Postdoctoral Fellowship, Hyperpolarization in Quantitative NMR and Quantum Information Processing

The Program

The NRC’s Postdoctoral Fellowship program offers PDFs access to unique world-class facilities and the opportunity to work alongside multi-disciplinary teams of expert researchers and technicians on projects of critical importance to Canada. PDFs will carry out research on innovative research projects, with opportunities for career development (publications and/or industry interaction).

PDFs will be offered appointments to the staff of the National Research Council on a term basis and will be offered salaries and benefits currently available to Research Officers. Salaries commensurate with experience are taxable and subject to other deductions. As a guide, the current annual PhD recruiting rate is $82,338. In addition PDFs will be allocated a travel fund to support their work.

Project Title

Parahydrogen-Induced Hyperpolarization: Applications to Quantitative NMR and Quantum Information Processing.

The Role

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is an indispensable tool in chemistry, biochemistry, medicine, pharmaceutical, food, polymer and material science. It enables identification, structure determination, the study of dynamics, and quantification of small- to macromolecules. However, NMR, especially of dilute analytes in complex mixtures, is hampered by low sensitivity due to the low nuclear polarization at thermal equilibrium. Parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP) has grown into an attractive, relatively low-cost, and versatile technique to produce non-equilibrium nuclear polarization, or hyperpolarization, resulting in NMR signal enhancements of 2-3 order of magnitudes in specific substrate molecules, enabling detection at nanomolar concentrations. The goal of this PDF project is to setup and exploit PHIP to (i) push the sensitivity of quantitative NMR to unprecedented limits, enabling orders of magnitudes lower limits of detection and quantification, and (ii) enable the use of a larger number of nuclear spin qubits for the simulation of more complex quantum algorithms by offsetting the inherent polarization loss during computation.

Education

Ph.D. in chemistry, biochemistry, or closely related field.

For information on certificates and diplomas issued abroad, please see Degree equivalency

Experience

• Experience with developing and employing advanced NMR techniques, including pulse sequence development, multi-nuclear and multi-dimensional experiments; and
• Prior experience in hyperpolarization techniques is highly desirable.

Language Requirements

English

Information on language requirements and self-assessment tests

Condition of Employment

Reliability Status

Who is eligible?

• Fellowships will be for two years contingent on satisfactory progress achieved during the first year.
• Candidates should have obtained a PhD (or equivalent) within the past three years (PhD received on or after July 1, 2022*) or expect to complete their PhD within 6 months of appointment.
• Fellows will work in a lab under the direct supervision of an NRC researcher.

* Exceptions may be considered to recognize personal or family related leave. Please connect with us using the contact information below to discuss in more detail.

Application Requirements

In order to be considered for the program please include the following in your application, please note that you will need to attach the required documents as per the list below when submitting your application. Failure to do so will result in your application being excluded from searches.

• Resume
• Statement of Interest in the project (maximum one page in length)
• PhD Transcript - an electronic copy is sufficient, it does not have to be an official version.
• List of Publications

When submitting your application you can include the required documents in any attachment field such as «Second language evaluation results» or «Other attachments»

In addition, applicants who best meet the requirements of the position will be asked to provide three letters of recommendation at a later stage of the competition process.

Compensation

The intent of this hiring action is to staff through the Postdoctoral Fellowships Program at the RCO-2/AsRO level, which is an early-career level position with a salary range of $82,338 to $114,354.  

NOTE: Salary determination will be based on a review of the candidate’s expertise, outcomes and impacts of their previous work experience relative to the requirements of the level.  As a guide, the current annual PhD recruiting rate is $82,338.

NRC employees enjoy a wide-range of competitive benefits including a robust pension plan, comprehensive health and dental coverage, disability and life insurance, office closure at the end of December, and additional supports to enhance your well-being throughout your career and beyond.

Discover the possible

Anything is possible at the National Research Council (NRC). As Canada’s leading research and technology organization, our world-renowned research pushes the boundaries of science and engineering to make the impossible, possible. Every day we explore new ideas through innovative research and help companies discover possibilities that impact Canada’s future and the world.

At the NRC, you’ll also discover new possibilities. Our supportive workplace fosters a culture of creativity, welcoming fresh perspectives and innovation at all levels. We value teamwork. You’ll collaborate across multiple fields and with the brightest minds to find creative solutions. Most importantly, you’ll discover what’s possible within you as you grow, make valuable contributions and progress in your professional journey. From ground-breaking discoveries to a life-changing career, discover your possible at the NRC.

Notes

• Relocation assistance will be determined in accordance with the NRC's directives.
• Fellowships are open to nationals of all countries, although preference will be given to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada. 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.