PhD Student

Employment and Social Development Canada; Hamilton; Hybrid; CAD 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

Natural Resources Canada—Energy Efficiency and Technology Sector, CanmetMATERIALS-Hamilton invites a PhD student to join the Research Affiliate Program in Hamilton. The one-year RAP supports a critical mineral and defence project focusing on surface coating/thin-film manufacturing and an autonomous SDL system, leveraging high-throughput experiments, robotics, and ML-driven workflows.

The student will perform literature surveys, electroplating experiments, and contribute to design of the SDL

Qualifications

• Enrollment in University of Toronto program with specialization in Materials Science and Engineering
• Proof of enrollment required before start date
• Must maintain full-time student status and return to studies next term

Responsibilities

• Conduct literature survey and review in materials science
• Perform electroplating experiments, design workflow and ML algorithm; collaborate to build the SDL
• Prepare final technical and literature review reports

Education

Materials Science and Engineering

Job description

PhD Student - Research Affiliate Program

Natural Resources Canada- Energy Efficiency and Technology Sector, CanmetMATERIALS-Hamilton

Selection process number
2026-RSN-EA-EETS-681690

Employment tenure
One year

Salary
The student will receive approximately $43,000 per year, payable in instalments three times a year.

Who can apply
Students enrolled or able to enroll in a program at University of Toronto with specialization in Materials Science and Engineering.You are eligible for this program if you meet these 3 requirements:1. You are a full-time student in a post-secondary institution;
2. You are enrolled in an academic program that requires research as part of your curriculum;
3. You meet the minimum age required in the province/territory of work;This includes students with physical or emotional disabilities deemed to have full-time status by their academic institution. Adult students registered in education and retraining programs at the secondary level may also be eligible for student employment programs.Note: Preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents who meet the job requirements.

Duties
NRCan seeks a graduate student hire in the space of materials science and engineering to support the delivery of a critical mineral & defence dual use project entitled: Development of a surface coating/thin film material manufacturing and evaluation self-driving lab (SDL) system. The main goal is to develop a surface coating/thin film material manufacturing and evaluation SDL system leveraging high-throughput experimentation, robotics, and autonomous SDL, based on an existing electrochemical/corrosion SDL.The duties of the RAP student are to:
i) conduct literature survey and review;
ii) perform electroplating experiments, design workflow and machine learning algorithm, and work with the engineering team to construct the SDL; and
iii) prepare final technical and literature review reports.

Work environment
Lab work: Conduct laboratory research and testing involving the safe handling of wet chemicals, corrosive materials, and other laboratory reagents. Work is performed in a controlled laboratory setting using standard analytical and experimental equipment, with adherence to established health, safety, and environmental procedures, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and chemical handling protocols.At Natural Resources Canada, a Federal government job means developing leadership skills, fostering teamwork, and supporting creativity and innovation. We know it takes people from diverse pools of talent to make this happen. That is why we are looking for people like you. As an employee at Natural Resources Canada you can enjoy diverse employment opportunities, a range of career development programs, and a learning culture that supports you to learn on an ongoing basis. We support balancing your work and private life by offering the benefits of flexible work arrangements.

Intent of the process
The intention of this selection process is to fill one (1) student position.

Your application must clearly explain how you meet the following

Education:
Students enrolled or able to enroll in a program at University of Toronto (proof will be required before the start date) with specialization in Materials Science and Engineering.Note: Must be currently recognized as having full-time student status in the academic institution in which you are presently enrolled, pending approval of acceptance or in the process of submitting your application. Proof of enrollment will be required prior to start date and the student must be returning to full-time studies for your next academic term

Experience:
1. Demonstrated research experience in electroplating and SDL.
2. Demonstrated experience in literature review and report/manuscript preparation.Note: In the context of student recruitment in the Federal Public Service, the experience can be acquired through the studies, work experience, or volunteer activities.

Language requirements (essential for the job)

May be applied / assessed at a later date

Assets:
1. Demonstrated knowledge and/or experience in electrochemical testing and machine learning.

Our commitment

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the population it serves. We promote employment equity and encourage you to self-declare if you belong to one of the designated employment equity groups when you apply.

Preference will be given to veterans first, followed by Canadian citizens and permanent residents, with the exception of jobs located in Nunavut or Yukon. For positions located in Nunavut, qualified Inuit enrolled under the Nunavut Agreement will be appointed first. For positions located in Yukon, qualified Yukon First Nations will be appointed first, followed by qualified Indigenous persons.

• A list of the courses you have taken as well as any courses that you are taking now, or that you will be taking this academic year

We’d like to thank all those who apply. However, only the people selected for further consideration will be contacted.