Research Associate; Limited Term - OCCAM - Term

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Date Posted: 01/30/2026
Req : 46794
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Department: Department of Materials Science & Engineering
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Overview

The Open Centre for the Characterization of Advanced Materials (OCCAM) electron microscopy laboratory, located within the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto, invites applications for a Research Associate (Limited-Term) position specializing in electron microscopy for material science. The successful candidate will provide technical expertise and operational support for OCCAM’s advanced electron microscopy facilities, supporting a diverse academic research community through instrument operation, method development, user training, and collaborative research activities.

Note: This is a full-time, limited-term appointment with an initial term of six (6) months, with the possibility of renewal.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot advanced electron microscopy instrumentation, including TEM, STEM, SEM, and FIB-SEM, as well as associated sample preparation equipment.
• Develop, optimize, and document materials-focused workflows for imaging, diffraction, and analytical spectroscopy.
• Perform advanced characterization and analysis using techniques such as EDS, EELS, EBSD, diffraction, tomography, and in-situ electron microscopy.
• Train and support faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and other users in the safe and effective use of microscopy instrumentation.
• Advise users on experimental design, sample preparation, data acquisition, interpretation of results.
• Support day-to-day facility operations, including scheduling, user access, data management, and compliance with safety and regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to collaborative research projects, publications, and reports.
• Assist with proposal development for research and instrumentation funding and remain current with emerging techniques in materials characterization.
• Support facility outreach and engagement activities, including tours, workshops/summer schools, demonstrations, training events, and contributions to facility websites, reports, and promotional materials, in order to promote OCCAM’s facility capabilities to internal and external communities.

Qualifications

• PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or a closely related discipline.
• Strong academic background in solid-state physics, crystallography, and materials characterization, including formal training in electron–matter interactions and microscopy theory.
• Demonstrated expertise in advanced electron microscopy and microanalysis, including imaging, diffraction, and spectroscopic techniques.
• Extensive hands‑on experience with SEM- and TEM-based methods, including analytical and high-resolution workflows.
• Proficiency in crystallographic and compositional analysis at micro‑to atomic length scales.
• Experience with sample preparation for electron microscopy (mechanical, ion/FIB-based).
• Proficiency in microscopy data analysis and interpretation, including image, diffraction, and spectroscopic datasets.
• Proven ability to operate, align, optimize, calibrate, and troubleshoot complex electron microscopy systems, including electron sources, vacuum systems, stages, detectors, and control electronics
• Experience performing routine instrument maintenance and performance monitoring.
• Experience training and supporting researchers in a shared laboratory or research environment. This includes training, mentoring, and certifying users with diverse technical backgrounds.
• Demonstrated record of collaborative research contributions, including co-authorship on peer-reviewed publications.
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Commitment to laboratory safety, documentation, and standard operating procedures.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to interdisciplinary research teams.

Application Process

Interested applicants should submit the following materials:

• A cover letter describing…