Research Associate - Building Automation Systems

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The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is the Government of Canada's largest research organization supporting industrial innovation, the advancement of knowledge and technology development. We collaborate with over 70 colleges, universities and hospitals annually, work with 800 companies on their projects, and provide advice or funding to over 8000 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) each year.

We bring together the brightest minds to deliver tangible impacts on the lives of Canadians and people around the world. And now, we want to partner with you.  Let your expertise and inspirations make an impact by joining the NRC.

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Please let us know of any accommodation measures required to help you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Please note that the information you provide will be treated confidentially. 

Your Challenge

Help bring research to life and drive your career forward with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), Canada's largest research and technology organization.

We are looking for an early-career Research Associate - Building Automation Systems to support our Construction Research Centre. The Research Associate - Building Automation Systems would be someone who shares our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Respect and Creativity.

NRC Construction is implementing the “Platform to Decarbonize the Construction Sector at Scale” to accelerate and scale up new technologies to help transition the Canadian construction sector towards decarbonization and contribute to the emerging low-carbon economy. It will also establish new codes, standards, specifications, and guidelines to position the sector to achieve its 2050 greenhouse gas (GHG) carbon reduction targets. These investments will help spur the growth of Canada’s clean technology sector and help achieve Canada’s international commitments to reduce GHG emissions.

The primary responsibility of the RA is to support the goals of NRC’s Platform to Decarbonize the Construction Sector at Scale, and other Programs served by the Intelligent Building Operations unit. These goals require research of international calibre and the development and application of advanced technologies to support the needs of our numerous industry partners. The RA works in a team environment with researchers and technical experts in world-class facilities. Activities also include the development of proposals for new research initiatives, effective project management, support to the enhancement of facilities, and communication of research plans and results to stakeholders.

Screening Criteria

Applicants must demonstrate within the content of their application that they meet the following screening criteria in order to be given further consideration as candidates:

Education

As part of the RA Program you must have received your PhD in Engineering, Building Science, Physics, or a related discipline within the last five years, or you expect to receive the degree within the next six months.

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

Experience

• Significant experience in interacting with building automation systems (BAS) and/or internet of things (IoT) sensor/systems in buildings, to extract operational and energy data, and then to analyze these data with the goal of modifying operational parameters or suggesting retrofits to reduce costs, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
   
• Experience in the efficient retrieval and storage of large amounts of sensor data.
   
• Experience in building energy (and/or building greenhouse gas) experimental design and in advanced data analysis techniques, including predictive timeseries analysis and multivariate statistics (preferably using Python).
   
• Experience in the full spectrum of research activities including identification of research requirements, proposal writing, project management, client/stakeholder interaction, data production and analysis, and reporting through written documentation, presentations and publishing.
   
• Experience in working in multi-disciplinary teams.
   
• Experience in business development, marketing activities, and/or the development of partnerships and collaborations may be considered an asset.
   

Condition of Employment

Reliability Status

Language Requirements

English 

Information on language requirements and self-assessment tests

Assessment Criteria

Candidates will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

Technical Competencies

• Knowledge of building HVAC and lighting systems, and the sensors used in such systems.
   
• Ability to interact with building automation systems (BAS) and/or internet of things (IoT) sensors/ systems in buildings, and related controls to extract operational and energy data.
   
• Knowledge of custom programming for data analysis (e.g. Python, MATLAB, R, Excel macros), and use of advanced statistical techniques (e.g. multivariate analysis, time series analysis, machine learning approaches).
   
• Ability to apply data analysis and simulation skills to generate insights into operational changes or targeted retrofits that will enhance building energy performance, and reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
   
• Knowledge of big data extraction and tools for organizing these data sets (preferably SQL databases) may be considered an asset.   
   
• Knowledge of building simulation software for energy performance (e.g. EnergyPlus and its Python APITRNSYS) may be considered an asset.
   

Behavioural Competencies

Competency Profile(s)

For this position, the NRC will evaluate candidates using the following competency profile:  Research

View all competency profiles

Relocation

Relocation assistance will be determined in accordance with the NRC's directives.

Compensation

The intent of this hiring action is to staff through the Research Associate (RA) Program at the AsRO level, which is an early-career level position with a salary range of $74,230 to $103,093.

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 $74,230.

NRC employees enjoy a wide-range of competitive benefits including comprehensive health and dental plans, pension and insurance plans, vacation and other leave entitlements.

Notes

Application Requirements:
 

In order to be considered for the Research Associate program please include the following in your application. Failure to do so will result in your application being excluded from searches.
 

• Resume
• Transcript
• Two letters of recommendation
   

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

• 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.