Principal Investigator-MRC Studio

Administrative

Oshawa, ON • ID: ADP24-09 • Temporary

About Durham College:

Durham College (DC) is a leading post-secondary institution that supports students to develop career-ready skills for the ever-changing job market. With a focus on experiential learning, led by expert faculty, through field placements, applied research, co-ops and other hands-on opportunities, DC grads are known for having the skills and knowledge they need to adapt to the ever-changing workforce.

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Durham College offers a wide range of market-driven programs across multiple disciplines, including culinary management, farming and horticulture, business, IT, construction and trades, science and technology, health care, engineering, social and community services, media, art and design.

Our modern campuses in Oshawa and Whitby offer 145 programs – including six honours bachelor’s degrees and 11 apprenticeship programs – to more than 13,700 full-time post-secondary and 2,300 apprenticeship students. In addition, more than 14,600 students participate in professional and part-time learning. More than 110,500 alumni represent the college, both locally and around the world.

A forward-looking organization committed to collaboration, innovation and sustainability, Durham College is ranked annually as one of the GTA’s Top 100 employers and one of Canada’s Greenest Employers and has been recognized as a Top 50 Research College in Canada, 10 times.

DC has an estimated annual economic impact of more than $913 million on Durham Region and is proud to be an active and engaged member of the communities we serve by contributing resources and expertise to enhance social and economic well-being through partnerships, investments and collaboration.

Durham College is seeking experienced and motivated professionals who share our commitment to quality and student success. The Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship is currently seeking applications from qualified individuals who are interested in joining the Mixed-Reality Capture (MRC) Studio team as a VR Specialist, on a part-time, project-based contract to oversee the development of real-world solutions for industry partners through applied research and knowledge transfer projects.

Teams of expert faculty, students and recent graduates collaborate with industry partners and their staff to deliver innovative real-time engine based solutions to pressing business problems and opportunities. Projects can include producing and testing prototypes, evaluating new technologies, and developing new or improved products or processes for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and studios. All projects are funded by provincial or federal government grants.

The MRC Studio is located at the Oshawa Campus and provides SMEs access to facilities, equipment, technical expertise, and project services to assist them in product development, technology adoption, expansion into new markets and commercialization of new products, services and processes.

The responsibilities of Durham College researchers include, but are not limited to:

• Conducting applied research projects in collaboration with college staff and industry partners.
• Developing work plans in collaboration with industry partners, including specific resource requirements, milestones and deliverables.
• Attending meetings and presenting project scopes, deliverables and metrics.
• Identifying human resource needs and interviewing / hiring student research assistants.
• Supervising and mentoring student research assistants.
• Providing technical expertise and leadership for applied research projects.
• Preparing and implementing dissemination activities, including assisting research assistants in the preparation of final materials/reports.
• Assisting college staff and students with development and completion of final reports and collection of metrics.
• Assisting with follow-up activities with industry clients or funders.
• Presenting findings at internal and external events, including conferences and seminars, as required - assisting with development of case studies

The ideal candidate will meet or exceed the following qualifications:

• An undergraduate degree or diploma in Game Development, Computing Science, Information Technology or a related field
• Three to five years of relevant industry experience and demonstrated ability in fields and technologies relevant to project opportunities with a demonstratable body of professional work (portfolio).
• Demonstrated research skills and project delivery abilities preferably with experience carrying out research projects.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, with excellent attention to detail, and the ability to multi-task and prioritize projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication and analytical skills, with ability to work and communicate effectively in remote or studio working environments, as necessary.
• Self-motivated and independent worker who also functions well in a collaborative team environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to present and interact with a variety of stakeholders including students, other faculty members, support staff, administrators, other departments within the college and with external partners.
• Uncompromised commitment to confidentiality.

The ideal candidate will possess the following technical skills:

• Technical and creative knowledge of Unreal Engine and/or Unity, Blueprints and binary optimization / deployment for multiple platforms including Windows and Android. Packaging for iOS is an asset.
• Established track record creating VR applications in UE for both Windows and Android platforms.
• Experience using project management trackers.
• Experience integrating external hardware through plug-ins or Live Link is a strong asset.
• Experience with git-based version control repositories is an asset.
• C++ programming experience in the UE environment is an asset but not required.

Required Skills

Salary: $54.91 per hour

Required Experience

Up to 24 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Occasional weekend and evening hours may be required. Some travel to industry partner premises may be required.