This competition is open to all applicants however; internal candidates and applicants who were former employees of the University of Alberta will be given priority consideration before external candidates. Please log in to verify your internal candidate status.

This position has an initial appointment of 3 years.

Location - This role is in-person. Work primarily takes place at North Campus, Edmonton.

The Canada Research Chair (CRC) program aims to build a scientific foundation for comparing different energy resources, their conversion technologies, and their environmental footprints. One of the key components of the program focuses on the development of specialized macro-energy system models and scenario analyses to assess how alternative energy pathways, technology adoption, and energy price dynamics impact energy systems, including costs, emissions, and industrial competitiveness. This research supports provincial and federal policy development and provides decision-relevant insights for industry stakeholders. Within this framework, the CRC program seeks a part-time Research Associate to conduct the modelling of energy and environmental systems and to provide technical and strategic inputs across multiple research projects, under the direction and supervision of the Principal Investigator. The Research Associate will focus on the development and application of advanced modelling frameworks in areas including industrial decarbonization, greenhouse gas mitigation, carbon capture and storage, bioenergy and hydrogen systems, and energy system transitions. The role requires extensive expertise in energy and environmental systems engineering research and supports other components of the CRC program through model integration, supervision of graduate researchers and cross-project coordination.

• PhD in Engineering, with advanced training in energy systems, energy and environmental modelling, and industrial decarbonization, and 3+ years of experience leading applied research projects and teams in the energy systems domain.
• Experience in project coordination of multidisciplinary research projects, including planning, execution, and delivery of multiple concurrent projects.
• Established publication record as author and co-author of peer-reviewed journal articles in reputable international journals related to energy systems, GHG mitigation, and industrial energy analysis.
• Advanced expertise in energy systems modelling, focused on development of technology penetration models with application across industrial, bioenergy, CCS, and transportation sectors.
• Demonstrated experience in authoring technical reports and analytical studies intended for government, policy, and industry audiences.
• Background in preparing and delivering technical presentations for academic, professional, and policy-oriented forums, including conferences, workshops, and seminars.
• High level of proficiency in computational modelling and data analysis, including regression analysis, and machine-learning-based approaches for energy system analysis.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound technical judgment, and lead and develop research teams, including mentoring graduate students and early-career researchers.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, with demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with individuals from diverse technical backgrounds, including students, and researchers.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and related tools for technical documentation, data analysis, and presentation.

This position offers a pro-rated salary range of $33,636 to $37,843. This position is not eligible for benefits.

The terms and conditions of this appointment are governed by Schedule E of the Collective Agreement between the Board of Governors of the University of Alberta and the Association of the Academic Staff of the University of Alberta.

• Work on multiple projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator.
• Author and co-author research papers, technical reports, presentations, and other research disseminations.
• Present research results in group meetings, seminars, scientific conferences and/or related settings, including international conferences, workshops, webinars, etc.
• Design, develop, test, and evaluate advanced modelling methodologies and analytical frameworks for macro-energy systems, including sectoral decarbonization, energy price-efficiency trade-offs, GHG mitigation pathways, CCS, bioenergy, hydrogen, and transportation energy systems, with a strong emphasis on automation and reproducibility.
• Work on data collection, integration, validation, and quality assurance processes for modelling and analytical activities, ensuring consistency, transparency, and robustness across multiple research projects.
• Conduct significant portions of research projects, including model development, scenario design, sensitivity analysis, and interpretation of results. under the direction and supervision of the Principal Investigator.
• Help with proposal preparation for research project contracts and grant applications with input from the Principal Investigator as needed.
• Facilitate effective data flow, technical coordination, and information exchange within the research group and with external partners, including government agencies, industry stakeholders, and academic collaborators.
• Supports the other components of the CRC program in various capacities at the direction of the Principal Investigator (includes conducting workshops, designing and implementing databases).