New Grad Opportunity – CBU – Detection of Waterborne contaminants in Drinking Water Sensor Development Intern- Sydney, NS

CBU – Detection of Waterborne contaminants in Drinking Water Sensor Development Intern

 

Location: Sydney, Nova Scotia

Duration:4-month position (Available immediately until March 31, 2026)

Hours: 35 weekly

Wage: $20/hour

Cape Breton University (CBU) has a long-held commitment to environmental sustainability, and uniquely, is a self-sustaining university from an energy perspective with off-campus renewable wind power owned by the university which completely offsets our campus energy consumption. Another long-standing CBU research focus is water, with many Faculty at CBU engaged in water management and its sustainable use in a variety of projects across the Maritimes.

 

Summary of Project/Position

 

Many Nova Scotians rely on private wells for their drinking water, but only a small fraction of these wells are routinely evaluated for contaminants, partially due to the time-consuming and complex process of sampling and taking samples for analysis and waiting for results. We seek to develop a suite of sensors to detect, in near real-time, the presence of waterborne contaminants to easily inform homeowners of their relative risk. The Intern will assist in developing cost-effective electrochemical sensors, in the miniaturization of each sensor, and the integration of several sensors on one chip/strip, internal calibration, and development of a user-friendly interface. Ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) utilizing a selective ion-permeable membrane and standard potentiometric methods can quantify dissolved metal ions. ISE sensors are attractive as the measured signal is proportional to the logarithm of the dissolved ion (in dilute solutions, the activity is essentially equivalent to the concentration), which allows for a very broad linear range. Although some efforts micro-sizing ISEs have been reported, engineering and manufacturing challenges exist making reproducible results inconsistent.

 

Responsibilities:

 

• Help develop ISE sensor for a number of contaminants of well-water, including arsenic and uranium which pose a particular threat in Nova Scotia due to underlying geology
• Monitor and analyze water chemistry data and help perform statistical analyses.
• Work with community groups such as ACAP Cape Breton in public outreach regarding the research
• Produce a final report

Qualifications/Desired Attributes:

 

• Strong background in chemistry and biology consistent with an undergraduate degree are preferable, but training will be provided.
• Interest in enhancing forest ecosystem services
• Enthusiastic about making a contribution to clean water
• Hard-working
• Detail oriented
• Able to work under both lab and field conditions
• Possess a valid drivers license
• Willing to travel, including potential for short overnight sampling periods

 

Benefits:

 

A 12% MERC will be provided in benefits to the intern above the direct salary obligations, consisting of vacation pay, CPP, and EI contributions.

 

Application Requirements:

• Graduated from a post-secondary program in a STEM related field
• No more than 30 years of age at the start of the internship (due to funding stipulations only)
• Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person granted refugee status in Canada
• Available to work for at least six months
• Not currently employed as a paid employee at the host organization
• Legally allowed to work according to the relevant provincial and Canadian legislation and regulations
• Not receiving employment insurance during internship

 

We are committed to Employment Equity and our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative at all job levels.  We welcome applicants from Indigenous People, Visible Minority Groups, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations of positions where they are under-represented.  If you are a member of one of the equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on either your cover letter or resume.

Applications can be sent to Anthony M. Mazzocca at ammazzocca@cbrm.ns.ca