Position Information

Position Title

Research Associate

Research Project

Right Whale Satellite Tools: Estimates of Prey Aggregations & Potential Whale Habitat

Department/Unit

Oceanography

Location

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Posting Number

S093-26

Employee Group

Grant-Paid (PSAC Local 86001)

Position Type

Term

Duration of Contract (if applicable)

6 months with possibility of extension to 1 year

Employment Type

Part Time

Full-time Equivalency (FTE)

0.7

Salary

$55,159 - $69,843 per annum based on 35 hours per week. This is a 6 month term 0.7 FTE position so annual salary will be pro-rated to $19,306 - $24,445, 24.5 hours per week

Classification

Provisional Statement

About Dalhousie University

Dalhousie University is Atlantic Canada’s leading research-intensive university and a driver of the region’s intellectual, social and economic development. Located in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with an Agricultural Campus in Truro/Bible Hill, Dalhousie is a truly national and international university, with more than half of our almost 21,000 students coming from outside of the province. Our 6,000 faculty and staff foster a vibrant, purpose-driven community, that celebrated 200 years of academic excellence in 2018.

Job Summary

The Right Whale Satellite Tools project develops satellite-based methods to identify physical ocean conditions associated with zooplankton prey aggregations and potential North Atlantic Right Whale habitat in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and adjacent Northwest Atlantic waters. This research supports Canadian conservation and monitoring priorities by improving understanding of the physical drivers of whale habitat and by providing practical tools that can inform marine management and protection efforts.

Reporting to the Principal Investigator (PI), the Research Associate will support the scientific and technical delivery of a funded research program focused on satellite-based estimation of North Atlantic right whale prey aggregations and habitat suitability.

Key Responsibilities

• Acquire, organize, process, and quality-control satellite datasets, including Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT), satellite altimetry, sea surface temperature, and synthetic aperture radar data, for the Gulf of St. Lawrence and adjacent waters.

• Derive and refine physical indices and integrate multi-sensor observations into analysis-ready datasets and reproducible workflows that support habitat assessments and downstream reporting.

• Develop, apply, update statistical or empirical methods that relate satellite-observed ocean surface features to prey aggregation and potential whale habitat. Produce probability maps and related data products. Revise methods where required to improve performance.

• Draft, revise, and finalize scientific manuscripts, technical reports, presentations, and other research outputs. Prepare figures, summaries, and technical descriptions. Contribute to funding-related documentation and knowledge mobilization activities for scientific and applied audiences.

• Maintain records of data processing steps, analytical methods, code, and research products. Participate in project meetings, summarize progress against milestones, identify technical issues, and recommend adjustments to work plans as needed.

• Work closely with PI and collaborating researchers to align analyses with project priorities, timelines, and scientific objectives. As required, provide day-to-day technical guidance on specific datasets, methods, or analytical tasks to students or other team members.

Note

The successful applicant may work in-person on campus, primarily remotely (from within Nova Scotia with occasional presence in-person on-campus), or perform a hybrid of the two as agreed by all parties based on operational requirements.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Oceanography or a closely related discipline plus at least 3 years’ relevant experience (or an equivalent combination of training and experience).

• Experience in physical oceanography and satellite remote sensing, with demonstrated ability to process, analyze, and interpret observational datasets such as sea surface temperature, satellite altimetry, synthetic aperture radar imagery, and related oceanographic data products.

• Experience with quantitative analysis, geospatial and statistical methods, and scientific programming in MATLAB and/or Python.

• Evidence of scholarly research productivity, including peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations relevant to oceanography, remote sensing, or marine environmental analysis.

• Demonstrated strong written and oral communication skills, and the capacity to work independently while maintaining effective collaboration and regular communication within a multidisciplinary research team.

• Strong organizational skills.

Assets

Job Competencies

The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate proficiency in Dalhousie’s core and leadership competencies, in particular:

• Self-Awareness & Professionalism

• Integrity

• Adaptability

• Knowledge & Thinking Skills

• Communication

Additional Information

Application Consideration

Non-probationary bargaining unit employees (PSAC Local 86001) are given priority consideration. All other applications will be considered when there is no qualified candidate from the bargaining unit.

We sincerely appreciate all applications and note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted directly by the hiring department or People and Culture.

Diversity Statement

Dalhousie University commits to achieving inclusive excellence through continually championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The university encourages applications from Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (especially Mi’kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), and members of other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community. In accordance with our Employment Equity Policy, preference will be given in hiring processes to candidates who self-identify as members of one or more of the equity-deserving groups listed above. For more information, including details related to our Employment Equity Policy and Plan and definitions of equity-deserving groups please visit www.dal.ca/hiringfordiversity

If you require any support for the purpose of accommodation, such as technical aids or alternative arrangements, please let us know of these needs and how we can be of assistance. Dalhousie University is committed to ensuring all candidates have full, fair, and equitable participation in the hiring process. Our complete Accommodation Policy can be viewed here.

Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies

1

Open Date

05/26/2026

Close Date

06/02/2026

Open Until Filled

No

Special Instructions to Applicant

Quick Link for Direct Access to Posting

https://dal.peopleadmin.ca/postings/20735