Research Associate - CARTE (12 Month Term)
- Employer
- University of Toronto
- Location
- : St. George (Downtown Toronto)
View more categoriesView less categories
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Institution Type
- Four-Year Institution
Job Details
Date Posted: 09/22/2026
Req ID:50281
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Department: Dept of Mechanical & Industrial Eng
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Existing Vacancy: Yes
Description:
About Us:
The Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering is home to about 60 professors leading research on a very broad range of topics. On the Industrial Engineering side, research areas include Operations Research, Information Engineering, Human Factors, and Applied Machine Learning, all of which seek to improve the systems we as humans rely on to navigate our world. On the Mechanical Engineering side, research areas include Robotics, Mechanics & Design, Materials, and Thermofluids, topics that are applied to applications including manufacturing, energy production, and bioengineering.
We are also home to about 2,000 very talented students: about 1,300 undergraduates are enrolled in the Industrial Engineering and in the Mechanical Engineering BASc programs. We have about 350 Master of Engineering (MEng) students, a professional program for students taking courses with us for a year or two. And we have about 350 MASc and PhD students, who work individually on research projects with a particular professor.
Your Opportunity:
The Centre for Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Engineering (CARTE), housed in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, brings together faculty and students from across engineering disciplines to advance applied research, education, and industry partnerships in data analytics and artificial intelligence. CARTE conducts applied AI/ML research through industry-partnered projects in domains including engineering, urban systems, healthcare, and energy, and translates that research into customized non-credit AI/ML training programs for international industry and government partners, for the Faculty’s graduate students, and for its researchers. CARTE is currently looking for a research associate with deep AI/ML expertise, strong communication ability, and initiative to play a leading role in the Centre’s applied research projects and in the training programs that arise from them.
The Research Associate position will work under the supervision of the Director of CARTE to
• Develop and execute research vision with PI to achieve research goals.
• Conduct applied AI/ML research arising from CARTE’s industry-partnered projects and programs, prepare manuscripts for publication, prepare technical reports for partners, and contribute to research funding proposals led by CARTE faculty affiliates
• Provide technical leadership for the applied research projects undertaken with CARTE’s partner cohorts, acting as the main technical point of contact for each cohort from academic and technical onboarding through project completion, and coordinating the graduate student mentors who support individual project teams
• Provide day-to-day technical guidance and mentorship to graduate students and interns working on CARTE projects
• The research associate is expected to publish both at conferences and in journals
• Develop and maintain training materials for programming related to CARTE
Qualifications
Education
• Ph.D. degree in computer science, engineering, statistics, or related fields with emphasis on machine learning and artificial intelligence or acceptable combination of equivalent education and/or experience.
Experience
• Academic or professional experience of at least two (2) years in applied AI/ML, as a graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, researcher, or practitioner
• Experience with practical AI/ML projects implementable in the real world
• Experience in conducting collaborative research, presentations to technical audiences, and preparing manuscripts for academic publications
• Experience training students in academic or professional settings, including designing and delivering workshops, bootcamps
• Experience leading technical projects, including guiding students or junior team members
• Experience working with industry or external partners on applied projects preferred
Skills
• Deep understanding of machine learning paradigms and various algorithms, models, and validation techniques, including current large language model methods and tooling
• Proficiency in Python and the current machine learning ecosystem (for example, PyTorch and scikit-learn)
• Knowledge of the broader field of artificial intelligence (natural language processing, computer vision, optimization, and statistics)
• Ability to translate a partner’s problem statement into a scoped project or workshop and to judge what is technically feasible in the time available
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, including the ability to explain AI/ML methods to audiences with varied technical backgrounds
• Ability to initiate, refine, and complete projects with minimal guidance while contributing to several projects concurrently
• Strong technical and analytical skills with a record of research output, such as peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, or open-source contributions
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and work environment.
To be successful in this role you will be:
• Eager to learn
• Resourceful
• Goal oriented
• Meticulous
• Problem solver
• Self-directed
• Comfortable working in a small team with a broad remit, including in-person delivery in Toronto
Closing Date: 10/06/2026,11:59PM ET
Employee Group: Research Associate
Personnel Subarea:Research Assoc
Appointment Type: Grant - Term
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: R01 -- Research Associates (Limited Term): $53,520 - $100,350
Job Category: Engineering / Technical
Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.
As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.
Accessibility Statement
The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.
The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.
If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.
Job Segment: Industrial Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Engineer, Research Associate, Open Source, Engineering, Research, Technology
Organization
Established in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada's largest university, recognized as a global leader in research and teaching. U of T's distinguished faculty, institutional record of groundbreaking scholarship and wealth of innovative academic opportunities continually attract outstanding students and academics from around the world.
U of T is committed to providing a learning experience that benefits from both a scale almost unparalleled in North America and from the close-knit learning communities made possible through its college system and academic divisions. Located in and around Toronto, one of the world's most diverse regions, U of T's vibrant academic life is defined by a unique degree of cultural diversity in its learning community.The University is sustained environmentally by three green campuses, where renowned heritage buildings stand beside award-winning innovations in architectural design.
U of T is one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.
U of T is one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers.
Are you looking for a challenging, meaningful career in a supportive and diverse environment?
Work where the world comes to think.
Work where the world comes to discover.
Work where the world comes to learn.
Opportunities exist for people from a wide range of backgrounds, ranging from recent graduates to experienced senior professionals.
We offer challenging work within an open environment that celebrates diversity in all its forms. Our focus is on creating a positive work environment that attracts and retains excellent employees through a combination of competitive compensation, favourable working conditions, opportunities for career growth and development and a unique organizational culture.
Employees have access to:
- Excellent health and dental benefits;
- On-site support for training and career development;
- Flexible work arrangements;
- Childcare subsidy;
- Tuition waivers;
- Scholarships and/or tuition waivers for dependants;
- Generous paid time off;
- Support on equity and diversity issues;
- On-site child care;
- University Pension Plan;
- Subsidized athletic facility membership;
- World-renowned libraries;
- Confidential counselling services;
- Parking and TTC Metropasses;
- Employee and Family Assistance Plan;
- Continued health benefits for pensioners.
Get job alerts
Create a job alert and receive personalized job recommendations straight to your inbox.
Create alert