Research Officer, 3D Printing Materials Chemistry

Priority may be given to the following designated employment equity groups: women, Indigenous peoples* (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), persons with disabilities and racialized persons*.

* The Employment Equity Act, which is under review, uses the terminology Aboriginal peoples and visible minorities.

Candidates are asked to self-declare when applying to this hiring process.

 

City: Mississauga 

Organizational Unit: Clean Energy Innovation 

Classification: RO 

Tenure: Term 

Duration: Until 31 March 2027 

Language Requirements: English

 

Work Arrangements: 

• Due to the nature of the work and operational requirements, this position will require full-time physical presence at the at the NRC work location identified.

 

We recognize that Indigenous candidates may have important connections to their communities. If you are an Indigenous candidate, you may be eligible for an exception to this work arrangement. To learn more, please contact the hiring team, using the contact information below.

 

Discover the possible

Anything is possible at the National Research Council (NRC). As Canada’s leading research and technology organization, our world-renowned research pushes the boundaries of science and engineering to make the impossible, possible. Every day we explore new ideas through innovative research and help companies discover possibilities that impact Canada’s future and the world.

 

At the NRC, you’ll also discover new possibilities. Our supportive workplace fosters a culture of creativity, welcoming fresh perspectives and innovation at all levels. We value teamwork. You’ll collaborate across multiple fields and with the brightest minds to find creative solutions. Most importantly, you’ll discover what’s possible within you as you grow, make valuable contributions and progress in your professional journey. From ground-breaking discoveries to a life-changing career, discover your possible at the NRC.

The Role

We are looking for a dynamic Research Officer specialized in functional materials chemistry to support the Clean Energy Innovation (CEI) Research Centre’s additive manufacturing laboratories. The position is based at CEI’s new Advanced Materials Research Facility (AMRF) in Mississauga, ON. The incumbent will contribute to 3D printing and other digital fabrication activities involved in the accelerated discovery and design of new energy storage materials. They would also be someone who shares our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Respect and Creativity.

 

You will be working in a team environment with multidisciplinary researchers and technical experts in world-class facilities.
Working as part of a specialized team, you will develop functional energy storage materials created via 3D printing. You will lead projects and coordinate the team’s efforts in this domain, leading to publications in internationally recognized scientific journals and to supporting technology translation and commercialization. 

 

Your will conceptualize and formulate novel feedstock materials for advanced 3D printing methods. These formulations will contain active chemical species tailored toward energy storage applications and carbon management, creating architected materials for e.g. Li-ion battery electrodes and solid electrolytes.

 

You will be responsible for identifying ground-breaking applications for your functional materials that fully exploit a combination of active chemistry together with three-dimensional structuring achieved via 3D printing. In other words, you will identify and foster opportunities to develop next-generation energy storage materials with properties that are exclusively possible when  made via advanced digital manufacturing methods. In this role you will be conceiving research proposals, designing experimental plans, and executing them in a team setting in a research laboratory environment.
 

The role (continue)

The successful candidate will hold the following roles and responsibilities

• Independently leading research on functional material feedstock development for both direct-ink-writing (DIW) and vat photopolymerization (VPP) 3D printing;
• Designing material characterization campaigns and operating material characterization instrumentation; 
• Performing complex data analysis, managing large datasets and reporting on results; 
• Preparation of digital designs for 3D printing  
• Fostering new collaborations with multidisciplinary teams to advance the state of knowledge in materials chemistry and 3D printing technologies.   
• Developing new research proposals, managing research projects, and maintaining research partnerships with external academic, industrial and government collaborators  
• Supervising junior staff, and student internships 

 

Being in a dynamic position means that the workdays are always evolving, challenging and motivating. You are a self-starter who can excel in an evolving and exciting R&D environment and provide input into the direction and priorities of R&D activities that will be set forth by this new initiative in Mississauga. If you are that person, this may be the perfect role for you!  
 

Screening Criteria

Applicants must demonstrate within the content of their application that they meet the following screening criteria in order to be given further consideration as candidates:

Education

PhD in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or similar domain.

 

An equivalent combination of experience and a Master’s level engineering degree may be considered. 

 

For information on certificates and diplomas issued abroad, please see Degree equivalency

Experience

• Recent experience working in multi-disciplinary teams and overseeing the activities of other researchers, students, technicians and/or vendors;    
• Significant experience working in a chemistry laboratory research environment, including implementation of safety guidelines, waste disposal, equipment usage, and the safe handling and processing of chemicals;
• Significant and recent experience in developing, formulating, and characterizing advanced materials for, and after 3D printing;
• Practical experience with 3D printing technologies and equipment;
• Experience in advanced materials characterization techniques, such as rheology, thermal analyses (e.g. TGA, DSC), optical and scanning electron microscopy;
• Ability to use scientific object-oriented computer programming, e.g. in Python, to catalog, synthesize and visualize scientific data;
• Experience with managerial research activities including project management, data production and analysis, and reporting through written documentation, presentations and publications  

 

Assets (One or many of the following):  

• Practical experience working with and/or developing custom-built 3D printing hardware, with knowledge of microelectronics e.g. Arduino programming;
• Expert domain knowledge related specifically to additively manufactured batteries and other energy storage devices;
• Experience working with advanced laboratory automation techniques, and knowledge on accelerated materials discovery via e.g. “self-driving laboratories (SDLs)”;
• Experience utilizing probabilistic machine learning (ML) methods for experimental design, such as e.g. Gaussian Processes and Bayesian Optimization;
• Relevant experience in 3D modeling with parametric computer-aided design (CAD) software such as nTop, Solidworks, and Fusion360;
   

Condition of Employment

 Reliability Status

Language Requirements

English

 

Information on language requirements and self-assessment tests

Assessment Criteria

Candidates will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

Technical Competencies

• Expert knowledge of material chemistry, including the development of slurry-based formulations for energy storage, optimising material properties toward application-level performance;
• Knowledge of additive manufacturing techniques (e.g., DIW and VPP 3D printing);
• Knowledge of materials characterization and testing techniques, such as rheometry, electron microscopy (e.g. SEM), and thermal analyses (e.g. TGA, DSC, DMA).
• Ability to design 3D objects for 3D printing using specialized software;
• Basic proficiency with programming languages for experimental design, data analysis, and visualization such as Python, MATLAB, or similar 
• Experience with research project management, i.e., managing risks, teams, and schedules.
   

Behavioural Competencies

• Research – Communication (Level 2)
• Research – Self-knowing and self-development (Level 3)
• Research – Creative thinking (Level 4)
• Research – Teamwork (Level 2)

Competency Profile(s)

For this position, the NRC will evaluate candidates using the following competency profile(s): Research;

 

View all competency profiles

Compensation

This position is classified as a Research Officer (RO), a group that is unique to the NRC. Candidates are remunerated based on their expertise, outcomes and impacts of their previous work experience relative to the requirements of the level. The salary scale for this group is vast, from $63,470 to $179,422 per annum, which permits for employees of all levels from new graduates to world renowned experts to be fairly compensated for their contributions.

 

Candidates with a PhD diploma will be assigned at the minimum level of AsRO with a salary of $82,338 or higher. Higher steps in the salary range may be assigned to those university graduates whose qualifications demonstrate a state of professional development warranting a rate of pay greater than the minimum level defined above.

 

NRC employees enjoy a wide-range of competitive benefits including a robust pension plan, comprehensive health and dental coverage, disability and life insurance, office closure at the end of December, and additional supports to enhance your well-being throughout your career and beyond.

​

Application Requirement

You will need to attach the required documents as per the list below when submitting your application. Some items may be assessed at a later time in the process. 

• Cover letter including a research statement. 
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• A list of publications
• Names and contact information for three people who have agreed to provide a reference on your behalf. Reference letters need not be submitted with the application, but may be requested during the review process.
   

Notes

• Relocation assistance will be determined in accordance with the NRC’s directives.
• ​A pre-qualified list may be established for similar positions for a one year period.
• Preference will be given to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada. Please include citizenship information in your application.
• The incumbent must adhere to safe workplace practices at all times.
• We thank all those who apply, however only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

 

 

Please direct your questions, with the requisition number (22922) to:

E-mail: [email protected]

Telephone: 343-990-9603 

Closing Date: 22 November 2024 – 23:59 Eastern Time

 

 

For more information on career tools and other resources, check out Career tools and resources

 

*If you are currently a term or continuing employee at NRC, please apply through the SuccessFactors Careers module from your NRC computer.