Desired Start Date: September 14, 2026
Position End Date: December 31, 2026
Salary range: $18.42 - $23.51
Classification: Research Assistant
Type of appointment: non-regular
Schedule: Approx. 4 hours/week for 12 weeks, exact schedule of work flexible/TBD
Project: Development of a Service Costing Methodology with the BC Beverage Technology Access Centre
The BC BTAC is seeking a Research Assistant to support the development of a practical methodology for estimating the true cost of technical and laboratory services. The project will create a standardized framework that considers labour, equipment, consumables, and indirect costs to support future service costing and pricing decisions.
Key Responsibilities
- Conduct background research on costing methodologies used by laboratories, applied research centres, and service organizations.
- Review existing BC BTAC service information and pricing data.
- Identify and categorize the key cost components involved in service delivery.
- Assist in developing a standardized costing methodology.
- Create and test Excel-based costing tools and templates.
- Apply the methodology to a representative selection of services to validate the approach.
- Prepare a final report summarizing findings and recommendations.
- Present the final report to the project supervisor.
Expected Deliverables
- Standardized service costing methodology.
- Excel-based costing tool.
- Final project report.
- Presentation of project findings and recommendations.
The work can be completed remotely using Teams, with occasional in-person meetings in Penticton. The position is funded for 50 hours of work with work being completed over approximately 12 weeks.
The ideal candidate for this position would be a motivated, detail-oriented student interested in applied research, business analysis, and process improvement.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Experience with Microsoft Excel (formulas, tables, and basic data analysis)
- Good organizational and time management skills
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work independently while meeting regularly with the project supervisor
Research Assistant positions are non-regular positions governed by the BCGEU collective agreement (see LOU #3). Wage compensation determined based on year of study/degree earned as per agreement. RAs are paid by submission of a bi-weekly timesheet.