Claire-Deschênes Postdoctoral Fellowship Competition

Building Engineering - Life Cycle Assessment   

The candidate will contribute to teaching in the Faculty of Engineering programs, particularly in the areas of life cycle assessment (LCA) and eco-design. She will also be expected to participate in the development of multidisciplinary engineering education and research activities. She will conduct fundamental and applied research in any of the following areas: consequential LCA modeling, dynamic LCA modeling, life cycle environmental impact assessment, life cycle inventory development, etc. The application themes deal with major societal issues, such as carbon neutrality, raw material scarcity, circular economy, etc.  

Mechanical Engineering  

The candidate will be expected to contribute to the Mechanical Engineering Bachelor program, and to conduct fundamental and applied research in any of the following areas of mechanical engineering: audible and ultrasonic acoustics, aeronautics, bioengineering and sports engineering, product design and development, industrial energy efficiency, solar energy, advanced materials, mechatronics, micro-electro-mechanical systems, shock wave physics, robotics, thermofluids and vibrations.

Robotics Engineering  

The candidate will be required to contribute to the teaching of the Bachelor's program in Robotics Engineering, which began in 2017. They will need to conduct both fundamental and applied research in one or more of the following areas: collaborative robotics, manipulator robots, compliant robotics, human-robot interaction, computer vision, artificial audition, signal processing, artificial intelligence, cognition and deep learning, machine learning, navigation and mapping, autonomous driving, assistive robotics, drones, dynamics and vibration, acoustics, medical imaging, or bioengineering.

Each application must include (see checklist for more details) :  

• a curriculum vitae;  

• official university transcripts;  

• a letter of motivation;  

• a letter of support for career or academic interruptions (if applicable) 

• a post-doctoral research plan (planned or in progress)  

• reprints of the most relevant recent contributions;  

• two letters of recommendation directly from the signatories  

• a completed checklist.  

This competition is open to all women wishing to complete a postdoctoral fellowship in order to pursue a career as a professor of engineering at Université de Sherbrooke.  

It is important to remember that Université de Sherbrooke is a Francophone university, which means that candidates must be proficient in French or commit to learning it.  

At the time of their application, women who are registered in a doctoral program and who have successfully completed their comprehensive doctoral examination are eligible. Women who have completed their doctoral studies within the last years are also eligible. The doctoral and postdoctoral studies of a candidate must be done at a different institution.  

In accordance with the diversity and equity objectives, career interruptions for parental, medical, and family leave and the interruption of studies for professional experiences are taken into account in assessing the applications. Candidates are encouraged to identify such periods in a supporting letter on career interruptions to be attached to the application file. 

If the candidate does not hold Canadian citizenship or permanent residence, certain immigration documents may be required.  

Desired profile  

The candidates are expected to: 

• have a strong interest in and a good aptitude for teaching, university pedagogy, as well as research, development and innovation; 

• demonstrate skills in creating and maintaining good interpersonal relationships and have good collaboration and teamwork skills; 

• demonstrate leadership, initiative and an excellent ability to communicate and interact effectively and positively with internal and external partners. 

Have a question? Consult the document that relates the most frequently asked questions. 

Each recipient agrees to submit her/his file to competitions for fellowships from external organizations during the first year of the postdoctoral fellowship, except in the situation where no program is available. The recipient undertakes to notify UdeS immediately of the award or of the receipt of any award supplement. The Claire-Deschênes postdoctoral fellowship may be combined with this other fellowship or supplement without maximum limit.

Each fellowship recipient shall agree to work on her postdoctoral fellowship full-time. The fellow must contact Université de Sherbrooke about any interruption in this postdoctoral fellowship so that the two parties can agree to the terms and conditions of this interruption.  

Each Claire-Deschênes Postdoctoral Fellowship is related to a professorship position in engineering at Université de Sherbrooke, which means that the commitments between the parties will be subject to a contractual agreement.  

The Competition was named in honour of Dr. Claire Deschênes, who received an honorary doctorate in engineering from Université de Sherbrooke on September 21, 2019. Claire Deschênes has enjoyed a solid academic career at Université Laval. As its only female professor of engineering in 1989, she founded the Hydraulic Machines Laboratory, which quickly gained a stellar reputation. In 2007, she launched the Research Consortium in Hydraulic Machines, which involved many industry partners and university researchers.  

The excellence of this group was recognized by the NSERC, which awarded Dr. Deschênes the prestigious Synergy Award for Innovation in 2014. In another outstanding career achievement, Claire Deschênes was one of the first Canadian women to be named a holder of an NSERC Chair for Women in Science and Engineering. She was also the first one to have her chair renewed, and she brilliantly carried out her duties as the NSERC-Alcan Chair for Women in Science and Engineering from 1997 to 2005. More about Dr. Claire Deschênes 

APPLICATION – CRITERIA

Is it possible to select more than one award in the nomination?

• Yes, it is possible to select 2 types of awards if you are unsure of which category your application falls into. For example: "Mechanical Engineering" and "Robotics Engineering".

Do I have to be a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec to apply?

• No, not at the time of application. However, you must commit to taking steps to become a member during your postdoctoral fellowship.

Do the letters of recommendation have to be recent?

• Each applicant must provide 2 recent and contextualized letters of recommendation for the Claire Deschênes Fellowship Competition. These letters must demonstrate your research potential and your ability to become a professor in the future.
   

They must be sent directly to Bourses-Claire-Deschenes@USherbrooke.ca by the people who wrote the letters (not by you!) before the deadline.

Is there a minimum or maximum age requirement?

• No. If your career or education was interrupted for various reasons, it is important to specify this in a letter explaining the reasons for the interruption. Do not hesitate to specify your work experience in the industry or a maternity leave that had an impact on your career path.

Should I have already identified the person who will supervise my postdoc?

• It is strongly suggested that you first identify the person who will be supervising you before submitting your application.

In the nomination, what should I include in my Postdoctoral Research Plan?

Here are some tips:

• Read and complete the Checklist.
• For the level of detail to be provided, you may wish to refer to the NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowships Program criteria.
• It is appropriate to define a timeline for the completion of your postdoctoral fellowship.
• It is important to be clear about your vision when writing your research plan. Remember that your postdoctoral fellowship will lead to a faculty position!

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP

How long is the postdoctoral fellowship?

• 1 to 2 years. This can vary for each candidate.

Is the starting date of the postdoc fixed?

• No. In your application, specify your time expectations. For example, if you complete your PhD in the winter of 2025, you can plan the start of your post-doctorate accordingly.

If I did my doctorate or postdoctorate at the Université de Sherbrooke, do I have to change university?

• Yes.

Is it possible to do a postdoctorate in industry?

• Yes, but it is preferable to also have a supervisor from the Université de Sherbrooke. If your intention is to do your postdoctoral work in industry, you must demonstrate the relevance of this in your application.

If I don't do my postdoctorate at the Université de Sherbrooke, how does it work?

• This is on a case-by-case basis. Discussions must be held with the supervisor to assess the terms and conditions. An agreement must be negotiated and signed with the partner university.

Is the faculty position guaranteed knowing that there can always be contingencies of grants or whatever for the university?

• Yes, this is a full-time teaching position in Sherbrooke. However, the contract states that in case of exceptional circumstances the position can be revised.

If I receive the Claire Deschênes Fellowship and I get another job, what happens?

• You must reimburse the costs of the scholarship. This is provided for in the contract related to the scholarship.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to write to us at Bourses-Claire-Deschenes@USherbrooke.ca and indicate in the subject line: Question.