Primary Purpose: The School of Physical Therapy and the Canadian Center for Health and Safety in Agriculture are seeking applicants for a jointly-offered postdoctoral research fellowship in the field of Ergonomics based in the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. The position is designed to support and undertake investigations in ergonomics and occupational biomechanics relative to identifying and reducing injury risk within the workforce. Lab management support represents 50% of this position, with independent researching making up the other 50%. Applicants for this position are expected to have considerable experience in laboratory and fieldwork investigations linked to epidemiological, biomechanical, and ergonomic research, including the technical and programming skills required to process these types of measurements.

Nature of Work: This position has no direct reports. This position is conceived to be 50% support and administration of Ergonomics Lab. Typically the role will involve a standard 5-day work week with anticipated hours of 9.00am to 5.00pm, although this may occasionally vary due to the nature of research projects being undertaken. While workplace exposures will be minimal, from time to time the position will require on-farm fieldwork which may include exposure to grain dust and animals. It is expected that the applicant will have a valid driver’s license and travel to worksites as required. Overnight travel is not anticipated.
Accountabilities:
  • Operation, calibration, and maintenance of lab-based biomechanical equipment (motion capture system, force plates, rotopod vibration platform)
  • Contribute as a technical and support member for the investigative team to:
    • methods development for lab- and field-based biomechanical exposure studies
    • data collection with biomechanical equipment (primarily lab-based, with possibility for field-based)
    • development of data processing programs to generate exposure summary statistics from time series data
    • research publications
    • research development including identifying opportunities for research direction and funding

  • Develop and actualize an independent research project; this will include many of the same roles listed above, but in a leadership role

Qualifications & Education: PhD in biomechanics, ergonomics, or related field. Other combinations of educational qualifications and work experience may be considered.
Experience: Two to five years of relevant experience in:
  • Data collection and processing in biomechanics laboratory milieu
  • Research project management;
  • Laboratory and field-based assessment of biomechanical exposures;
  • Working with study participants, including mounting and removing measurement equipment
  • Teaching/working with students an asset

Skills:
  • Computer programming, analytical software development
  • Database development and management
  • Competent with descriptive and basic inferential statistics (SPSS, SAS, R, STATA, etc)
  • Demonstrated English writing skills, able to contribute to scientific publications
  • Good time management skills

Applicants should submit, via email attachment, their cover letter and curriculum vitae to:
Catherine Trask
Canada Research Chair in Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Health
Associate Professor
Canadian Centre for Health and Safety in Agriculture (CCHSA)
University of Saskatchewan
catherine.trask@usask.ca
See full job posting.
See lab website.