Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
February 14, 2027
The expected pay range for this position is $60,000 to $80,000 per annum.
Job Description
The UBC mHealth Lab, in partnership with the UBC AI and Health Network, is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow to advance cutting-edge research at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), natural language processing (NLP), digital health, and health equity. This position is funded by the UBC AI and Health Network Fellows Program.
Under the supervision of Dr. Richard Lester, MD, FRCPC, the Postdoctoral Fellow will lead a research program titled: Advancing Patient-Centered AI: Validating NLP Models Using Clinical and Communication Data in British Columbia. The fellow will work with a diverse set of real-world datasets—including two-way patient–provider texting collected via the WelTel platform and electronic medical record (EMR) data—from clinical partners across British Columbia. These include pediatric diabetes programs, cardiology clinics, primary care sites, and remote Indigenous communities. The Fellow will have the opportunity to develop and evaluate NLP models across multiple linguistic and cultural contexts, including low-resource and Indigenous languages, using privacy-preserving and equity-focused AI frameworks.
The UBC mHealth lab has a strong track record in global health research, with digital health projects focused on HIV, tuberculosis, maternal and child health, and chronic disease management across diverse international settings, supported by high-impact publications and long-standing partnerships. This fellowship at the mHealth lab offers an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of responsible, patient-centered AI in healthcare, contribute to impactful publications, collaborate with interdisciplinary teams across UBC and BC Health Authorities, and contribute to provincial and global leadership in ethical digital health innovation.
Key Responsibilities
The postdoctoral fellow will:
Lead development and validation of NLP models using real-world clinical communication and EMR datasets
Curate and manage diverse datasets with appropriate privacy, governance, and community-engagement protocols, particularly for Indigenous and rural data
Adapt AI and machine translation methods for low-resource and Indigenous languages
Evaluate model fairness, bias, and performance across diverse patient groups and care settings
Work closely with provincial health partners, including Interior Health, BC Children’s Hospital, and communities in Haida Gwaii
Conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses related to patient-provider communication and health equity
Contribute to knowledge translation efforts, including policy briefs, presentations, and capacity-building workshops
Lead and co-author peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations
Support mentorship of students and research staff within the UBC mHealth Lab
Qualifications
PhD obtained within the last three (3) years in a relevant field (e.g., Computer Science, Computational Linguistics, Data Science or related disciplines)
Strong experience or demonstrated interest in AI, NLP, machine learning, or digital health research
Experience working with clinical, communication, or patient-generated datasets is an asset
Familiarity with health equity, Indigenous health, or low-resource language technologies is highly preferred
Ability to work collaboratively within interdisciplinary and multicultural research environments
Strong communication, organizational, and analytical skills
Eligibility to work in Canada
Commitment to ethical, responsible AI development and privacy-preserving research practices
Terms of Appointment
Full-time (1.0 FTE) Postdoctoral Fellow appointment preferred; part-time option will be considered.
One-year funded term (February 2026 – February 2027), with possibility of extension based on performance and successful additional funding
Salary supported by the UBC AI and Health Network Fellows Program
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
UBC is committed to employment equity and fostering an inclusive, barrier-free hiring process. We encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds, including Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and members of LGBTQIA2S+ communities.
Accommodations are available throughout the recruitment process upon request.
How to Apply
Please submit the following documents:
Cover letter describing your research experience and interest in ethical AI and NLP
Curriculum vitae
Names and contact information for two references
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