Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Pharmacoepidemiology in University of British Columbia – Canada

Summary

The University of British Columbia’s Therapeutics Initiative seeks a full‑time Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Pharmacoepidemiology. The fellow will conduct rigorous analyses of large health‑administrative databases to evaluate medication safety and effectiveness, supporting provincially and nationally funded projects such as CNODES. Responsibilities include SAS programming, study design, quality assurance, literature synthesis, manuscript preparation, and presenting findings at conferences. Candidates must hold a doctorate in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, or Economics and have at least two years of relevant experience, with strong skills in SAS, R, SQL, and quantitative methods. Applications require a cover letter, CV, writing samples, and three referee contacts, and are reviewed from 1 December 2026 until the position is filled.

Key Facts

Department	Therapeutics Initiative, Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine
Position Type	Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Discipline	Pharmacoepidemiology
Research Area	Pharmacoepidemiology using large population-based databases
Degree Required	Doctorate degree in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, or Economics
Experience	Minimum two years of related experience
Funding	Provincially and nationally funded research projects
Deadline	2027-12-31
Employer Contact	Patrick Salame, [email protected]

About the Project

The project involves using large population‑based healthcare databases to assess the real‑world safety and effectiveness of medications. The fellow will perform methodologically rigorous pharmacoepidemiologic analyses, contribute to study design, quality assurance, literature reviews, and disseminate results through abstracts, reports, peer‑reviewed articles, and conference presentations, while also identifying secondary research opportunities and funding.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct pharmacoepidemiologic research analyses using large healthcare databases
• Write and execute SAS code for projects and Ministry of Health deliverables
• Participate in study design, quality assurance testing, and documentation of coding methods
• Contribute to literature reviews and syntheses
• Write research abstracts, summary reports, and scientific articles for peer‑reviewed journals
• Present study results at national and international conferences
• Identify and pursue secondary research projects and funding
• Collaborate with other research teams

Required Skills

• Data management and programming using SAS, R, SQL, and occasionally STATA
• Quantitative research methods and multivariate statistical analysis
• Systematic review and synthesis techniques
• Strong written and oral communication
• Critical appraisal and analytical thinking
• Initiative and teamwork

Who Should Apply

Applicants with a PhD in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Economics, or a closely related field, who have at least two years of experience in pharmacoepidemiology or related quantitative research, and who are proficient in SAS, R, SQL, and statistical analysis should apply.

About the Employer

The Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia hosts the Therapeutics Initiative, a leading centre for drug safety research. UBC describes itself as one of the world’s leading universities committed to employment equity and inclusive excellence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the application deadline?

Review begins December 1, 2026 and continues until filled.

Where is the position located?

Therapeutics Initiative offices in downtown Victoria, BC (preferred) or UBC Point Grey Campus in Vancouver, BC.

What documents must be submitted?

Cover letter, detailed CV, 1‑2 writing samples (publications or thesis chapter), and contact information for three referees.