Opportunities

This role centres trainee voices, lived experience, and inclusive governance across the Institute. The Trainee Relations Vice-Director works to strengthen student representation, engagement, and belonging, ensuring trainee perspectives meaningfully inform decision-making, programming, and policy.

Ideal candidates bring a strong commitment to EDIA, student advocacy, inclusive leadership, and community-building across diverse identities and disciplines.

Interested candidates are invited to self-nominate by submitting two short paragraphs describing:

– Interest in the role and alignment with EDIA and inclusive community-building values

– The experience, lived expertise, and leadership skills they bring

Please send the nominations to smartnet@ualberta.ca.

Serving as iSMART’s chief internal programming, engagement, and communications lead, this role fosters a connected, inclusive, and accessible institutional culture. The Internal Relations Vice-Director strengthens internal communications, promotes equitable participation, and amplifies diverse voices across the Institute.

Ideal candidates demonstrate excellence in inclusive communication, strategic writing, relationship-building, and EDIA-informed leadership.

Interested candidates are invited to self-nominate by submitting two short paragraphs describing:

– Interest in the role and alignment with EDIA and inclusive community-building values
– The experience, lived expertise, and leadership skills they bring

Please send the nominations to smartnet@ualberta.ca.

This leadership role focuses on building respectful, reciprocal, and inclusive relationships with community partners, Indigenous organizations, government, donors, industry, and the public. The External Relations Vice-Director champions equitable engagement and represents iSMART across external forums.

Ideal candidates bring experience in partnership development, advocacy, culturally informed engagement, and advancing equity through external-facing work.

Interested candidates are invited to self-nominate by submitting two short paragraphs describing:

– Interest in the role and alignment with EDIA and inclusive community-building values
– The experience, lived expertise, and leadership skills they bring

Please send the nominations to smartnet@ualberta.ca.

Alentic Microscience Inc. is seeking a bright, energetic Mechanical Engineer to join their team and help advance a novel, portable point-of-care diagnostic platform technology. This is an exciting opportunity to work hands-on from concept to prototype to production in the medical device space.

What They’re Looking For:

– Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field (postgraduate degree an asset)
– Minimum 3 years of experience (preferably in medical device design & manufacturing)
– Strong proficiency in CAD software, e.g., SolidWorks (preferred), AutoCAD
– Experience with electronic assembly, optical systems and CMOS imagers
– Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, and excellent communication skills
– Familiarity with DFM/DFA, GD&T, and design controls
– Strong troubleshooting and communication skills

📍 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia 📅 Start Date: Immediate

Interested candidates can send their CV and cover letter to Alan Fine, CEO at afine@alentic.com.

In 2024, a transdisciplinary team from the University of Alberta received an award from the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund to co-create a project titled “Co-designing a Smartwear Revolution,” a complex, transdisciplinary 6-year research project that involves an iterative co-design process engaging multiple stakeholders, from various disciplinary and methodological backgrounds, as well as people with lived experiences.

The technology development of the project is led by the following 6 domains: Actuators/Fibres, Sensors, Power, Control/AI, Textile, and Biomechanics. Positions are available in all domains:

– Textiles and Design Integration: Projects focus on designing and prototyping comfortable, serviceable smart garments by integrating sensors, actuators, and electronics directly into textile and garment structures for diverse user needs.
– Actuators/Fibres: Projects develop and manufacture advanced smart fibres and soft actuators, optimizing materials, fabrication processes, and textile compatibility for reliable, scalable integration into garments.
– Sensors: Projects create and validate textile-integrated wearable sensing technologies (e.g., pressure, strain, EMG, tilt) to monitor body motion and muscle activity.
– Control & AI: Projects design modelling, control, and AI frameworks that estimate user intent and adapt garment assistance in real time through human–garment co-simulation and predictive control.
– Power: Projects develop safe, high-energy-density, textile-compatible power systems, including solid-state batteries, wireless charging, and early-failure detection for wearable smart garments.
– Biomechanics: Projects support all domains by quantifying human movement, muscle activity, and body variability to inform garment design, sensor placement, and evaluation of assistance effectiveness.

Work at the intersection of textiles, actuators, sensors, control & AI, power, biomechanics, and human-centred design to help shape the future of wearable assistive technologies – co-created with diverse stakeholders and people with lived experience.