Research associate - Contractual (17 hours per week)

Research associate – Contractual (17 hours per week)

Open to internal and external candidates | Tenure-track Position

Join our dynamic team at INRS as a part-time research associate specializing in the first principles calculations to explore the structure, physical, electrical and chemical properties of thin films, especially vanadium oxides.

This unique opportunity will allow the research associate working within a collaborative environment led by professors Kulbir Ghuman (director of the Insillico Matters Laboratory) and Mohamed Chaker (director of the Laboratory of Micro- and Nanofabrication), where his / her role will involve close collaboration with experimentalists to seamlessly translate your discoveries into the development of cutting-edge nanodevices.

Reporting to the director of the LMN, the person ensures the advancement and monitoring of the various research activities related to research projects.

Duties and responsibilities

More specifically, the research associate’s objectives encompass delving into the thermochromic properties of vanadium dioxide, exploring the impacts of elemental doping and strain using density functional theory (DFT).

The candidate applies his / her expertise to predict optimal doping strategies for achieving ideal device performance, investigates the photo-response of doped vanadium dioxide from first principles, and theoretically assesses the viability of employing transition metal oxide-based materials, including vanadium dioxide, in thin film-based energy storage devices.

As a key contributor to these research activities, the candidate is responsible for preparing articulate oral and written communications to disseminate his / her findings to academic and industrial collaborators, as well as to the broader scientific community.

The candidate will sometimes have to perform additional or temporary duties related to another position or exceptionally the tasks of a less advanced position when required.

Normal requirements and special skills

Education

• PhD degree in physics, chemistry, materials science, or in closely related fields;

Experience

• A minimum of 3 years of experience in ab-initio calculations of materials (density functional theory) and high-performance computing.
• Extensive research experience in first principles DFT calculations to predict thermodynamic, kinetic, and mechanical properties of crystalline solids using is required. Direct research experience in metal oxides are highly desirable.

Others

• Hands-on experience with common solid-state computational chemistry codes like Quantum ESPRESSO, SIESTA, VASP, CRYSTAL, etc.
• Experience with writing codes and implementing algorithms (Python and some exposure to machine learning).
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated ability to publish in peer-reviewed journals and record of presenting at internationally recognized conferences.
• Demonstrated ability to carry out independent and collaborative research in computational materials science at the electronic scale.
• Experience with classical and ab initio molecular dynamics.
• Experience with time-dependent DFT, high-throughput DFT calculations and machine learning
• Direct research experience in metal oxides are highly desirable.

Location

Part-time position : 17 hours per week.

In accordance with the INRS protocol on working conditions for research associates, annual salaries range from $62,415 to $108,257, depending on experience and training.

INRS encourages candidates who meet the position requirements to apply online via the INRS website in the “Jobs” section no later than March 31, 2024 . Applicants should send a CV including a detailed list of research publications, a cover letter clearly indicating their interest and the relevance of their research experience to the proposed topics, and the name and contact details of three references.

Subscribing to an Equal Access to Employment Program (PAÉE) as well as the employment equity requirements of the Federal Contracts Program and valuing equity, diversity and inclusion, INRS invites all qualified people to apply, in particular women, members of visible and ethnic minorities, Indigenous people and people with disabilities.

Priority must, however, be given to people with the right to work in Canada (people holding Canadian citizenship, permanent residence or a valid work permit).

Selection tools can be adapted to the needs of people with disabilities at all stages of the recruitment process. If you anticipate needing accommodation measures, or for any questions regarding equity, diversity and inclusion at INRS, please contact edi@inrs.ca in complete confidentiality for EDI questions only.

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