Research Associate

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Research Associate

Position Summary:

Under the supervision of Professor Mustafa Kumral, the Department of Mining and Materials Engineering is seeking a highly motivated and skilled Research Associate to join the Mineral Economics, Mine Reliability, and Asset Management Laboratory. This role offers an exciting opportunity to lead innovative research at the intersection of theory and practice in the mining industry. The successful candidate will contribute to the advancement of mine planning and reliability engineering by developing and implementing data-driven maintenance strategies, designing optimization models for fleet maintenance scheduling and equipment allocation, and integrating long-term planning frameworks. The research will generate actionable insights that support sustainable and efficient mining operations.

Responsibilities:

The tasks of this position include but are not limited to the following:

• Develop and conduct simulation-based research to characterize material packing in shovel buckets and analyze particle size segregation in stockpiles
• Develop and refine optimization and simulation models for equipment selection, fleet sizing, and short-term mine planning, grounded in quantitative methods and real-world constraints
• Design and implement advanced maintenance planning strategies for heterogeneous truck–shovel fleets, incorporating equipment availability, reliability, and life-cycle metrics into dynamic planning models
• Lead scenario-based simulations to evaluate trade-offs in cost, productivity, and operational risk across alternative mine planning strategies.
• Lead the collection and analysis of operational data from mining sites to calibrate and validate planning and maintenance models, ensuring alignment with industry practices.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary research teams to integrate maintenance and equipment optimization models into broader mine planning frameworks and decision-support systems.
• Write research reports and scholarly articles for dissemination in peer-reviewed journals and conferences.

Qualifications:

• PhD in Mining Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum of five (5) years of research experience in mine planning, equipment selection, and mining reliability
• Demonstrated strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals.
• Strong analytical skills and experience working with complex datasets, including data cleaning, statistical analysis, and model validation.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing and applying advanced methodologies for mine planning and maintenance modeling.
• Proficiency in industry-standard software tools for mine planning, optimization, and reliability analysis (e.g., Deswik, Talpac, Simio, Arena, or equivalent) is an asset
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities with the ability to present complex research findings clearly to both academic and industry audiences.
• Strong academic research writing skills, with experience preparing scientific reports and contributing to peer-reviewed publications.
• Excellent organizational and time management abilities, especially in managing multiple experimental workflows and data sets.
• Collaborative mindset and experience working in multidisciplinary research environments, with the ability to contribute to team-based projects and publications.

Hiring Unit:

Department of Mining and Materials Engineering

Number Of Positions:

1

Supervisor:

Professor Mustafa Kumral

Total Hours Per Week:

10 hours per week (part-time)

Hourly Salary:

$33.96

Location:

Mcgill Downtown Campus

« Connaissance du français et de l'anglais: L'Université McGill est une université de langue anglaise où les tâches quotidiennes peuvent nécessiter une communication verbale et écrite en anglais.  Le niveau d’anglais requis pour ce poste a été déterminé comme étant de niveau #4 (qualificatif) sur une échelle de 0-4.»

“Knowledge of French and English: McGill University is an English-language university where day to day duties may require English communication both verbally and in writing. The level of English required for this position has been assessed at a level #4 (qualifier) on a scale of 0-4.”

Immigration Stipulation (Obligatory for non-Canadian candidates without permanent residency who will reside in Canada only): In accordance with Canadian and Quebec law, the present offer is conditional upon your obtaining the appropriate work authorization from any or all of the following as applicable: Citizenship & Immigration Canada, Immigration Quebec and Human Resources & Skills Development Canada (HRSDC).

Hourly Salary:

$33.96

Hours Per Week:

10 (Part time) Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

Location:

Adams Building

Supervisor:

Professor

Position Start Date:

2025-10-06

Position End Date:

2025-12-05

Deadline To Apply:

2025-10-01

This position is covered by the Association of McGill University Research Employees (AMURE) collective agreement.

McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated groups to self-identify. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, accessibilityrequest.hr@mcgill.ca.