Junior Research Associate

Software and Industrial Designer

Location: Hybrid/Vancouver

Contract: Full-time, July - December 2026

Hours: Flexible

About Pawline Co.

Pawline Co. is a Vancouver-based premium pet technology company building three product lines: the STRIDE Smart Harness, Dogsmetics, an organic Bio-Match pH grooming line formulated from canine biology, and Fashion Apparel.

Founded in December 2025 we operate an interdisciplinary team of engineers, formulation chemists, designers, and researchers. We are in active partnership with Natural Products Canada, the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, Spring Impact Accelerator, and the New Ventures BC Competition.

About The Role

We are looking for a Junior Research Associate to support our R\&D Chemist on the Bio-Match Skin pH Mapping Project — a systematic scientific investigation that underpins our Bio-Match grooming line. The current literature on canine cutaneous pH is fragmented, dated, and lacks predictive granularity by breed, age, condition, body region, and seasonality. This investigation closes that gap.

You will work directly under the supervision of our R\&D Chemist (Leslie Martinez), with significant responsibility for executing the experimental protocol, building the canine pH dataset, conducting statistical analysis, and contributing to the predictive modelling work. The scientific direction is set by your supervisor; you bring strong execution, analytical capability, and ownership over the day-to-day research operations.

What You'll Do

EXPERIMENTAL EXECUTION

• Lead day-to-day execution of the sampling protocol under the supervisor’s direction — across veterinary clinics, grooming partners, and breed clubs in the Lower Mainland.
• Operate and maintain pH meters and skin-contact electrodes, including calibration and inter-rater reliability checks.
• Ensure ethical and consent protocols are followed and documented for every sampling session.
• Contribute to protocol refinement based on field experience, in collaboration with the supervisor.

DATASET \& STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

• Build and maintain the canine pH dataset
• Conduct exploratory data analysis, descriptive statistics, distribution analysis, and inferential testing.
• Support the development of the predictive model (regression, basic ML approaches where data permits) under the supervisor’s guidance.
• Produce visualizations, dashboards, and progress reports for internal and Board-level review.

DOCUMENTATION \& SR\&ED SUPPORT

• Maintain rigorous lab notebooks, hypothesis logs, experimental design documents, and results tables.
• Co-author internal technical reports and, where contribution warrants, peer-reviewed manuscripts.

COORDINATION \& COLLABORATION

• Weekly research reviews and bi-weekly Board check-ins with the R\&D Chemist.
• Coordinate with external veterinary partners, groomers, and instrument suppliers.
• Support cross-functional alignment between the Bio-Match scientific work and brand, regulatory, and product teams.

What We're Looking For

REQUIRED

• Recently graduated or in the final year of a Bachelor’s program in a relevant discipline: Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Veterinary Science, Animal Science, Data Science, Statistics, or related fields. Master’s candidates are also welcome.
• Demonstrated experience with structured research methodology — prior internships, undergraduate research, lab courses, or equivalent.
• Proficiency in Python (pandas, NumPy, statistical libraries) for data analysis.
• Familiarity with experimental design, descriptive and inferential statistics.
• Strong written and verbal English communication, with the ability to write clear technical documentation.
• Comfortable being around dogs of various sizes and temperaments.
• Legally authorised to work in Canada.

NICE TO HAVE

• Lab experience in analytical chemistry, microbiology, or biological measurement instrumentation.
• Familiarity with R, Tableau, Power BI, or other data analysis and visualization stacks.
• Exposure to predictive modelling, regression, or applied machine learning.
• Interest in veterinary dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, or animal welfare.
• Co-authorship on previous research outputs (theses, conference papers, published work).
• Driver’s license (helpful for sampling visits across the Lower Mainland).
• Multilingual.

COMPENSATION

• Cash compensation · $3,000 CAD gross / month.
• Hours · 35 hours per week, with flexibility for academic or personal commitments by arrangement.
• Term · 6 months (July 1 — December 31, 2026), renewable by mutual agreement based on project performance and continued scope.
• Hands-on research experience · Substantial ownership of the day-to-day research operations under expert supervision.
• Co-authorship potential · Co-authorship on internal technical reports and, depending on contribution, on peer-reviewed publications submitted to veterinary dermatology or cosmetic science venues.
• Mentorship · Direct mentorship from the R\&D Chemist on research methodology, applied chemistry, and scientific communication.
• Career runway · Strong professional reference and potential for full-time role conversion upon successful project delivery and continued funding.

How to Apply

Please apply through this platform, or send the following to the address below:

[email protected]

• CV or resume
• Unofficial transcript (if currently enrolled) or degree confirmation.
• A short note (3–5 sentences) on why this role interests you and one project, course, or experience that best maps to what we are building.
• Code or research samples (optional but valued) — GitHub link, undergraduate thesis, or report excerpts.

Pawline Co. is committed to building an interdisciplinary team. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences. If you require accommodations during the application or interview process, please let us know.

Pay: $3,000.00 per month

Benefits:

• Casual dress
• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off
• Work from home

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Vancouver, BC