Role Context and Strategic Alignment

This position is an integral part of an industry-partnered, job position focused on the development, optimization, validation, and scale-up of nanomaterial-enabled technologies for oil sands tailings management and industrial produced water treatment. The is a fast-

paced role directly addresses industry challenges, including water reuse, tailings reduction,

chemical minimization, and cost-effective, scalable treatment solutions.

Primary Purpose of the Position The primary purpose of this position is to lead applied research and technology development activities related to nanoparticle-based flocculants and surface-modified filtration media for tailings, and industrial-produced water and treatment. The role bridges fundamental research and industrial deployment and supports the advancement of technologies from laboratory to pilot-scale readiness and finally to commercial deployment.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

- Design, synthesize, and optimize polymer-grafted nanomaterials for enhanced settling and

dewatering in oil sand tailing, and filter-aid media grafted with nanomaterials for removal of hardness, silica and TOC from SAGD produced water.




- Conduct bench-scale and pilot-scale experiments under industry-relevant conditions.
- Evaluate performance using settling, dewatering, adsorption, and filtration metrics.
- Develop transport and adsorption models to support scale-up and decision-making.
- Collaborate with industry partners and contribute to technical deliverables.
- Mentor HQP and support training aligned with industry partner’s objectives.

Qualifications and Expertise

- MSc or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Materials Science, or related

field.
- Expertise in nanomaterials, surface chemistry, colloid science and polymer chemistry.
- Experience with water, wastewater, and tailings treatment systems.
- Strong background in transport phenomena and mass transfer.
- Proven technical writing and publication record.

Expected Outcomes

- Validated nanomaterial-based treatment technologies.
- Peer-reviewed publications and technical reports.
- Scalable datasets supporting pilot deployment.
- Contributions to IP and commercialization activities.
- Advanced training of HQP within an industry-partnered framework.

Pay: $25.00-$45.00 per hour

Advantages

- Casual dress

Work Location: In person

📌 Research Scientist – Nanotechnology for Industrial Water & Tailings Treatment (Calgary)
🏢 NanoWaterTech
📍 Calgary