| POSITION TITLE |
Technician (Clinical Biobank) |
| DEPARTMENT |
LTRI - Research Centre for Women’s and Infants’ Health |
| EMPLOYMENT TYPE |
Temporary, Part-Time |
| HOURS OF WORK |
7.5 to 22.5 hours per week |
| EMPLOYEE GROUP |
Non-Union |
| REPORTS TO |
Manager of RCWIH Biobank |
ORGANIZATION OR DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION:
The Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, a University of Toronto affiliated research centre, is one of the world's leading centres in biomedical research. With ground-breaking discoveries in research areas such as diabetes, genetic disorders, cancer and women’s and infants’ health, the Institute is committed to excellence in health research and the training of young investigators. Strong partnerships with the clinical programs of Mount Sinai Hospital ensure that scientific knowledge is used to promote human health. Your significant contributions will assist in maintaining our momentum in advancing our research.
POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Research Centre for Women's and Infants' Health (RCWIH) Biobank is a cost-recovery biorepository developed by, and for, researchers. It was established in 2006 to support perinatal research programs by providing access to normal and pathological tissue specimens and associated clinical data. Located in the heart of the Discovery District in downtown Toronto, the RCWIH Biobank is a program of the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute and the Mount Sinai Hospital/University Health Network Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology with facilities located in the Frances Bloomberg Centre for Women’s and Infants’ Health. The Biobank specializes in the procurement, processing, and archival of fresh, frozen and fixed specimens (human placenta, umbilical cord blood, and other pregnancy-related specimens) that are suitable for a wide range of research applications. In-depth clinical profiles are prepared for all specimens collected, and program expertise includes healthy pregnancies as well as pregnancies associated with a variety of complications such as preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm labour, and diabetes. The Biobank Technician is a key member of the Biobank team and is involved in participant recruitment, sample acquisition and clinical data preparation.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Participant recruitment involving screening of prospective participant charts and electronic medical records, provision of written informed consent, and participant monitoring and tracking from consent to delivery
- Collect and process (i.e. PFA-fix, snap freeze) placentas and/or other tissue or blood samples in accordance with the RCWIH Biobank Standard Operating Procedures
- Participate in on-call rotations for night and weekend coverage to ensure collection of high priority samples in consultation with the Manager/Research Coordinator
- Record relevant participant information and clinical data accurately and promptly into the computer database and/or on paper forms as required
- Consult and inform clinical care staff of anticipated sample collections and ensure collegial interactions
- Ensure consent forms are properly completed and securely stored in files and electronically in a secure database
- Monitor and maintain Biobank equipment and materials used for sample processing and storage (including liquid nitrogen and dry ice)
- Archive fixed and frozen specimens according to Biobank Standard Operating Procedures
- Make tissue block slides and crush snap frozen tissue
- Miscellaneous tasks related to sample collection, processing, and archiving, as required and outlined by the Biobank Manager/Research Coordinator
- Follow Standard Operating Procedures as written as a day-to-day responsibility
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree and 6 months to 1 year of related experience
Discipline(s): Health Sciences, Medical Sciences, Life Sciences, or Physiology
Required skills:
- Communication skills (verbal and written)
- Strong organizational skills
- Detail-oriented
- Self-motivated and able to work independently to complete the collective goals of the team
- Good judgment and decision making
- Basic computer skills with Microsoft Word, Excel and Access (data collection and entry)
- Comfortable working with human tissues and basic surgical instruments
- Flexibility in hours worked (position includes sharing on-call responsibilities for high-priority collections, therefore the candidate is required to be able to collect tissue within 20 minutes of delivery)
Additional assets:
- Research/laboratory experience and technical laboratory skills
- Familiarity with and/or interest in obstetrics (preferred)
- Previous work experience in a healthcare and/or clinical setting
- Previous experience interacting with study participants/patients
- Ability to do call-in coverage at Mount Sinai Hospital on short notice
Additional information/Special instructions:
If you are interested in this position please send your resume and cover letter by email to rcwih.biobank@lunenfeld.ca to Dr. S. Lee Adamson, Director of the RCWIH Biobank Program.
In accordance with Institute’s policy and legislated health and safety requirements, employment is conditional upon the verification of credentials, completion of a health review, and demonstrating proof of immunity and vaccination status of vaccine-preventable diseases. All employees and affiliates will follow safe work practices and comply with health and safety policies, procedures, and training. Successful candidates will be required to provide two (2) written reference letters from their former employer(s)/supervisor(s).
To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our people and patients, Sinai Health has made it a priority to support everyone in getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Consistent with this, our Staff Immunization & Surveillance Policy was recently updated to include the requirement for full vaccination – currently defined as receiving two doses and serving a 14-day waiting period following the second dose – in order to be able to work at Sinai Health. To be compliant with our updated Policy, you must provide proof of dual COVID-19 vaccination, as indicated on the Prospective Immunization and Surveillance Policy Information Sheet, in order to be eligible for employment at Sinai Health. If you believe you are one of the very few people who may require an exemption from vaccination, supporting medical information must be submitted to our Occupational Health department, who will review and assess.
We are a fully committed to fairness and equity in employment and our recruitment and selection practices. We encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, members of sexual minority groups, members of racialized groups, women and any others who may contribute to the further diversification of our Sinai Health community. Accommodation will be provided in all parts of the hiring process as required under our Access for People with Disabilities policy. Applicants need to make their requirements known in advance.
The Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute is a scent sensitive environment, and all members of the community are expected to refrain from wearing or using scented products while visiting or working at the Institute. We also support a barrier-free workplace supported by the Institute’s accessibility plan, accommodation and disability management policies and procedures. Should you require accommodation at any point during the recruitment process, including accessible job postings, please contact the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Human Resources Department.
| Posting open until September 8, 2023. We thank all candidates for applying. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. |
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