Current opportunities

PhD Position: BC Green Shipping Corridor Assessment

Heavy freight transport, by way of deep-sea shipping, accounts for 80% of global trade and is responsible for approximately 3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (United Nations, 2018), which is why the implementation of Green Shipping Corridors - maritime based routes between two or more ports that support zero-emissions technologies – is key to helping accelerate the decarbonization of the global shipping sector by 2050. Currently, 24 countries, including Canada, have signed on to the Clydebank Declaration, a commitment to establish Green Shipping Corridors, made at COP26. Signatories are committed to establishing a minimum of 6 green corridors by 2025, with intent to scale up activity in subsequent years by increasing trade on specific Green Corridor routes, extending route length, or establishing more routes (United Nations, 2021). As this is a new concept, at the present time, there are no fully developed and established Green Shipping Corridors, and research in this area has not yet occurred.

1 PhD position is available in a research project led by Drs. Crawford and Dong within IESVic and working in close collaboration with the Vancouver Maritime Centre for Climate (VMCC). The aim of this research to explore three key areas necessary for the establishment of a successful Green Shipping Corridor, in the specific context of British Columbia, including assessment and quantification of the required and anticipated zero and low carbon emission energy sources, existing and potential market demand of zero and low carbon emission fuels from ocean-going and land-based marine and shipping transport operations in BC; and recommendations to establish an enabling policy and regulation environment to accelerate the uptake and use of zero and low carbon emission fuels by the maritime and shipping transport industry. This information will lay the groundwork for accelerating maritime decarbonisation here in our province, which will improve air quality and increase investment in BC’s low carbon energy systems.

The student will drive these activities within VMCC and be responsible for working with various industry and government partners. The project timeline is aggressive and will require both excellent technical analysis skills as well as managerial and communications skills in working directly with VMCC and other project partners.

Requirements

• MSc/MASc degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., Marine/Mechanical/Chemical/Electrical Engineering)
• Experience with alternative fuels, marine transportation
• Ideally, knowledge of Python and LaTex tools for model development and figure generation
• Strong writing, conversational and presentation abilities in English
• Ability to organize and work effectively in a diverse team and with commercial and international project partners

Timeline

Position to start ASAP, ideally Summer 2023; applications accepted on a rolling basis.

How to apply

Interested candidates should email Dr. Crawford at curranc@uvic.ca with the subject “Green Shipping Position”; attach:

• A detailed curriculum vitae
• A one-page cover letter describing your relevant (research) experience and motivation for the position
• Names and contact details for two references

UVic is committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion in our living, learning and work environments. In pursuit of our values, we seek members who will work respectfully and constructively with differences and across levels of power. We actively encourage applications from members of groups experiencing barriers to equity. Read our full equity statement here.

Postdoctoral and PhD Positions: Underwater Radiated Noise from Marine Vessels

Environmental impact is emerging as an issue of primary importance in the marine transportation industry. Underwater radiated noise (URN) in particular has been identified as a risk factor for the southern resident killer whales that populate the Salish Sea, which is an area of intense marine traffic. Propeller-induced cavitation is the dominant source of URN from marine vessels.

Post-doctoral and PhD positions are available in a research project led by Dr. Peter Oshkai, who directs the Fluids Research Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Institute for Integrated Energy Systems (IESVic) at the University of Victoria. The Post-doc and PhD researchers will pursue the following objectives:

(a) Development of a high-fidelity numerical solver package for the open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) platform OpenFOAM that would capture the key physical features of the flows around marine propellers and interactions between turbulence, cavitation and URN.

(b) Development of a low-order numerical solver for prediction of the acoustic performance of propellers over a broad range of operating conditions.

(c) Experimental investigation of flow-acoustic interactions between a single cavitation bubble and an unsteady flow under repeatable laboratory conditions.

(d) Simulation of the flow-acoustic interactions due to cavitating marine propellers using the commercial CFD software StarCCM+ and validation of the CFD solvers against existing laboratory and field acoustic data.

Requirements

• MASc/MSc (for PhD) or PhD (for Post-doc) degree in a relevant area of engineering.
• Strong background in fluid mechanics and CFD.
• Ideally, knowledge of OpenFOAM, StarCCM+ and experience with experimental techniques (quantitative flow visualization, acoustic measurements and signal processing).
• Strong communication abilities in English (writing, conversational, presentation).
• Ability to work effectively in a diverse team.

The Fluids Research Laboratory, IESVic and the larger UVic communities are diverse and committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity and inclusion in our living, learning and work environments. Dr. Oshkai strongly encourages applications from underrepresented groups, including women, indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity, and those persons experiencing barriers to equity.

Timeline

Positions are starting ASAP; applications accepted on a rolling basis.

How to apply

Interested candidates are invited to send an email to Dr. Oshkai at poshkai@uvic.ca with the subject

“URN position”. Please attach:

• A detailed CV.
• A one-page letter describing your relevant research experience and motivation.
• Names and contact details of two references.

Junior Research Engineer: Hydrodynamic Modelling and Wave Energy Technology R&D

Position details

Job Title: Junior Research Engineer - Hydrodynamic Modelling and Wave Energy Technology R&D
Job Location: University of Victoria, Victoria, BC
Salary/Wage: Negotiable dependent on qualifications and experience
Hours of work per week: Full-time (37.5 hrs./wk.)
Start Date: August/September 2022
Number of Positions: 1

Job description

The Pacific Regional Institute for Marine Energy Discovery (PRIMED), is a marine energy R&D hub hosted by the Institute for Integrated Energy Systems (IESVic) at the University of Victoria (UVic). PRIMED’s resources (staff, software, and facilities) were created between October 2017- March 2020 through a $1.45M grant from the former Western Economic Diversification (WED), now Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan). PRIMED’s mandate is to accelerate the development of the marine energy sector in Canada by filling in gaps in the knowledge base that supports private sector innovation, and by providing a technology-neutral perspective on the strategic and economic values of marine energy to communities in British Columbia. To fill these roles, PRIMED staff precisely define the energy characteristics in BC’s ocean winds, waves and tides using computational models and field measurements, and apply numerical simulation tools to assess how well technologies convert these resources into usable forms of energy.

PRIMED is a multidisciplinary research group involving UVIC faculty, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students and industry partners. A significant part of the group’s work involves engaging with early-stage Wave Energy Converter (WEC) developers and developing numerical models of WEC concepts. We are looking to recruit an individual who will work in this area. The role will involve providing engineering advisory services and modelling resources to clients in order to deliver support that will accelerate the development of their technologies.

The role is also expected to involve working closely with PRIMED’s wave energy resource assessment team. The individual may be asked to assist with fieldwork activities aimed at characterizing the wave energy resource.

Responsibilities

The applicant will:

• Play a leadership role in the numerical modelling of scaled WECs.
• Develop methodologies to characterise the performance of WEC devices and the associated mooring systems.
• Be responsible for maintenance of PRIMEDs existing WEC models, develop, and adapt these models to meet different project requirements.
• Collaborate across different engineering and science disciplines and work with other
  members of the PRIMED team to deliver project goals.
• Support fieldwork activities aimed at characterising the wave energy resource.

Required minimum qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in relevant engineering discipline (mechanical, civil, ocean, etc).
• Numerical modelling/simulation experience.
• Knowledge of hydrodynamic modelling of floating bodies.
• Familiar with the MATLAB environment. Competent reading and generating program scripts

Technical skills (not required but considered desirable)

• Proven knowledge of ocean waves and marine energy resource characteristics.
• Experience in wave structure interaction modelling. Example numerical codes include ProteusDS, WAMIT, NEMOH and OrcaFlex.
• Experience using MATLAB Simulink for modelling and simulation of electro-mechanical systems.
• Mechanical design experience utilizing Solidworks (or similar CAD package)

Personal skills

• Able to work independently in a non-structured environment. The candidate must be comfortable communicating with the rest of the WCWI team.
• Able to effectively engage with remotely locate

Contact and application

Interested candidates should email primed@uvic.ca with the subject PRIMED Research Positions, and attach:

• A detailed curriculum vitae
• A one-page cover letter describing your relevant (research) experience and motivation for the position
• Names and contact details for two references

Research Positions: The ReBuild Initiative

We are looking for applicants for Masters, PhD, post-doctoral and senior researcher positions who are a good fit for the ReBuild Initiative. We will match applicants to specific projects during the recruitment process - please list any specific interests when you apply.

Who we are

The ReBuild Initiative is an ecosystem of partner-driven research projects that focus on the decarbonization of Canada’s built environment. ReBuild aims to be a catalyst in the emerging retrofit economy by linking together commercial and community partners with passionate researchers.

ReBuild is run by the Energy in Cities research group at the University of Victoria. We works to cultivate passionate individuals who will become experts in the fields of building performance analysis and machine learning. Our goal is to develop the next generation of highly qualified professionals at the intersection of building performance and cutting-edge analytics.

Who you are

You are an individual who can work independently, while also working in a larger group towards our community partnership goals. You have the ability to adapt and overcome the hurdles and uncertainties that comes along with pursuing novel research. You see the potential, or would like to become a subject matter expert, of machine learning and AI to support the efforts in sustainability.

You are passionate about sustainability, building performance or machine learning and want to help Canada meet its climate goals.

Technical skills

• Relevant undergraduate or master’s degree (required). Examples include engineering, computer science, physics and technical aspects of architecture. If you believe you have a relevant background, you are encouraged to apply.
• Software development experience, with a strong preference for Python.
• Building energy modeling, with preference for EnergyPlus experience.
• Machine learning or statistical model development.
• Hands-on experience with building design, analysis or construction.

Non-technical skills

• Fluent in English (required)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Publish research papers or authored technical reports

What we will provide you with

You will further your academic experience and qualifications, and position yourself at the forefront of changes within the Canadian retrofit economy. Positions are funded at a level comparable with NSERC scholarships, and top-up funding is available to those with scholarships. You will have exciting opportunities to apply your research to real-world problems in collaboration with industry and governmental partners.

The Energy in Cities group is located at the University of Victoria on the traditional territory of the lək̓ ʷəŋən peoples. Victoria is a hub for sustainability, high-tech industry and government, and is located among the beautiful landscapes of British Columbia.

Apply here.

Post Doctoral and Graduate Student Positions: Sustainable Energy Systems Integration and Transitions Group

Multi-scaled, multi-sector, and multi-vector energy systems modelling

The ongoing energy system transition, empowered by technology developments, fueled by shifting
investments, and motivated by decarbonization, is one of the 21st century’s most urgent tasks. However, current energy system models fail to deliver the holistic perspective required by decision-makers to navigate complex policy choices. Instead, energy system analyses are plagued by rigid model platforms and discretized researchers who focus on specific sectors, spatial-temporal scales, or energy vectors. This research project will pursue the development of an extensible and adaptable multi-scale, multisector, and multi-vector M3 Modelling Platform that links distinct but integrated modules to span spatial-temporal scales, the breadth of energy system services, and each energy carrier. To do so, we will employ novel computer science techniques, including multi-objective active learning, advanced visualizations, and parallelized computing. By applying machine learning and applied statistics, this research will transform our approach to energy systems modelling and accelerate decarbonization efforts.

The positions will be supervised by Dr. Madeleine McPherson, who leads the Sustainable Energy Systems Integration & Transitions Group. The successful applicant will also be affiliated with the multi-disciplinary Institute for Integrated Energy Systems (IESVic) at the University of Victoria.

Please click here for more details regarding the graduate student position.

Please click here for more details regarding the post-doctoral research position.

Research Opportunities

Highly qualified students are always encouraged to apply for graduate positions. Browse our site for faculty members and research projects that reflect your interests and background.

Contact an IESVic faculty member

Contact relevant faculty members. Attach your curriculum vitae (resume) and a list of undergraduate and, if applicable, graduate grades. This can be an unofficial listing compiled by you. Official transcripts will be required later.

Prepare a UVic graduate studies application

IESVic is a research institute and not an academic department or school – membership is voluntary and reflects the participation of individual faculty members.  This means that students interested in joining the institute must apply for admission to a program in one of UVic's Departments. For more information, see the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Departmental web pages.