2025 Summer Student - Human Performance

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories is bringing together the finest minds to form a diverse, vibrant and dynamic workforce culture energized by the innovative capacity of students, new graduates and mid-career professionals, underpinned by senior world-renowned experts. We hire numerous students from colleges and universities each semester to support our research and perform other assignments. If you are looking for exciting and challenging work this Winter, keep reading, and if you meet the requirements of this role, apply today!

The National Security & Critical Infrastructure Directorate (Directorate) is responsible for a wide range of S&T research and technical services focused on nuclear detection, nuclear forensics, emergency response, and the cyber security of critical infrastructure. Areas of technical expertise within the directorate encompass the development and application of advanced techniques for the interrogation, detection, assessment, attribution and mitigation of chemical biological radiological nuclear and explosive threats. A major focus of the directorate is addressing the persistent challenge of cyber safety and security of real-time digital systems employed for the control, monitoring and operations of current and advanced nuclear reactor systems and other critical infrastructure. CNL's Nuclear Response & Analysis Branch (Branch) is devoted to enhancing Canada's ability to respond to a nuclear or radiological emergency, and performing S&T in the areas of human factors and human performance, nuclear forensics, bio-dosimetry, radiochemical analysis, nuclear safety, nuclear security, and emergency response tools, as well as responding to requests from Federal Departments of the Government of Canada in this area.

Please submit a resume, cover letter, and copy of an up-to-date transcript by the posting close date of January 5th at 11:59 pm EST to ensure consideration for student employment. All students applying for student positions at CNL must be returning to full-time studies upon completion of their work term. Exceptions will be made for students who require a work term to graduate.

Department: Nuclear Response and Analysis
Number of Positions: 1
Duration: 4 months (May -August )
Field of Study: Human Factors, Industrial Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field.
Year of study: 4th year of studies or higher

What you will be doing:

This position performs R&D under supervision from Human Performance Scientists to understand and improve human performance in complex individual-technological-organizational systems and their influence on nuclear safety. The student will work collaboratively within the Branch and the Directorate to achieve research objectives identified by clients. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI) for cyber safety and security.
The following R&D activities will be performed:

• Applying various human factors methods under supervision from Human Performance Scientists.
• Conducting literature reviews.
• Contributing to technical reports.
• Contributing to scientific conference presentations and scientific journal articles.
• Reporting regular progress on projects.
• Other tasks as assigned

What we are looking for:

• Education
  • Applicants should be Master's or Ph.D. students in Human Factors, Industrial Engineering, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field.
• Experience
  • Knowledge of human factors methods and research practices & principles. Knowledge of statistics, and experience with related software such as SPSS, R, or Python will also be considered when reviewing applications.
  • Experience with prototyping is a plus.
• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
  • Excellent organizational skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple and competing priorities.
  • Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Security Clearance Eligibility Required
  • Reliability Status which has a minimum requirement of 3-5 years of verifiable history in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and/or the United Kingdom. CNL implements security screening in accordance with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's "Standard on Security Screening" and the "Policy on Government Security."

Why CNL?
Does working with a team across Canada to advance nuclear science and technology for a clean and secure world speak to you? We're reinventing ourselves to be the pacesetters so we can lead the charge in solving the problems that matter, like building the next generation of clean nuclear and hydrogen energy solutions, developing new and better-targeted cancer treatments, and continuing to lead the world in environmental remediation.

We offer Students:

• Paid Statutory Holidays (within the working term);
• 1 Company Floating Holiday;
• Instead of accumulative vacation time, students receive an additional 4% of earnings on each pay!

Do Our Priorities Resonate with You?

• Clean energy for today and tomorrow.
• Restore and protect the Environment.
• Contribute to the health of Canadians.

Location:
CNL works with employees across Canada to enable a remote workforce where possible. Our work-from-home employees are provided with the equipment required to be successful: laptop, monitor, external keyboard and mouse, etc. Of course, we always love a visit to the site when possible!

CNL's Chalk River laboratory is nestled in the Ottawa Valley and affords our employees an environmentally pristine area with extensive forests, hills, and numerous small lakes. These support a variety of wildlife typical to the southern edge of the Canadian Shield. Many surrounding towns, such as Pembroke, Petawawa, and Deep River, provide unparalleled outdoor adventures at your doorstep!

CNL is committed to providing an atmosphere free from barriers that promotes equity, diversity, and inclusion in achieving our mission. CNL welcomes and celebrates employees, stakeholders, and partners of all racial, cultural, and ethnic identities. Please read here for more on our DE&I Commitment.

CNL also supports a workplace environment and corporate culture built on our Core Values: Respect, Teamwork, Accountability, Safety, Integrity, and Excellence. These values encourage equitable employment practices and career prospects, including accommodations for all employees.

CNL is committed to being an equal-opportunity employer. If you require accommodation measures during any phase of the hiring process, please indicate via our ATS when applying. All information received regarding accommodation requests will be kept confidential.

The Chalk River Laboratories site is located on the unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe people. As an organization, CNL recognizes and appreciates their historic connection to this place. CNL also recognizes the contributions that First Nations, Métis, Inuit and other Indigenous Peoples have made, both in shaping and strengthening this community in particular, and this province and country as a whole.

#LI-REMOTE