Job Description

Priority may be given to the following designated employment equity groups: Women, Indigenous peoples* (First Nations, Inuit and M\xc3\xa9tis), persons with disabilities and racialized persons*.

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

City: Ottawa

Organizational Unit: Digital Technologies

Classification: RO

Tenure: Term

Duration: 3 years

Language Requirements: English

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

The NRC Advantage

Great Minds. One Goal. Canada\'s Success.

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is the Government of Canada\'s largest research organization supporting industrial innovation, the advancement of knowledge and technology development. We collaborate with over 70 colleges, universities and hospitals annually, work with 800 companies on their projects, and provide advice or funding to over 8000 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) each year.

We bring together the brightest minds to deliver tangible impacts on the lives of Canadians and people around the world. And now, we want to partner with you. Let your expertise and inspirations make an impact by joining the NRC.

At the NRC, we know that diversity enables excellence in research and innovation. We are committed to a diverse and representative workforce, a safe and respectful work environment, and contributing to a more inclusive Canadian innovation system. We welcome all qualified applicants and encourage you to complete the employment equity self-declaration questions during the job application process.

Please let us know of any accommodation measures required to help you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Please note that the information you provide will be treated confidentially.

Your Challenge

Help bring research to life and drive your career forward with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), Canada\'s largest research and technology organization.

We are looking for an early-career Research Associate (RA) in AI for Battery Materials Discovery to support our collaborative R&D Initiative project within Digital Technology (DT) and Security and Disruptive Technology (SDTech) Research Centres in collaboration with Mila - Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute. The RA would be someone who shares our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Respect and Creativity. The RA will work on a 3-year project led by Prof. Yoshua Bengio.

The successful candidate will contribute to the project focusing on applications and developments of Machine Learning (ML) methods in the design and discovery of novel battery materials beyond lithium-ion batteries through a combined high-throughput computing and materials databases.

The successful candidate is expected to support the goals of NRC and the Research Centres through research of international calibre and work in a team environment with researchers and technical experts in world-class facilities. The RA will provide input into the overall direction and research priorities for the project within the context of the Research Centre business plan.

About Battery Materials Discovery

Work in a cluster of experts which includes Nobel prize winners. The Battery Materials Discovery project offers an excellent position in a very promising field with high impacts on society. The research has significant potential to help government and companies with a far-reaching, long-term perspective to contribute to society. Our collaborative environment is friendly and inclusive.

About the Digital Technologies Research Centre
We make digital technologies smarter and more intuitive for Canadians and Canadian businesses by exploring uses of data and information in innovative and meaningful ways to solve real problems.

Our focus is advanced analytics, computer vision, natural language processing and artificial intelligence technologies.

About the Security and Disruptive Technology Research Centre
Our researchers are experts in quantum photonics, cutting edge security materials technologies and attosecond science. We collaborate with Canadian and international research labs, industry and academia to build the emerging technology platforms that will sustain Canada\'s industrial competitiveness well into the future.

Why work with us
We collaborate with industry, academia and government to research, discover, de-risk, develop and commercialize advanced software technologies.

We work with all players in digital technologies, in Canada and internationally:

• Start-ups
• Small and medium sized enterprises
• Multinationals
• Research organizations
• Universities
• Government departments

We provide new platforms that can be applied in a wide range of industries in technology areas such as:

• Nanotechnology
• Quantum technologies
• Electronic materials and additive manufacturing

We offer scientific and engineering expertise in nanomaterials synthesis, printed electronics (2D-3D printing), nanocomposites, electronic and fibre photonic sensors, quantum information and security, quantum theory, and state-of-the-art ultra-fast spectroscopy in addition to access to unique prototyping facilities.

We work with key collaborators in both industry and in other research organizations to:

• Accelerate the development of innovative technologies
• Validate technologies for robustness and manufacturability
• Help reduce risk and lead time to turn innovation into products
• Work with defence and security partners as early adopters of disruptive technologies
• Focus on medium and long-range initiatives
• Translate global science and engineering advances into validated technology opportunities for Canadian industry.

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 degree in Machine Learning, Physics, Materials Science, or a related field

To be considered as part of the Research Associate Program you must have received your PhD degree in Machine Learning, Physics, Materials Science, or a related field within the last five years or you expect to receive the degree within the next six months.

For information on certificates and diplomas issued abroad, please see

Experience

• Experience with a strong theoretical background working with quantum mechanics, solid state physics and electrochemistry.
• Experience working with machine learning, deep learning, and (geometric) graph modeling.

Candidates having one or more of the following assets may be given priority:

• Significant experience in numerical simulation of materials science, including quantum mechanical computations on the solid-state and/or electrochemical materials properties.
• Experience and a good understanding of material selection and structure design.
• Experience in working in multi-disciplinary teams, including with experimental materials scientists and computer scientists.
• Experience managerial research activities including project management, data production and analysis, and reporting through written documentation, presentations and publishing.

Condition of Employment

Reliability Status

Language Requirements

English

Assessment Criteria

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

Technical Competencies

• Advanced knowledge of battery materials systems and computational modeling using density functional theory and/or large-scale molecular dynamics computations, including familiarity with widely used software packages as demonstrated by publication history.
• Strong knowledge of deep learning and (geometric) graph neural networks.
• Solid knowledge of high performance computing environments, including the Linux operating system, batch queue execution, the installation/utilization of scientific software in a Linux environment, and Pytorch programming & development.
• Working Knowledge of statistical, analytical, or machine learning methods applying for complex material systems.
• Ability to conduct research in an independent fashion or in a team environment and in bringing it to a successful conclusion.
• Ability to communicate scientific concepts clearly to both expert and lay audiences.

Behavioural Competencies

• Research - Communication (Level 2)
• Research - Creative thinking (Level 4)
• Research - Initiative (Level 3)
• Research - Networking (Level 2)
• Research - Results orientation (Level 2)
• Research - Teamwork (Level 3)

Competency Profile(s)

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

Relocation

Relocation assistance will be determined in accordance with the NRC\'s directives.

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 $57,220 to $161,754 per annum, which permits for employees of all levels from new graduates to world renowned experts to be fairly compensated for their contributions.

NRC employees enjoy a wide-range of including comprehensive health and dental plans, pension and insurance plans, vacation and other leave entitlements.

Notes

• Please include the following information with your application: Your resume, transcripts, a list of publications and two letters of recommendation.
• Candidates who self-Identify as being part of the following EDI groups will be given priority: visible minorities, aboriginal peoples and persons with handicaps.
• In order to ensure a prompt and efficient processing of applications, candidates will be required to answer screening questions explaining how they meet each of the requirements of this position (education, experience, language requirements) by providing concrete examples. In addition, the candidate is encouraged to describe in detail when, where and how they gained the experience. Candidates will not be solicited for incomplete or possible missing information. Failure to provide appropriate or factual information in the application may result in the rejection of your application.
• A pre-qualified list may be established for similar positions for a one year period.
• Preference will be given to Canadian Citizens, Permanent Residents of Canada, persons with an open work permit and Indigenous peoples living in the United States. 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 (19602) to:

E-mail:

Closing Date: 07 July - 23:59 ADT

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Date modified: This page is updated continuously.

National Research Council Canada