PhD in geological engineering on cryo-hydrogeological modeling of the Kuuguluk River talik - Research Affiliate Program

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Assessment accommodation

Duties

Under-river taliks are characterized as areas of permanently unfrozen ground. When the aquifer potential is sufficient, these zones could supply a community. The Kuguuluk River talik at Salluit shows good aquifer potential, but uncertainty persists as to its vulnerability and sustainability as a source of supply. Ultimately, the study of this river-talik system could serve as an example for northern communities located in permafrost environments that might otherwise have difficulty accessing clean drinking water.
As part of the Geological Survey of Canada's (GSC) GEM-Geonorth program, the PhD thesis research project will investigate the long-term sustainability of a river-talik system as a water source in a continuous permafrost environment (Salluit, Nunavik, Qc), focusing on understanding the hydraulic behavior and properties of the Kuuguluk River talik aquifer, as well as studying the vulnerability and effect of climate change on the complex physico-chemical processes of a talik-river pumping system through cryo-hydrogeological modeling.
The main objective is to further develop the numerical site model using the finite element code HEATFLOW-SMOKER to simulate the physical groundwater flow - heat and mass transport processes related to talik and permafrost dynamics, including the behavior of the cryo-hydrogeological system. The response of the talik to groundwater pumping will be simulated and the vulnerability of the talik aquifer will be assessed for different climate warming scenarios and to determine the possible natural mobility of solutes from thawing permafrost using particle tracking and travel time analysis.
The PhD student will conduct a literature review of past activities related to the Salluit talik-river, as well as modeling approaches related to the context of the study and the project's objective. The candidate will participate in field work involving drilling (stratigraphy), in-situ testing (hydraulic and thermal properties), groundwater sampling and installation of sensors to measure variations in hydraulic head and ground temperature in the talik. For cryo-hydrogeological modelling, the candidate will work closely with the geophysics and geological modelling team to review the structure and scope of the model.
The doctoral study will include fieldwork in the spring of 2025 at Salluit. Analysis and modeling work will be carried out at Université Laval and the GSC in Quebec City. With the support of supervisors and research associates, the candidate will publish results and interpretations in public reports and peer-reviewed scientific journals, and give oral and/or poster presentations at scientific, government and industry conferences.

Work environment

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Intent of the process

The intention is to staff one student position for the completion of a PhD student position in Earth Sciences on cryo-hydrogeological modeling of the talik-river system in Salluit, Quebec.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter "A covering letter indicating the areas of research in which you have knowledge and/or experience."

Contact information for 2 references.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

Essential Education:
• The candidate must currently have a Master’s degree in Earth sciences or equivalent from a recognized Canadian or foreign university.
• The candidate must demonstrate his/her motivation on pursuing graduate studies.

Degree equivalency

Experience:
• Experience in hydrogeology and numerical modeling*.
• Experience relevant to the acquisition, organization and analysis of geological data in a Geographic Information System (GIS) and 3D modeling environment.

*For the recruitment of students in the federal public service, experience may be acquired through studies, work experience or volunteer activities.

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

English or French

Information on language requirements

Knowledge:
• Knowledge of scientific concepts in geology, hydrogeology and permafrost.
• Knowledget in numerical modeling and programming.

Abilities:
• Ability to work in a research laboratory and in the field in remote areas.
• Ability to work alone and in a team.
• Ability to communicate effectively within the team and with industrial, academic and governmental partners.
• Ability to communicate results effectively with the public.

Personal suitabilities:
• Motivation and dynamism
• Autonomy and proactivity
• Integrity and professionalism

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

Selection may be limited to members of the following Employment Equity groups: Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, women

Information on employment equity

Conditions of employment

• Reliability Status security clearance - NOTE: Each student hired through the Research Affiliate Program (RAP) must meet the security requirements of the position as a condition of employment.
Therefore, the student will be asked by the hiring organization to complete security-related documents.
• The student will need to be enrolled to the Interuniversity Doctoral Program in Earth Sciences at Université Laval (Quebec City, Quebec). and registered for the Winter 2024 term.
• The student must be ready to do regular laboratory work and fieldwork in remote areas as requested by the project supervisors.
• In addition to the doctoral program courses, the student must take a mandatory course in health and safety in remote regions before carrying out field work.

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

We thank all applicants for their interest in our position(s). For the purpose of this staffing process, only candidates selected for further assessment will be contacted.

Successful completion of both a RAP work assignment and your educational program may lead to a temporary or permanent federal public service position for which you meet the merit criteria and conditions of employment.

For this selection process, it is our intention to communicate with candidates via email. Candidates must include a valid email address in their application. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that this address is functional and that it accepts messages from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).

A written examination may be administered.
An interview may be administered.
Reference may be sought.

You must provide proof of your education credentials and transcript.

Candidates with foreign credentials must provide proof of Canadian equivalency. Consult the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials for further information at http://www.cicic.ca/.

Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice.

You must indicate on your application if you require a technical aid for testing or an alternative method of assessment.

Candidates from outside the public service may be required to pay for travel and relocation costs associated with this selection process.

Preference

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.