Research Associate

at  Western University

ABOUT US

The Department of Earth Science’s mission is the continued development of research and teaching programs that excel at the international level. These programs seek to understand the Earth’s internal structure and composition; its dynamic character (earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics); the processes that occur within it; the processes that shape its surface and the materials that constitute its surface layers; the connections between Earth’s surface processes, climate and our environmental sustainability; the origin, occurrence, extraction and conservation of the Earth’s natural resources (minerals, fossil fuels, soils, and water); the place of the Earth within the Solar System, and the history of life on Earth. On a broader scale, our mission is to promote Earth Science literacy within the University and within society in general.
The mission of Dr. Corcoran’s research group is to investigate natural and human-made grains to unravel climatic, surficial, and anthropogenic factors that have influenced our planet throughout geological time.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Master’s Degree in Environmental Science, Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry or relevant discipline

Experience:

• 2 years of experience (achieved during academic studies) in a related academic research environment
• Experience working with stereoscopic microscopes and laboratory procedures
• Experience conducting image analysis, SEM, and/or FTIR would be an asset

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Familiarity with regulations and guidelines governing research in an academic environment and with best practices for reviewing and writing grant proposals
• In depth knowledge with methods for research design, implementation, and analysis
• Familiarity with techniques for updating, managing and extracting data from a research database
• Ability to collaborate across internal and external boundaries to meet common objectives, improve outcomes and support work beyond one’s own unit
• Communication skills to describe technical concepts effectively to both novice and sophisticated users
• Communication skills with an ability to complete detailed analytics and reports
• Ability to work in a manner that models best practices in confidentiality standards
• Ability to provide solutions and ideas for improvement by using imaginative approaches where constructive thinking and innovation are required
• Detail-oriented with an ability to function and process information with high levels of accuracy
• Ability to work within a flexible schedule to accommodate the research group’s events and activities
• Ability to provide guidance, support and feedback in a way that is positively received
• Results-oriented with the ability to motivate and coach employees to meet high performance standards, while working effectively as a member of the research team
• Ability to investigate defined issues, solicit input, and suggest remedies and alternative approaches that meet the needs of the situation
• Proven ability and natural inclination to develop relationships by interacting with people in a professional, respectful and diplomatic manner
• Ability to interpret and identify key results from research and to succinctly summarize research findings
• Ability to work independently and effectively as a member of the team to achieve department goals
• Ability to adhere to legislated safety requirements and Western safety policies
• Demonstrated working knowledge of relevant scientific/research principles
• Advanced skills in software and applications used to produce and analyze research outcomes (Excel, RStudio, ArcGIS)
• Demonstrated ability to research/investigate issues and resolve problems
• Familiarity with University research policies and procedures preferred

The Research Associate will apply their expertise and knowledge to research under the direction of a Principal Investigator and will carry out and oversee independent research to assist the PI in achieving their research outcomes in the area of sedimentary petrology with a main focus on plastic pollution. The position will play a lead role in managing the laboratory and related instrumentation and equipment, training staff, students and post-doctoral fellows, and in resolving issues that arise in the research environment. The Research Associate will support and operationalize research, participate in fieldwork, develop research project plans, and design, build and run experiments. The role will plan, implement and coordinate sample processing and data collection, perform data analysis, evaluate and interpret experimental results, develop models or correlations, and prepare reports, grant proposals and other written material for presentations and/or submissions to various stakeholders as required.