Assistant-Development (Laboratory Research Assistant)

Location: Vancouver, Brit, CA

Assistant-Development (Laboratory Research Assistant)

Location

Vancouver, British Columbia, CA, V6T 1V6

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Job posting ID: 9381

​Employment status: Regular full-time Possible schedule/FTE: 1.0

Position's anticipated start date: 2026-11-16

Number of positions available: 1

Classification: PTS Salary/Rate of pay: Grade 7 $75,100 - $88,300 Grade 6 $65,100 - $76,600 Grade 5 $56,900 - $66,500

Application deadline: 2026-10-30

This external job posting may close earlier than the advertised deadline. We recommend applying as soon as possible.

Application requirements

Your up-to-date resume.

Job specific cover letter.

We recommend you save a copy of the job posting for reference throughout the recruitment process.

Do you currently work for Canadian Blood Services? All employees must apply via the internal career page.

Together, the work we do connects people and changes lives — including your own.

Be part of a dynamic, collaborative and caring organization committed to saving and improving lives. Thousands of patients depend on us every day for reliable access to safe blood, plasma, stem cells and organs and tissues.

About the role

Canadian Blood Services is looking for a Regular full-time Assistant-Development I - III to join our dynamic Innovation & Portfolio Management team in BC-Vancouver-NetCAD.

Our netCAD facility is set up like a complete miniature blood centre, from donors booking to blood collections, to blood processing, and eventually blood distribution. But unlike other Canadian Blood Services licensed blood centres in which products are manufactured for transfusion, our facility is set up to support Canadian Blood Services in the development of new and improved blood products and deepening the understanding of the qualities of the current and new products for transfusion. We also provide blood products to scientists to support them in their endeavors to improve and advance the fields of transfusion medicine, transplantation, and cellular therapies, and many more.

In this role, you will be responsible for the planning and effective operation of the netCAD blood collections site. All activities are performed in accordance with established operating procedures or approved study protocol.

Formula for success

Testing

• Using manual and automated instruments such as hematology analyzer, blood gas analyzer, pH meter, microscope, BacT incubator, flow cytometer, and cell deformability analyzer to perform blood components testing
• Preparing samples for testing using various techniques and methods including but not limited to blood components mixing, sample transfer, centrifugation, pipetting, aliquoting, weighing, fixing, making dilution, and preparing reagents

Other duties included but not limited to

• Ensuring all supplies and reagents are on-hand and in-date to meet the needs of the production and testing plans
• Ensuring all equipment are well maintained and regular preventative maintenance are done
• Identifying, following up, and resolving instrument alarms and flags
• Participating in the provision of blood products to researchers, including receiving and uploading blood orders into the database, and ensuring blood orders are fulfilled
• Preparing shipment of specimen tubes to Donor Testing lab or blood products to researchers and other Canadian Blood Services departments
• Participating in development projects, focusing on development of new and next generation blood components and the processes used to manufacture them, improving and deepening the understanding of current generation blood components and the processes used to manufacture them
• Entering, uploading, and verifying data, ensuring records are correct and complete
• Reviewing study protocols and participating in study protocols walkthroughs
• Performing administrative tasks, including ordering and receiving of supplies, and shipments booking
• Supporting installation and validation of new equipment and instrument
• Contributing to the preparation of netCAD specific operating procedures and work instruction
• Coaching and training new team members
• Contributing to operational decision making
• Working closely with other netCAD team members (collections, project leads, scientists, and stakeholders) to ensure alignment and clarify on workflows, hand-offs between groups, integration between members, and identification and resolution of potential scheduling and capacity issues
• Other related duties as required

Desired education and skills

Minimum of an undergraduate degree in biological or medical laboratory sciences from a recognized academic institution, and preferably a Masters degree, with at least 5 years blood industry development experience (Grade 7)

Undergraduate degree in biological or medical laboratory sciences from a recognized academic institution with at least 3 years blood or related industry development experience (Grade 6)

Post-secondary school education, preferably an undergraduate degree in biological or medical laboratory sciences from a recognized academic institution (Grade 5)

Knowledge and experience in blood and blood component collection, manufacturing process, and testing

Experience working in a blood industry product and process environment and R&D laboratory environment

Experience with performing device validation

Experience in assays development is an asset

Ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively in a matrix team environment that promotes high performance

Ability to work safely and efficiently in a laboratory environment with biological and chemical hazards

Ability to build relationships with others, founded on good listening skills, openness to others’ ideas, flexibility, respect and empathy

Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English

Excellent planning, organization and attention t