The CREATEK Design Lab at the Université de Sherbrooke (Québec, Canada) is looking for a PhD student for a “clean sheet” design project in partnership with Bauer, Hockey Canada and Own The Podium. The overall goal of this project is to help the Canadian Olympic Hockey Teams to win more [or better] medals at the 2022 and 2026 Olympics by giving them the hockey gear of the future.
The successful candidate will have a master degree in engineering or other related fields. He/she would have a demonstrated track record and desire to gain advanced skills in design thinking, product development, instrumentation, electronic design, composites manufacturing, and data analysis. He/she should be comfortable with rapidly validating/invalidating bleeding edge idea through back-of-the-envelope calculations involving fundamental principles, use of advanced simulations, experiments, prototypes and field testing with top athletes. We are looking for someone who can apply critical and creative thinking, with numerous iterations of define, design, build, test, think and repeat! More importantly, we are looking for someone fun to join a dynamic team environment.
The position is fully funded with a competitive scholarship for up to 4 years. The students will work mainly at the 3IT (Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation) with flexible internships at the Bauer Innovation Center in Blainville, just north of Montreal.
To apply: send a brief statement of research interests, CV, transcripts, and a short portfolio of representative work (i.e., published paper, prototype, video, photo, etc.), as well as the contact information for 3 references to alexis.lussier.desbiens@usherbrooke.ca.
Operations at the 3IT are mostly conducted in French, but everyone also knows English. A working knowledge of both languages is preferred, or a willingness to learn.
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About CREATEK/3IT: CREATEK (6 profs, 40 students and 10 research professionals) is a technology development team that cultivate creativity, hard work, impact and fun. It is hosted in at 3IT, a large research institute (300+ researchers) with shared resources, including electronic assembly/testing lab, high-speed and high-resolution cameras, large motion capture room, force plates, 3D printing (polymer, composite and metal), laser cutting, CNC, data acquisition, real-time control systems, wind tunnel, etc. CREATEK students have also access to a brand new 8 M$ fablab (Studio de Création). Projects within CREATEK range from energy conversion to novel robot architectures, with a strong team dedicated to sport equipment design. The team has work with various industrial partners in the sporting industry, including Rossignol, Bauer, Genuine Guide Gear (G3), Checkerspot, 4FRNT, Raccoon Skis, Xalibu, Utopie MFG, Vermont Ski Museum, Blisters Gear Review, etc.
About Université de Sherbrooke:
Located in Canada, in the Province of Quebec, close to numerous ski resorts, mountain biking trails and ice/rock climbing destinations, the Université de Sherbrooke is a French-speaking institution that offers an academic education that is recognized and valued around the world. The Université de Sherbrooke is the most appreciated institution in Canada according to MacLean’s. It also earned a reputation for its hard-hitting research, which has led to major discoveries and innovations in a variety of disciplines.
The Université de Sherbrooke is host to more than 31 000 students and has been welcoming international students ever since it was founded. Currently, more than 1600 foreign students from 88 countries worldwide attend the Université de Sherbrooke, with more than 82 % of the students enrolled coming from outside Sherbrooke.
About Bauer:
Bauer Hockey is the world's most recognized designer, marketer and manufacturer of hockey equipment. Founded in Kitchener, Ontario in 1927, Bauer has since then continued to develop the most sought-after products in the industry. BAUER Innovation Center is home to more than 150 testing and R&D machines that allow the product engineers, designers and developers to properly evaluate and validate next-generation products. An impact simulator, linear accelerator and puck cannon are just a few of the tools the company uses to optimize performance and protection levels of helmets, skates, sticks, shoulder pads and more. The Advanced Development team has a dedicated 18,000 square foot prototyping space with state-of-the-art 3D printers to build products that are four to five years out from commercial launch.
The real ice surface features regulation hockey boards and glass, and allows researchers and designers to gain valuable on-ice feedback instantaneously. In addition to allowing the team to test new product, the BAUER team utilizes the latest sensor technology on the ice surface to evaluate stick flex, responsiveness, power and much more in real time.
