Graduate Positions

Current openings. We are currently looking for two graduate students:

TWO MSc/PhD Opportunities Available on: 

Intelligent stormwater management for improved farm productivity and environmental protection 

Department: School of Environmental Sciences, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph

Project Overview: This project focuses on understanding how on-farm stormwater management practices influence farm productivity (yield), improve water resilience, and improve water quality entering downstream environments. Based on the students’ preferences, practices such as controlled tile drainage, stormwater recycling, subirrigation, wetland treatment and/or biofiltration systems could be studied as part of their projects. The students will work in an interdisciplinary team helping to support the planning and refinement of stormwater management measures at agricultural demonstration sites, contribute to field-based monitoring programs that involve using IoT based sensing systems, and collect water and soil samples during dry and wet weather periods to understand how stormwater and tile drainage systems influence pollutant transport and soil conditions. Field work will also be used to understand changes in crop yield metrics associated with water management practices. Laboratory analyses will be used to assess water quality and soil health indicators, including nutrients and biological indicators, alongside environmental datasets generated through long-term monitoring. The students will analyze these datasets to evaluate the effectiveness of innovative stormwater management practices and to support the development of evidence-based best management practices and practical guidance for farmers and environmental stakeholders. It is expected that both MSc and PhD students will produce fact sheets from their research that can be shared with other Ontario farmers and produce several high-impact journal publications. Two students will work together with a number of research assistants/associates to complete this project. 

Prerequisites: Applicants must meet the following key selection criteria: 

  • An undergraduate bachelor’s degree in engineering (civil or environmental engineering), environmental sciences, agriculture, or a closely related discipline;  
  • Achieved an average of at least 70%  in their Bachelors Degree; 
  • Experience with field-based environmental monitoring (e.g. IoT devices and sensors) and/or laboratory analysis;  
  • A strong interest in applied research related to water quality; and, 
  • The minimum English language requirement: IELTS >6.5 (or equivalent, as per https://graduatestudies.uoguelph.ca/future/international/english).  

Those interested in pursuing a PhD would preferably also have a MSc in a related field.  

Application Information: Applicants must send: (1) a CV, (2) a cover letter which addresses the key criteria listed above and (3) transcripts of their bachelor’s and/or master’s degree(s). Applications that do not contain all of these items will not be considered. Please send to [email protected] by April 1st 2026. 

Advisor: David McCarthy. A world-renowned environmental engineer. His research spans health-related water microbiology, risk assessments, pathogen fate and transport, urban hydrology, stormwater management, green water treatment technologies, and novel IoT devices for the monitoring and sampling of water quality. See faculty profile for more details (https://ses.uoguelph.ca/people) 

 

Future openings. We will have another round of PhD openings in 2025 - keep an eye out for them! If you like, you can also email us with your CV and cover letter at anytime ([email protected]). We are always looking for amazing graduates - so don't be afraid to send your details with an awesome idea. 

Prior openings. We had a number of open positions in our lab, all of which closed on the 27th November 2024:

 

 

CLOSED: Assistant Professor Positions

We are excited to share that we have secured five tenure-track positions at the University of Guelph as part of our initiative to build a critical mass of researchers in water quality. Our vision is to establish an international centre of excellence in water quality, leveraging my current Canada Excellence Research Chair position.

Three of the five positions have already been advertised:

  1. Assistant Professor in Waterborne Disease Modelling

The candidate should have a skills necessary for research excellence and impact in computational modelling of pathogens in water systems, human health risk assessments, climate change impacts on waterborne disease transmission, or the development of decision support tools and models for public health intervention to control pathogens or AMR risk. More information and apply here: https://careers.uoguelph.ca/job/Guelph-Assistant-Professor-in-Waterborne-Disease-Modelling-ON-N1G-2W1/729417547/

  1. Assistant Professor in Next Generation Sensing of Waterborne Pathogens

The candidate should have a proven record of research excellence and impact in water sensor development/validation and have skills or abilities applicable for sensing of waterborne pathogens/AMR. More information and apply here: https://careers.uoguelph.ca/job/Guelph-Assistant-Professor-in-Next-Generation-Sensing-of-Waterborne-Pathogens-ON-N1G-2W1/729417947/

  1. Assistant Professor in Smart, Nature-based Treatment of Waterborne Pathogens

This includes passive treatment systems such as constructed wetlands, engineered biofilters, ponds, swales, etc. and expands to nature-based solutions that integrate real time monitoring and control technologies to improve water treatment. The candidate should have a proven record of research excellence and impact in nature-based water treatment, should have skills or abilities applicable for intelligent monitoring/control/automation of water treatment systems and should have skills or abilities applicable for the treatment of waterborne pathogens/AMR. More information and apply here: https://careers.uoguelph.ca/job/Guelph-Assistant-Professor-in-Smart,-Nature-based-Treatment-of-Waterborne-Pathogens-ON-N1G-2W1/729418247/

Two additional positions will be advertised soon: one in epidemiology of environmental/water systems and another in groundwater-surface water systems.

 

Post-docs, managers and technicians 

Current openings. We don't have any current openings for post-docs, managers or technicians. But, we are always looking for amazing people, so please send your CV and cover letter ([email protected]).

Future openings. We will have another round of Post-Doc openings in 2025 - keep an eye out for them! If you like, you can also email us with your CV and cover letter at anytime ([email protected]). We are always looking for amazing post-docs- so don't be afraid to send your details with an awesome idea. 

Prior openings. Our prior openings included:

  • Water System Monitoring & Modelling - Post Doc (closed, October 2024)
  • Environmental Microbiology Post Doc (closed, October, 2024)
  • Project Manager - Waterborne Pathogens (closed, June 2024)