Ontario businesses to gain greater access to highly skilled graduates

Recognizing the need to invest in the development of highly qualified recent graduates, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) are partnering to enable Ontario small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to enhance their R&D capacity with the addition of highly skilled graduates. Industrial R&D Fellowships (IRDFs) provide financial support to recent doctoral graduates in science and engineering to pursue R&D careers in the private sector.

"By partnering with NSERC, OCE is able to provide Ontario SMEs with access to highly qualified researchers who bring cutting-edge knowledge in their areas of expertise to these companies," explains Dr. Tom Corr, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Centres of Excellence. "By hiring recent doctoral graduates, the SMEs will not only benefit from fresh ideas and perspectives, they will also contribute to the creation of jobs, support the province's economic growth, and increase their overall competitiveness in the global marketplace. This partnership is a great example of government leadership for the benefit of Ontario and Canada's economy."

"This partnership magnifies the reach and impact of NSERC's Industrial R&D Fellowships by making companies in Ontario more aware of the talent that is available and how it can be used to help address their business innovation needs," said Janet Walden, Vice-President, Research Partnerships Programs, NSERC. "By working together with OCE, we can more effectively connect recent doctoral graduates with companies, accelerating the transfer of expertise and technology, expanding the knowledge base in our SMEs, and increasing commercialization."

Through these new jointly-funded fellowships, candidates are eligible for a maximum salary of $75,000 per year for a two-year period. NSERC and OCE will each commit up to $30,000 and $20,000 per year, respectively. The qualifying industrial partner is responsible for committing $25,000 per year and any additional benefits they choose to offer.

To be eligible for the fellowships, the candidate must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada and have worked on an OCE-funded research project during their academic program. The candidate must hold a doctoral degree within the last five years in a discipline of science or engineering supported by NSERC, and have the technical or scientific expertise relevant to the position. Qualifying companies must also be actively engaged in research and development activities.

Interested candidates will need to first contact OCE to assess their eligibility and to fill out an application form. Eligible candidates will then be referred from OCE directly to NSERC where all applications will be processed.

Further details on these new IRDFs are available on the OCE and NSERC Web sites.

Contact:

Carole Champion
Director, Industrial Engagement
Sector Lead, Energy and Environment
Smart-grid Thrust Leader
Ontario Centres of Excellence
80 Aberdeen Street, Suite 100
Ottawa,ON
K1S 5R5
Phone: 1.866.759.6014 x 4262
Cell: 613 791-3378
e-mail: carole.champion@oce-ontario.org