Research Technician II

UHN is Canada’s #1 hospital and the world’s #1 publicly funded hospital. With 10 sites and more than 44,000 TeamUHN members, UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education and West Park Healthcare Centre. As Canada's top research hospital, the scope of biomedical research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. UHN has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in neurosciences, cardiology, transplantation, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. UHN is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto.

UHN’s vision is to build A Healthier World and it’s only because of the talented and dedicated people who work here that we are continually bringing that vision closer to reality.

www.uhn.ca

Union: Non-Union

Number of vacancies: 1

Site: Krembil Research Institute

Department: Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute

Reports to: Principal Investigator

Hours: 35 hours per week

Status: Temporary Full-time

Closing Date: July 11, 2025

Position Summary

University Health Network (UHN) is looking for an experienced professional to fill the key role of Research Technician II in our Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute.

Transforming lives and communities through excellence in care, discovery and learning.

The Krembil Research Institute at the University Health Network (fully-affiliated with the University of Toronto) has an opening for a temporary full-time, Research Technician in the laboratory of Dr. Brian Ballios. This position is available for a one-year contract with possibility for renewal.

Dr. Brian Ballios is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, and a Clinician-Scientist in the Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute at the University Health Network, as well as a Scientist at the Krembil Research Institute. He is a specialist in acquired and inherited retinal disease and ocular genomics. Our laboratory work is focused on:

[1] Understanding the pathobiology of retinal disease, by establishing translational models of retinal degeneration;

[2] Discovering new therapeutics to treat retinal disease, using retinal and stem cell biology;

[3] Integrating new technologies, to enhance the performance of cell-based retinal therapies; and,

[4] Developing preclinical technologies to translate to first-in-human clinical studies.

The overall goal of our work is to cure retinal blindness by discovering new therapies for inherited and acquired disease.

Duties

• Maintaining cell lines (cultured and primary), including multipotent and pluripotent stem cell cultures, using standard sterile techniques
• Conduct experiments to support ongoing lab research projects (Western blots, qRT-PCR, immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry)
• Assist with mouse colony maintenance, breeding, genotyping, and animal inventory management
• Conduct and assist with in vivo experiments in animal models of disease (drug and cell injections and transplantation), as well as necropsy and dissection for primary cell isolation
• Coordinate the collection and organization of patient samples for stem cell derivation
• Support the day-to-day operations of the laboratory, including stock preparation, supplies ordering, and general lab maintenance
• Assist the laboratory manager with biosafety compliance, including biological/chemical inventory management
• Help develop standard operating procedures and protocols for lab-related activities
• Attend and present data in weekly lab meeting discussions, institutional research seminars, and research conferences

• At minimum, a Bachelors degree in biological sciences, or equivalent discipline is required
• MSc level candidate preferred
• At minimum, 3 years of related experience is required
• Prior experience with standard laboratory protocols for cell culture, Western blot, qRT-PCR, DNA electrophoresis and genotyping, molecular cloning
• Prior experience with multipotent and pluripotent stem cell cultures is preferred, but candidates willing to learn will be considered
• Prior experience with mouse handling and colony maintenance is preferred, but candidates willing to learn will be considered
• Prior experience with primary cell isolation from tissue specimens (animals or human) is an asset
• Prior experience with primary cell isolation from tissue specimens (animals or human) is an asset
• Prior experience with mouse models of disease is an asset
• Viral transduction and genetic engineering / gene-editing (e.g., CRISPR/Cas9) experience is an asset
• RNA sequencing and bioinformatics experience is an asset
• Willing to rapidly learn new techniques and skills with training
• Capacity to work independently with minimal supervision
• Highly-organized and able to prioritize effectively
• Able to communicate and interact with staff, students, colleagues in a professional manner

Why join UHN?

In addition to working alongside some of the most talented and inspiring healthcare professionals in the world, UHN offers a wide range of benefits, programs and perks. It is the comprehensiveness of these offerings that makes it a differentiating factor, allowing you to find value where it matters most to you, now and throughout your career at UHN.

• Competitive offer packages
• Government organization and a member of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP https://hoopp.com/)
• Close access to Transit and UHN shuttle service
• A flexible work environment
• Opportunities for development and promotions within a large organization
• Additional perks (multiple corporate discounts including: travel, restaurants, parking, phone plans, auto insurance discounts, on-site gyms, etc.)

Current UHN employees must have successfully completed their probationary period, have a good employee record along with satisfactory attendance in accordance with UHN's attendance management program, to be eligible for consideration.

All applications must be submitted before the posting close date.

UHN uses email to communicate with selected candidates.  Please ensure you check your email regularly.

Please be advised that a Criminal Record Check may be required of the successful candidate. Should it be determined that any information provided by a candidate be misleading, inaccurate or incorrect, UHN reserves the right to discontinue with the consideration of their application.

UHN is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive recruitment process and workplace. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process. Applicants need to make their requirements known.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.