Faculty and staff positions
Graduate student opportunities
Project description: We are looking for a highly motivated candidate to work on a project aiming to initiate whole genome sequencing of the perennial legume, cicer milkvetch. The successful candidate will be required to work effectively as a team member in the context of lab, greenhouse, and computer-based work, and will carry out research involving plant tissue harvesting, DNA, RNA extraction, library preparation for sequencing and bioinformatics related to whole genome assembly, annotation, comparative genomics and database creation.
Qualifications: Applicants should have a M.Sc. in the areas of molecular biology, plant genetics/genomics, and bioinformatics or a related field. Ideally, the successful candidate will have experience with molecular biology techniques and the bioinformatic analysis of ‘omics data. Excellent organizational, written and verbal communication skills and the ability to collaborate with others are essential. Candidates must pass the minimum requirements for admission into the Ph.D program at the University of Saskatchewan (https://grad.usask.ca/admissions/admission-requirements.php#Minimumadmissionrequirements )
Funding: Includes an annual stipend of approximately $27,000 (CAN)/year for three years, travel to conferences (if applicable) and research costs. Students may also apply for a number of departmental and university scholarships.
Location: The student will conduct genomic research at Dr. Bill Biligetu’s lab at the Crop Development Center and Dr. Andrew Sharpe’s lab at the Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan.
How to Apply: Interested students should submit an updated resume to Dr. Bill Biligetu at Bill.Biligetu@usask.ca.
Start date: January 2025 or earlier.
Food Science, Ph.D. Student (Starch-protein interactions during extrusion)
Department: Food and Bioproduct Sciences
Stipend: $27,500 per annum
Qualifications:
- Education: Applicants should have a M.Sc. degree in Food Science, Food Engineering, Cereal Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or a closely related field; independent research experience with extrusion processing is an asset.
- GPA: 75%
- English language proficiency requirements: https://grad.usask.ca/admissions/admission-requirements.php
Start date: May 2025
Accountabilities:
The successful candidate will primarily need to:
- Conduct dissertation research in the fields of carbohydrate chemistry and extrusion processing. Proposed dissertation projects would include: (1) Extruding starch and protein under a broad range of conditions; (2) Elucidating interactions between starch and protein during extrusion processing; (3) Determining in vitro and in vivo starch digestibility of starch-protein extrudates.
- Prepare research reports and manuscripts for publication; present findings at conferences/workshops
How to apply: Please e-mail your CV, an unofficial copy of English test report, an unofficial copy of transcripts from undergraduate and M.Sc. studies, Statement of Purpose describing how your education background, research experience, and career goal make you a favorable candidate for this position, as well as names and contact information of three references to:
Dr. Yongfeng Ai
E-mail: yongfeng.ai@usask.ca
Associate Professor and Research Chair in Carbohydrate Quality & Utilization
Dept. of Food and Bioproduct Sciences
University of Saskatchewan
51 Campus Drive
Phone: +1 306-966-2139
Website: https://agbio.usask.ca/faculty-and-staff/people-pages/yongfeng-ai.php
Screening of applications will continue until the position is successfully filled. Only candidates who are interviewed will be contacted.
Dr. Kaidi Wang’s lab (https://agbio.usask.ca/faculty-and-staff/people-pages/kaidi-wang.php) in the Department of Food and Bioproduct Sciences, College of Agriculture and Bioresources at the University of Saskatchewan is recruiting one MSc student, with an anticipated start date of May/September 2025.
Dr. Wang’s research focuses on food safety and food microbiology, including the study of bacterial dormancy, the development of innovative detection methods for foodborne pathogens, and food fermentation. Current projects in the lab utilize multidisciplinary approaches such as spectroscopic techniques, molecular tools, machine learning, metabolomics, and microfluidic “lab-on-a-chip” to address critical issues in the agri-food systems. Successful candidate will be fully funded; work in a highly motivated and productive team; collaborate with other researchers and food industry partners; and attend local/international conference to present their research.
Eligibility requirements:
- Applicants should have a BSc or MSc degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, or a closely related field.
- Be highly motivated, open-minded, and passionate in interdisciplinary research.
- Have strong teamwork and communication skills (both written and verbal in English).
- Previous experience in food microbiology, molecular microbiology, spectroscopy, microfluidics, metabolomics, machine learning, and bioinformatics is an asset.
- Minimum requirement for GPA and language tests for international students are available on the website https://grad.usask.ca/admissions/admission-requirements.php.
The University of Saskatchewan hires based on merit and is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. We welcome applications from members of underrepresented groups, including but not limited to women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and individuals of diverse sextual orientations and gender identities.