Program: General Information
Every year the School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) hires a limited number of teaching assistants annually to help us deliver our courses. Teaching assistants are an integral part of our teaching community.
About Applications
Please note that a separate application must be submitted for each course you are interested in. Completed applications should be submitted no later than April 30 at 11:59 pm PDT (April 18 at 11:59 pm PDT for Summer 2023 positions). Applications may be accepted after the deadline until all positions are filled but, other considerations being equal, candidates who applied before the deadline will be given preferred status.
Be advised that Teaching Assistants at The University of British Columbia (UBC) are represented by the Canadian Union Of Public Employees Local 2278 (CUPE2278) and that a Collective Agreement between UBC and CUPE2278 is in effect. All TAs are required to join the Union as a condition of employment. The collective agreement applies to all TA contracts, and selection of TAs will be done in accordance with the requirements of the Union.
Salaries are based upon CUPE 2278 and UBC rates.
UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply.
Deadline to Apply
There are currently two positions open for BMEG 321. The deadline to apply to these positions is November 23, 2023 at 11:59 PM.
Please view the application here.
The are currently two positions open for BMEG 591F Winter. The deadline to apply to these positions is December 6, 2023 at 11:59 PM. Please view the application here.
Summer TAships
New 2023 Summer TAs
BMEG 210 | BMEG 457 |
|---|---|
72h for each of 2 TAs over summer term | 72h for one TA over summer term |
Application Instructions
Eligibility
Registration
Applicants must be full-time students currently registered in a BASc, MEng, MASc or PhD program, or must have been unconditionally accepted to begin in September
Students from other degree programs may be considered based on experience and suitability to the program (Cellular & Physiological Sciences students are preferred for BMEG 410/510).
Must be a full-time, registered student during the period of their TA appointment. If you will be defending your thesis or completing your program before the end of the term you are not eligible to be a TA for that term.
Cannot be on leave from their graduate program.
Must hold an active study permit and SIN for the entirety of their TA appointment at the time of their application.
Competencies
Mastery of the course academic material and subject matter.
Ability to help students learn actively, and explain course content in a clear and logical manner.
Have an understanding of and will agree to comply with WorkSafe BC, UBC and Departmental Safety Regulations.
Possess excellent oral and written English communication skills.
Supervisor Approval
Applicants must have the approval of their Research or Program Supervisor to engage in an employment contract in addition to their academic program.
Your supervisor must be made aware of your intent to apply to TA positions and must approve of the total number of hours (especially for students that would like to accept multiple positions).
Additional Requirements
Must be available to complete the mandatory departmental safety and TA training, as well as the appropriate site-specific lab orientations, before the start of term. Please see training dates listed in the above section.
If you cannot follow the naming conventions required for the CV upload and Safety uploads, your application will not be considered. Please ensure that you follow the instructions for each upload or your application will be discarded.
All candidates wishing to be considered for a Teaching Assistant position will need to submit a new application for each course they wish to TA. Although we appreciate the interest of all applicants, only the successful candidates will be contacted with further details.
Types of Duties
Although the precise duties will vary depending on the course for which an offer/appointment is made, in general TAs can expect to perform the following duties:
Laboratory Assistance – providing instruction, guidance, and supervision for laboratory experiments, maintaining a safe and professional laboratory, assisting students with troubleshooting equipment, ensuring laboratory equipment and supplies are used appropriately and put away at the end of each session, marking of laboratory reports.
Tutorial Assistance – assisting in or leading tutorial sessions, marking of assignments, preparing written solutions, reviewing of assignments with undergraduates.
Marking – marking of assignments.
Invigilation of Exams (Mandatory) – is required. All TAs must be available for the full exam period of the term in which they are hired as a TA. TAs may be assigned to invigilate course(s) other those for which they TA.
Training (Mandatory) – New TAs and returning TAs who has not yet completed the training must participate in the TA training program and safety orientation. The training is designed to help ensure that TAs are as successful as possible in their roles and properly oriented to our teaching labs/spaces. More information on training will be provided with your offer letter.
Courses
2023 Summer TAs
2023 Winter TAs
Course | Time per term |
|---|---|
72h for each of two TAs over one term | |
72h for each of three TAs over one term | |
Technical Communication for Biomedical Engineers) 50 hours one STA from Nov 1st to Dec 31st 2023 | |
72h for each of two TAs over one term | |
36h for two TAs over one term | |
96h for each of four TAs over one term | |
72h for each of six TAs over one term | |
72h for each of three TAs over one term | |
72h for each of four TAs over one term | |
72h for each of five TAs over one term | |
48h for one TA over one term | |
80h for each of five TAs over one term | |
48h for two TAs over one term | |
BMEG 350</strong> | 48h for each of two TAs over one term |
72h for each of five TAs over one term | |
72h for each of two TAs over one term | |
48h for one TA over one term | |
48h for one TA over one term | |
BMEG 374 * | 72h for each of five TAs over one term |
48h for one TA over one term | |
48h for one TA over one term | |
48h for one TA over one term | |
102h for one TA over one term | |
139h for one TA over one term | |
BMEG 400J/591J | 48h for one TA over one term |
BMEG 402 | 60h for one TA over one term |
100h for one TA over one term | |
72h for three TAs over one term | |
(Clinical and Industrial Biomedical Engineering) from Jan 1st 2024 to Apr 30th 2024. 62.5 hours each for two TAs | |
36h for two TAs over two terms | |
48h for one TA over one term | |
48h for one TA over one term | |
78h for one TA over two terms | |
117h for each of two TAs over two terms | |
25h for one TA over one term | |
55h for one TA over one term | |
15h for one TA over one term | |
72h for one TA over one term | |
48h for two TAs over one term | |
BMEG 598 ** | 96h for one TA over two terms |
* BMEG 374
This course will enable students to develop a proficiency in fundamental genetic, molecular, and tissue engineering techniques that will prepare them to work in the field of cellular bioengineering. Students will also gain experience designing experiments and tools related to these essential cellular bioengineering techniques.
Desirable skills/experience for the BMEG 374 TA includes some or all of:
Culture and experience working with E coli
Animal cell culture:
Lab safety, aseptic technique
Passaging and seeding/plating cells
Cell viability
Genetic engineering techniques:
DNA/RNA isolation
PCR, gel electrophoresis
Molecular cloning including transformation/ transfection of cells
Gene editing (i.e. CRISPR)
Additional asset to have:
Sequencing
Protein engineering techniques:
Isolation, quantification, separation
Fluorescent tagging
Proteomics
Additional asset to have:
Western blotting
Immunoprecipitation
Proximity-dependent labeling
** BMEG 598
BMEG 598 is a required course for all BMEG graduate students; therefore, to avoid a conflict of interest, the TA for this course must be a non-BMEG graduate student. Applicants from other departments are encouraged to apply.
Remuneration & Classification
Remuneration is at the standard hourly TA rates agreed upon with the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 2278 (CUPE 2278).
Senior Teaching Assistant (STA): $37.59 per hour (A Senior TA is a graduate student who is registered in a masters’ or doctoral program at the University of British Columbia and required by the University to perform lead hand duties as a Teaching Assistant. These duties typically include coordinating other Teaching Assistants and providing guidance, technical knowledge, and subject matter expertise to other Teaching Assistants.)
Graduate Teaching Assistant 1 (GTA 1): $35.13 per hour (A GTA 1 is a graduate student who has completed two (2) years’ service as a graduate student teaching assistant.)
Graduate Teaching Assistant 2 (GTA 2): $33.80 per hour (A GTA 2 is a graduate student with less than two (2) years’ service as a graduate student teaching assistant.)
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant 1 (UTA 1): $22.77 per hour (A UTA 1 is an undergraduate student in a bachelors degree program at UBC who performs Teaching Assistant Duties with substantial student contact.)
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant 2 (UTA 2): $20.33 per hour (A UTA 2 is an undergraduate student in a bachelors degree program at UBC who performs Teaching Assistant duties without substantial student contact.)
Marker: $16.18 per hour (A Marker is an employee appointed to a position which involves only marking without substantial student contact.)
Evaluation Criteria
Applicants will be evaluated based on the following criteria: