Research Assistant (SRI) - Biological Sciences - Casual 2026-16592

Description of Team/Department:

One of Canada's Top 10 Research Hospitals, Sunnybrook Research Institute is developing innovations in care for the more than 1.3 million patients the hospital cares for annually. Sunnybrook Research Institute is the research enterprise of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, a teaching hospital fully affiliated with the University of Toronto.

Dr. Mubareka is a Medical Microbiologist and Infectious Disease physician with an appointed faculty position in the Department of Temerty Medicine at the University of Toronto. As a clinician scientist with laboratories in both locations, her research focuses on studying influenza and zoonotic viruses through the Emerging Wildlife Pathogens Initiative (Wild-Epi).

Description of the Role

We are currently seeking a research assistant to join Dr. Samira Mubareka’s research laboratory to assist in conducting a qualitative study exploring how wildlife rehabilitators perceive, experience, and manage risks related to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). This position will be a hybrid opportunity for a 5-month term (5-10 hrs/week from April-August). The successful candidate will contribute to developing a descriptive One Health value-chain analysis representing HPAI-related activities, information flows, and constrains within wildlife rehabilitation settings. They will be involving in interviewing and corresponding with study participants virtually and/or in-person, analysis data thematically, and presenting research findings.

Summary of Duties:

•    Review, update, and adhere to study procedures in place concerning project methodology
•    Communicate and correspond with study participants by email and phone
•    Conduct interviews with study participants (in-person and/or virtually)
•    Manage collection and storage of participant information & data aligned with REB guidelines
•    Perform thematic analysis of interview data in collaboration with other study team members
•    Present study findings/results during monthly meetings & one poster at a local conference
 

Qualifications:

•    Successful completion or enrollment in an Undergraduate degree in a Health or Biological Science discipline
•    Experience coordinating clinical & academic studies with experimental procedures
•    Previous wet lab experience (e.g. pipetting, PCR, cell culture
•    Experience using research computer programs and software (eg: Zotero, R, Excel)
•    Applied research experience with human participants
•    Strong interpersonal, time management, and organizational skills excellent
•    Ability to work independently and collaboratively in team settings