Lab Instructor, Bioengineering

At the University of Waterloo, we create and promote a culture where everyone can reach their full potential. As an employee, you get support & opportunities that empower you to advance your career. Explore how we can bring big ideas to life, together. The University is a welcoming workplace for those of all abilities, interests, and expertise. As part of our workforce, you can do what you do best, every day.

Learn more about our recruitment process.

Job Requisition ID:
2026-03780

Time Type:
Full time
Employee Group:
Staff
Job Category:
Academic Delivery Support
Employment Type:
Permanent
Department:
Faculty of Engineering - Systems Design Engineering - Design Lab
Hiring Range:
$102,362.46 - $127,953.07
Posting Information:
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
The internal posting deadline for this position is November 19, 2026, 11:59PM

Job Description:
Primary Purpose

The “Lab Instructor – Bioengineering” is a key educator and resource for the undergraduate students in the Biomedical and Systems Design Engineering programs within the Department of Systems Design Engineering. The Lab Instructor – Bioengineering provides instruction, guidance, and technical assistance for courses with labs and for design-project and workshop courses, and is responsible for ensuring safe lab practices are taught and maintained at all times. In particular, the incumbent will be the primary wet-lab instructor in the programs and must be experienced in Biosafety Hazard Level 1 labs at a minimum.

The Lab Instructor – Bioengineering should have comprehensive theoretical and practical knowledge of biomedical systems and equipment, chemistry, biochemistry, biomaterials and cell biology, along with other common technical areas underpinning engineering wet-labs. Additionally, knowledge of mechanobiology, human physiology and anatomy, tissue-engineering, biomedical design principles, biomedical imaging, environmental chemistry, sensors, actuators, mechanical components, and fabrication techniques will be considered an asset. The Lab Instructor – Bioengineering is responsible for the operation of several laboratory spaces and acts as the primary manager and mentor to the associated Teaching Assistants.

Key Accountabilities

Provide instructional support and mentoring to students in Engineering laboratory courses:
Present theory and concepts to students pertaining to laboratory experiments
Demonstrate safe laboratory practices and ensure safety protocols are maintained
Demonstrate all laboratory experiments in assigned Biomedical Engineering courses with labs
Present and develop information for students concerning laboratory safety
Prepare and modify laboratory manuals and procedures as needed
Apply pedagogical expertise to continuously improve lab course structure and content; this may include independent and significant modification or redesign of lab material in addition to development of innovative material for new or existing courses
Collaborate with academic counterparts of lab courses to synchronize the presentation of material
Enrich the student experience of the lab component through the development of multi-media instructional aids such as videos, demonstrations, web content, etc.
Resolve student/lab issues such as attendance and special situations
Assume an active leadership role in the mentorship and development of teaching assistants

Management of Bioengineering undergraduate labs:
Prepare and maintain lab experiments and equipment for scheduled lab times
Lead in and provide assistance in the design, development and fabrication of complex laboratory experiments
Participate in keeping the labs and experiments current with new technology
Responsible for setup and maintenance of equipment per manufacturers’ design specifications
Maintain lab spaces in accordance with University health and safety standards
Maintain current First Aid certification and act as first point of contact for incidents
Coordinate and oversee the use, maintenance, and management of shared laboratory resources and equipment
Train users on the proper and safe operation of instruments and provide application-specific technical guidance where appropriate
Maintain and track laboratory inventory, including consumables, reagents, and other supplies, and ensure sufficient stock is available to support all planned laboratory activities.

Provide mentoring and technical support to students in design project and workshop courses:
Participate as a technical consultant for students taking design courses distributed throughout the entire undergraduate program
Participate as a supervisor/advisor for student design projects as time permits
Resolve unstructured technical problems
Ensure that safe practices are followed in the engineering workshops and labs
Demonstrate the proper use of lab and workshop equipment and tools
Manage and track departmental funds used to supplement student design project costs

Other duties include, but are not limited to:
Participates in special projects (e.g. curriculum development, faculty-wide initiatives, special reports, etc.) as assigned by the Lab Director or Program Director
The incumbent will be required to serve on committees pertaining to lab and workshop outcomes, safety, departmental staffing, student experience reviews, and others as the need arises
Occasionally technical staff are required to move equipment and furniture as well as set up displays and help with outreach events

Required Qualification
Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering or equivalent
Eligibility for licensure as a Professional Engineer is an asset
Valid First-Aid certification is an asset.
2 years of experience in running labs, giving tutorials/lectures and demonstrations, writing and updating lab manuals, developing new labs, marking reports and evaluating technical presentations
Experience in Biosafety Hazard Level 1 laboratories
Experience monitoring and enforcement of safety standards in labs or in an academic environment is required
Demonstrated experience in safe handling of biological materials and chemical substances and performing chemistry and biology lab experiments
Demonstrated experience developing and delivering chemistry and biology lab activities
Experience in the following cell and molecular biology-related techniques are an asset:
o sterile mammalian and bacterial cell culture
o immunostaining’
2 years of experience in running labs, giving tutorials/lectures and demonstrations, writing and updating lab manuals, developing new labs, marking reports and evaluating technical presentations
Experience in Biosafety Hazard Level 1 laboratories
Experience monitoring and enforcement of safety standards in labs or in an academic environment is required
Demonstrated experience in safe handling of biological materials and chemical substances and performing chemistry and biology lab experiments
Demonstrated experience developing and delivering chemistry and biology lab activities
Experience in the following cell and molecular biology-related techniques are an asset:
o sterile mammalian and bacterial cell culture
o immunostaining’
o various microscopy techniques
o enzymatic assays
Experience synthesizing and characterizing biomaterials
Experience collecting and analyzing a broad array of bio-signals and data
Experience with the following is an asset
Experience working with electro-mechanical components and systems
Practical experience with and sound knowledge of sensors, actuators, hardware design and fabrication, software design, embedded systems, mechanical systems, and mechanical system fabrication
Experience with biomechanical measures and analyses
Experience with biomedical signals such as ECG, EEG, and measures such as X-rays and MRI
Experience with biomedical devices such as assistive devices, implants, prostheses/orthoses, biomedical devices and design
Demonstrated experience and competency using scientific and lab software applications such as Matlab, various simulators, and CAD.

Must have fundamental knowledge of the core Biomedical Engineering lab material including:
Proven aptitude for teaching and a demonstrated interest in working with students in a professional manner to provide technical advice and instructional material
Extensive knowledge and understanding of biological materials and bio-material testing, chemical reactions and procedures for experiments
Solid knowledge of human anatomy and physiology and biomechanical measurements
Solid knowledge of biomaterial and biological characterization
Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite of programs required
Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team within a busy and dynamic environment
Excellent and demonstrable oral and written communication skills, including strong technical documentation and presentation/facilitation skills
Strong leadership and supervisory skills with the proven ability to mentor and develop staff.
Excellent interpersonal, analytical, research, organizational, and creative problem-solving skills
Must have a strong sense of pedagogy and how it is applied to diverse and changing student group

Equity Statement

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is coordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at  or View phone number on jobs-ca.com.