Post Doctoral Positions at University of Alberta

1. Post Doctoral Fellow, Biopolymer Science/Engineering

Competition No.  -    A108447555

Closing Date  -    Will remain open until filled.

Location

This role is hybrid with a mix of remote and in-person at North Campus Edmonton.

Working for the Department/Faculty Summary

Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences. The position is co supervised by Drs Aman Ullah in Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Sciences and Dr Tariq Siddique in Renewable Resource. The research is part of the Future Energy Systems program Land and Water theme (https://www.futureenergysystems.ca/) and contributes to the development of solutions for challenges presented by current energy systems.

Position Summary

The successful candidate will work with Drs Aman Ullah and Tariq Siddique on a combination of reactor design, biopolymer synthesis and applied biopolymer research. The potential of biopolymers for water remediation will be investigated. The position provides opportunities to work on interdisciplinary research projects in collaboration with a research team working on a larger theme. The successful candidate for this position needs to be an enthusiastic and passionate researcher.

This is a 1-year position with potential for renewal. Salary is $48,000 per annum.

Minimum Qualifications

PhD in Polymer Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Organic/Bioorganic Chemistry, Biotechnology, or other related disciplines from a recognized educational institute with a commendable track record of publications and/or patents.

Experience in reactor design, biopolymer synthesis, biopolymer characterization, biopolymer modification and water remediation.

Knowledge of biopolymer structure – property relations and how to fine tune biopolymer properties according to applications.

Proven expertise in the following areas: biopolymer synthesis/modification and characterization; designing of batch and continuous reactors; experience in altering biopolymer application based on structure/property relationship.

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Preferred Qualifications

Experience in high quality scientific writing.

Strong academic record and organizational skills.

Effective communication (written and verbal) and strong interpersonal skills to work in a diverse team environment effectively and efficiently.

Ability to work independently and adaptability to work under the supervision of principal investigators with flexibility and willingness to learn new techniques as a self-starter.

Excellent problem solving and analytical skills.

Ability to multitask when required and outstanding time management skills.

Ability to work safely, effectively and independently in a lab environment.

How to Apply

Please submit the following documents online by choosing "Apply Now" below. 

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae
• List of Publications
• References

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2. Research Associate

Competition No.  -    A108447522

Closing Date  -    Will remain open until filled.

Description

This position has an end date of March 31, 2023 and is a hybrid with a mix of remote and in-person at North Campus.

The Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta provides solutions to global challenges in the areas of agriculture, nutrition, the environment and human ecology.

An experienced research associate is required to lead the development of genetic evaluation and pooling strategies for crossbred populations of commercial cattle. The associate will implement a number of sophisticated software programs and apply artificial intelligence approaches to improve the effectiveness of these methodologies including whole-genome sequence association and prediction analyses.

 

The candidate is expected to have a PhD degree in animal breeding, genomics, bioinformatics, computer science, or a closely related area, and have strong programming skills and solid background in developing applied research in livestock genomics under both academic and industrial environments. 

This candidate will work closely with the project leads as well as staff generating the genomic data and  working with the beef industry in Alberta. The incumbent will be responsible for all aspects of delivering  the project and the desired tools with direction of the PI and the Gentec team including Paul Stothard, ChangXi Li and John Basarab. The RA will be responsible for effectively communicating with the partner companies providing samples and data and ensuring the results meet expectations to enable animal  selection to improve rates of genetic improvement in Canadian cattle populations. The position will support a large community of Canadian beef producers.

The project will also support the incorporation of novel phenotypes into genomic prediction in order to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of livestock production in Alberta. The associate will therefore contribute to improving the competitiveness and sustainability of beef and livestock production in Alberta. The beef industry is a major contributor to Alberta’s economy representing much of Canada’s integrated beef production system, worth >$17B/year to Canadian GDP. 

The RA will be responsible for all day-to-day aspects of the work including:

Setting research program objectives for each of the main areas – genetic evaluation, application of pooling to reduce the cost of genotyping for commercial producers, and developing novel approaches for pooling and evaluations using pooled data using artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Ensuring the collection of quality input data (providing data collection protocols and standards)  from several research teams at the University of Alberta (and their collaborators in Canada and globally (e.g. 1000 Bull Genomes project and the EC Horizon 2020 BovReg project) and  commercial companies submitting samples and data for the generation of breeding values (genetic evaluation).

Overseeing the analysis of research results and communication with partner companies.

Conducting quality analysis and quality assurance on research operations, methodology, and algorithm development and performance.

Determining the most appropriate methodology in carrying-out research goals. Planning all research activities including research design for the project and its outcomes (e.g. across-breed genomic predictions servicing Canadian cattle producers).

Preparing proposals for new research activities in the areas of bioinformatics and artificial intelligence in relation to genomic assisted selection and management (including the interface with remote automated phenotyping), including assisting in the preparation of research grant applications  and contract proposals.

Writing associated research papers, preparation of presentations and publications showing the output of the project and providing input to marketing material for partner companies as appropriate.

Guiding and coaching students and/or post-doctoral fellows in the Livestock Gentec team. Presenting research results in laboratory meetings, seminars, scientific conferences and/or related settings including industry presentations.

Qualifications:

The candidate is expected to have a PhD degree in animal breeding, genomics, bioinformatics, computer science, or a closely related area applied to beef cattle. They will have strong programming skills and solid background in developing applied research in livestock genomics under both academic and industry environments with at least 5 years post-doctoral experience in the field and a proven ability to work with industry partners.

Excellent project management, interpersonal and communication skills to ensure that all aspects  of the project are implemented according to the project plans. Ability to work with multidisciplinary  research groups, internal and external customers, academic and industry partners.

Extensive knowledge and practical experience in statistical modelling and algorithms using linear  and threshold models, and Bayesian statistics. Specialist knowledge of genetic parameter estimation,  genetic evaluation, genotype imputation, admixture analysis, genomic prediction, and genome-wide  association studies. Proficient programming skills using C/C++, Fortran, Python, R, and Linux shell  scripting languages.

In accordance with the Trust/Research Academic Staff Agreement, this position has an approximate appointment of 1 year and offers a comprehensive benefits package found at Faculty & Staff Benefits and annual salary range of $58,210 - $80,050.

How to Apply

Apply through the link below

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3. MITACS Accelerate Post-doctoral Fellow - Immunology and Animal Health

Competition No.  -    A108447363

Closing Date  -            May 03, 2022

Description

The Barreda Lab (https://grad.biology.ualberta.ca/barreda/) is recruiting a post-doctoral fellow to lead a 1-yr project focusing on poultry immune development through enhanced dietary approaches.

MITACS Accelerate Post-doctoral Fellow – Immunology and Animal Health Project Scope: The use of probiotics has been shown to directly inhibit pathogen growth in the gastrointestinal tract and has been researched as a viable alternative to poultry in-feed antibiotic growth promotors (AGPs). However, less is known about the effects of probiotics on the development of the immune and digestive systems. This research project aims at identifying how in-feed probiotics affect the broiler intestinal microbiome, immune development and response to immune stimuli.

Academic Environment: 

The successful PDF will join the Barreda lab at the University of Alberta and work with a collaborative group of researchers with backgrounds in immunology, veterinary sciences, and engineering. The project will be further supported through existing partnerships in academia (Canada, USA, France) and industry (Canada, Germany).

Funding: 

The current guaranteed PDF stipend is $45,000 - $50,000 per annum. The position will be supported for one year through the MITACS Accelerate program with the potential to renew for a second year based on performance and funding.

Essential Qualifications: 

1. Successfully completed a Ph.D. in Poultry Science, Agriculture, or in a related field prior to the proposed start date. 2. Have meaningful experience with poultry/animal husbandry and a keen interest in microbiology, immunology, and animal health. 3. Be able to work independently and collaboratively. 4. Possess strong verbal and written communication skills. Starting Date: flexible

How to Apply

E-mail Dr. Barreda (dan.barreda@ualberta.ca) using the subject line “PDF MITACS Poultry probiotics 2022” and include: 

1. Cover letter that outlines your research interests and how they align with the project, and how your experiences meet the stated essential qualifications; 
2. Curriculum vitae; 
3. Contact information of three references (must include name, affiliation and email address);
4.  Unofficial transcripts.

4. MITACS Accelerate Postdoctoral Fellow - Organic Chemistry / Bioresin Synthesis

Competition No.  -    A108145887D2

Closing Date  -            Will remain open until filled.

Salary:                             $45,000-$50,000/annum

Description

The Lipid Chemistry Group in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science is looking to fill a 1 year MITACS accelerate postdoctoral position to work in collaboration with a start-up company.  The project involves the development of synthetic pathways to produce biobased compounds which impact superior properties to epoxy resin formulations. 

Qualifications

Creative organic chemist with an understanding the principles of Green Chemistry. 

Experience with biobased polymers, polymer chemistry or epoxy resins would be an asset.

A recent PhD in organic chemistry, polymer synthesis, or a related discipline is essential.

Excellent communication skills to work collaboratively within a university-industry team on a fast-moving, applied project. 

COVID-19 Vaccination: Proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 in compliance with the University’s COVID-19 Vaccination Directive. Fully Vaccinated means a status an individual achieves 14 days after having received the recommended number of doses of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada or the World Health Organization, and requires the individual to maintain the recommended number and type of vaccine doses as updated and required by Health Canada thereafter.

How to Apply

Apply through the link Below

 

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For more detail please visit the official site