We are recruiting! If you’re interested in joining the lab as an undergraduate, grad student or postdoc, please read below for apply to join the lab.

PROSPECTIVE GRADUATE STUDENTS

I am currently recruiting one PhD student and potentially also one MSc student for fall 2027!

Funding information

Full-time graduate students are guaranteed a minimum stipend (annual salary). In addition to conducting research and completing some coursework, grad students in Integrative Biology at Guelph normally work for one semester per year as a teaching assistant as part of their stipend. The minimum stipend in Integrative Biology is ~$24k per year for MSc students and ~$28k per year for PhD students (information here). Graduate students are also required to pay tuition totalling roughly $10k per year (information here – note that this is for Canadian students and the situation is a bit different for international students). To help offset the rapidly rising cost of living, graduate students in the Grainger Lab are paid above the minimums: master’s students in the lab who have no scholarships will be paid at least $30,000 per year (i.e., a minimum of $20,000 in take-home money after tuition) and PhD students will be paid at least $32,000 per year (i.e., a minimum of $22,000 in take-home money after tuition). I will also work with students to apply for internal and external scholarships to raise these amouns further (scholarships are listed here). Great news: NSERC has now raised MSc scholarships to $27k/year and PhD scholarships to $40k/year, and so students in the lab who receive these awards (and TA) will be paid ~$35k per year (MSc) or ~$47k per year (PhD).

Note: the way that pay and scholarships work in grad school is inherently confusing – if you are applying to the lab (or any lab!) and have questionss about it, ask!

Note: there are a number of scholarship available to graduate students who identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Colour (some of which are listed here). I encourage applicants who are eligible for these awards to highlight this when they reach out to me.

Important dates

December 1st: deadline to apply for an NSERC CGS-M Master’s Scholarship. It is often possible to apply for this in the year before starting (with my help).

Mid-October: deadline to apply for NSERC PGS-D and CGS-D PhD Scholarships (note that Guelph’s internal deadline is at the end of September). You can apply for this in the year before starting, but you can also apply the year you start.

PROSPECTIVE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Ways to do research as an undergraduate:

NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA)and Undergraduate Research Assistantships: (URAs): 16 week full time paid summer independent research programs. These are advertised on the Experience Guelph jobs portalin January, we hire in February, and they are a full-time position from May to August. UPDATE (June 2026): Positions have been filled for the 2026/2027 academic year – please check back next year!

4th year thesis project (a.k.a Honours project – IBIO 4521 and 4522. Worth 2.0 credits total). Thesis projects involve conducting a literature review, designing an experiment, submitting a research proposal, analyzing data, and presenting findings in a poster presentation and a publication-quality final report. UPDATE (June 2026): Positions have been filled for the 2026/2027 academic year – please check back next year!

One semester or two semester independent research projects for course credit: Undergrads at Guelph can do one semester research project (IBIO 4500 – can be in either fall or winter. Worth 1.0 credit) or a two semester research project (IBIO 4500 (fall) plus IBIO 4510 (winter). Worth 2.0 credits total). UPDATE (June 2026): Positions have been filled for the 2026/2027 academic year – please check back next year!

Work Study program: paid, part-time research work (usually about 10 hours per week). Can occur in any semester, and I will likely have at least one Work Study position advertised in all fall and winter semesters. All work study positions in the lab will be advertised on the Experience Guelph jobs portal. UPDATE (June 2026): No positions currently open.

Co-op positions: Unfortunately the lab does not have funding to hire co-op students for the foreseeable future.

Note: there are several scholarship available to help undergraduate students who identify as Black or Indigenous get involved in research at Guelph (e.g., NSERC USRA+ awards for Black and Indiginous students and Indiginous Undergraduate Research Awards). I encourage applicants who are eligible for these awards to highlight this when they reach out to me.

PROSPECTIVE POSTDOCS

I am always open to hearing from potential postdocs! If you’re interested, please send me an email outlining your research background and interests, potential project ideas, and any postdoc funding that you are eligible for (e.g., NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship, Banting, Liber Ero). Please attach your CV!

Note: There is an institutional postdoctoral fellowship at Guelph for Indigenous Scholars. I encourage applicants who are eligible for this grant to highlight this when they reach out to me.

Important dates:

Mid-October: Deadline to apply for NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship (note that Guelph’s internal deadline is earlier).

Early July: Deadline to submit Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship letter of intent to apply to Guelph.