Posting Expiry
Job Description
The Department of Emergency Medicine in Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Applied Science is seeking a full-time Postdoctoral Research Fellow to support the development and validation of an ultrasound-based patch device to monitor CPR quality during the treatment of cardiac arrest. Under the Canada Impact + Research Training Awards (CITRA), individuals eligible for this award must be currently:
- working or studying outside of Canada; and,
- not currently affiliated with a Canadian institution.
JOB SUMMARY
Sudden cardiac arrest—when the heart suddenly stops beating—is a major public health problem, affecting about 60,000 people each year in Canada. When the heart stops, CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is required immediately: CPR works by pushing on the chest to squeeze the heart to circulate blood flowing to the brain and other organs. However, CPR does not work equally well for everyone. Because people have different body shapes and anatomy, CPR is likely only effective in about half of patients. This means many people may not be getting the blood flow they need, even when CPR is being done “correctly.” Our goal is simple: to make sure CPR works for every patient, every time. To achieve this, we will develop a small patch-based device that can measure whether CPR is actually pushing blood forward from the heart.
This position would be supervised by an inter-disciplinary team:
- Dr. Brian Grunau is a clinician scientist and faculty at the UBC Department of Emergency Medicine, with extensive experience in testing innovative strategies to improve outcomes from cardiac arrest
- Dr. Robert Rohling is faculty at the UBC Faculty of Applied Sciences and is an internationally renowned innovator in ultrasound technologies.
- Dr. Oron Frenkel is a clinician and innovator specialist in point-of-care ultrasound.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Reporting to Dr. Brian Grunau, Dr. Robert Rohling, and Dr. Oron Frenkel, the incumbent will be responsible for:
- Prototype Development
- Design and build motion‑tolerant, low‑power ultrasound transducer prototypes.
- Signal Acquisition & Processing
- Develop acquisition pipelines to capture vascular motion during CPR.
- Implement signal‑processing algorithms to extract markers of blood flow.
- Model Development & Validation
- Collaborate with data scientists to build models distinguishing effective vs. ineffective CPR.
- Clinical & Real‑World Testing
- Collaborate with clinical research teams to coordinate deployment of prototype patches in clinical settings.
- Work with clinicians to ensure feasibility and usability.
- Knowledge Translation
- Lead publications, conference presentations, and intellectual property development.
QUALIFICATIONS
Successful applicants will have:
- PhD in Biomedical Engineering, Ultrasonics, Medical Imaging, Applied Physics, or related field
- Experience with imbedded hardware, signal processing, and programming
- Expertise in ultrasound transducer design and signal acquisition systems preferred.
- Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team
- 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.
The expected salary for this position is $70,000 per annum. The Faculty of Medicine is committed to offering equitable and competitive salaries, commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
An application package should include:
- A cover letter;
- A detailed curriculum vitae;
- Contact information for referees
Applications should be submitted to:
- Dr. Brian Grunau
- Subject: Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Ultrasound Patch Development (JR23490)
- Email: Brian.Grunau@ubc.ca
Should you have any queries around this position, please contact Dr. Brian Grunau at Brian.Grunau@ubc.ca.
Note: this position is dependent on successful nomination through the CITRA program.
In this phase we will be considering applicants until February 8, 2026, and will be suitable interviewing candidates as applications are submitted.}
We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, particularly those from equity-deserving groups. We are committed to creating inclusive spaces that foster innovation through diverse perspectives and experiences.
We invite applications from qualified candidates who share our commitment to employment equity and inclusive excellence, and we welcome applications from candidates belonging to historically, persistently, or systemically marginalized groups: Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) Peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, women, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, and trans and non-binary people.
The University is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for all members of its workforce. An inclusive work environment presumes an environment where differences are appreciated, recognized, and integrated into current structures, planning, and decision-making modes. Within this hiring process we are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable process for all candidates (including but not limited to people with disabilities). Confidential accommodations are available on request. If you have any questions regarding accommodations or accessibility during the recruitment and hiring process or for more information and support, please visit UBC’s Centre for Workplace Accessibility website at https://hr.ubc.ca/health-and-wellbeing/workplace-accessibility/centre-workplace-accessibility or contact the Centre at workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca.
With gratitude, we acknowledge that the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine and its distributed programs, which include four university academic campuses, are located on traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of First Nations Peoples and communities around the province.
How to apply?
Please send applications to Brian.Grunau@ubc.ca and refer to reference number PDFO-59031.
Desired start date: 01 Mar 2026
Duration: Fixed term / Temporary
Contract Type: Full Time
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.