3 will be required to problem solve on a continual basis. The RT3 will provide some supervision to the coop student.

Supervision Given
The RT3 will receive supervision and direction from both the post-doctoral fellow as well as the Principal Investigator Dr. Dina Panagiotopoulos, and co-Principal Investigator Dr. Angela Devlin.

Minimum Qualifications

• Completion of a university degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., nutrition, dietetics) and a minimum three 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

• Master’s degree in nutrition or related field (e.g. dietetics)
• Familiarity with the ASA24 tool and food processor ESHA software is an asset
• Experience with dietary recalls
• Knowledge of ethical principles and research applications.
• Familiarity with database management programs and UBC RISe and Workday an asset.
• Attentive to detail, with the ability to work quickly and accurately.
• High degree of computer literacy including familiarity with Microsoft Word, Excel, Teams.
• Ability to learn new software programs such as REDCAP.
• Organizational and interpersonal skills a must.
• Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Ability to exercise initiative and maintain confidentiality.
• Effective communication, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work both independently and within a team environment in the office.