UBC Botanical Garden Research Assistant - Technician 3

Staff - Union

Job Category

CUPE 116

Job Profile

CUPE 116 Hourly - Research Assistant /Technician 3

Job Title

UBC Botanical Garden Research Assistant - Technician 3

Department

Program Support | Botanical Garden and Centre for Horticulture

Compensation Range

$31.06 - $33.86 CAD Hourly

Posting End Date

August 12, 2026

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

March 31, 2027

 

 

 

 

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary
The Collections Technician accessions plants in the UBC Botanical Garden collection, and assists in the identification and name verification of plant specimens, organizes and leads the collection of plant specimens for deposit as vouchers in the UBC herbarium, organizes and photographs key identifying features of living plants and vouchers of UBC Botanical Garden's plant collections.

*Please note: this is a part-time position, working 2 days a week.

Organizational Status
The Collections Technician reports primarily to the Associate Director, Collections & Horticulture

 

Work Performed

• Accessions plants in IrisBG plants database
• Maps plant accessions using IrisBG plant database
• Produces laser-engraved accession labels and accessions related signage
• Supports inventories of accessions with curators and horticulturists and performs collections audits as determined by the Associate Director, Collections and Horticulture
• Assists in maintaining the IrisBG plant database
• Develops statistical and report-generating procedures
• Participates in Botanical Garden committee and student support work
• Coordinates the depositing of herbarium vouchers with UBC Herbarium staff
• Collects and processes UBC Botanical Garden plant specimen material for germplasm and tissue requests, including correspondence and fulfillment
• Collects UBC Botanical Garden plant material in support of Garden and other university classes
• Enters and retrieves data associated with tissue, herbarium vouchers and images
• Photographs key identifying features of living plants and vouchered plant specimens
• Processes digital images for inclusion in image database and uploads images and associated metadata
• Produces laser-engraved name tags, signage and other items for use in the Garden
• Assists Associate Director Horticulture and Collections and research team with identification and name verification of plant specimens
• Corresponds with taxonomic experts to assist with identification and name verification of plant specimens
• Provides data to researchers to assist with identification of difficult plants
• Supports researchers in the Garden by assisting in the location of plants, identification of plants, removal & supply of plant material and related work
• Contributes to the Garden's public outreach channels, including creating blog posts and moderating the UBC Botanical Garden Forums
• Participates in plant collecting field trips or research trips on behalf of the Garden or Garden-affiliated researchers
• Supervises and trains temporary staff/students
• Ensures a safe, clean working environment around equipment and supplies
• Orders supplies needed for sign-making and sign-making equipment, herbarium vouchers, tissue banking, germplasm requests and research projects
• Maintains/operates research equipment
• Performs other related duties as assigned

 

Organizational Status

The Collections Technician reports primarily to the Associate Director, Collections & Horticulture

Consequence of Error/Judgement
Works within established procedures exercising independent initiative and judgment. Poor choices regarding development of strategies for documentation of specimens and storage of information will result in repeating tasks or loss of key information. Careless attention to detail in handling of data may result in difficult-to-fix errors in the biological databases or plant specimens. Improper documentation of plant specimens may jeopardize the accuracy of the plant accession records, compromise the efficient transfer of information, and impede local, national and international research using the garden's collections or databases.

Supervision Received
Works independently under administrative direction from the Associate Director Horticulture and Collections

Supervision Given
Temporary staff and students

Minimum Qualifications
Completion of a relevant technical program or a university degree in a relevant discipline and a minimum three years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

- 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

 

Preferred Qualifications

University Degree in a relevant discipline