PhD Student - Remote Sensing Data Analyst

PhD Student
- Remote Sensing Data Analyst
- Research Affiliate Program Natural Resources Canada
- Natural Resources Canada
- Geoscience and Earth Monitoring Sector
- Geological Survey of Canada Closing date:

July 31, 2026 - 23:59, Pacific Time

Selection process number
2026-RSN-EA-GEMS-677522

Employment tenure
The position is a three-year program (nine semesters), from Fall 2026 (September) to Summer 2029 (August)

Salary
A bursary of approximately $30,000 in the 1st year, $32,700 in the 2nd year, and $35,700 in the 3rd year for PhD, which will be paid in 3 equal installments each year.

Who can apply
Students currently enrolled or willing to enroll in a PhD program at University of Calgary with a specialization in Geomatics Engineering.

To be considered for RAP opportunities, students must be:
1. Recognized as having full-time student status by the post-secondary academic institution at which you are presently enrolled (proof will be required) OR be a part-time student who is recognized by their academic institution as a having a disability;
2. The minimum age to work in the province or territory where the job is located; and
3. Enrolled in an academic program that requires research as part of their curriculum.

Duties
The PhD student will support the project by acquiring and organizing hyperspectral, multispectral, geological, geophysical, and geospatial datasets for the Sverdrup Basin study area; conducting imagery preprocessing and analysis; developing workflows for mineral identification, alteration mapping, spectral feature extraction, and classification from hyperspectral data; integrating multi-source remote sensing and geological datasets; and developing AI/ML-based approaches for spectral unmixing, anomaly detection, and prospectivity mapping.

The student will also contribute to the development of a predictive exploration model for diapir-associated hydrothermal ore deposits, prepare maps and technical figures, document reproducible workflows, support internal reporting, and contribute to conference presentations and peer-reviewed manuscript drafting.

Work environment
At Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), a federal government job means developing leadership skills, fostering teamwork, and supporting creativity and innovation. We know it takes people from diverse pools of talent to make this happen. That is why we are looking for people like you. As an employee at NRCan you can enjoy diverse employment opportunities, a range of career development programs, and a learning culture that supports you to learn on an ongoing basis.

We support balancing your work and private life by offering the benefits of flexible work arrangements.

The Geological Survey of Canada is a part of the Geoscience and Earth Monitoring Sector of NRCan. It is Canada's premier agency for geoscientific information and research, with world-class expertise focusing on geoscience surveys, sustainable development of Canada's resources, environmental protection, and technology innovation by acquiring, interpreting and disseminating geoscience information concerning Canada's landmass, including the offshore.

Intent of the process
The intention is to staff one (1) student position for the completion of a Doctor of Philisophy degree at the University of Calgary with supervisor Dr. Lincoln-Linlin Xu.

Positions to be filled
1

• Reliability Status security clearance - Each student hired through the Research Affiliate Program (RAP) must meet the security requirements of the position as a condition of employment. Therefore, the student will be asked by the hiring organization to complete security-related documents.

Your application must clearly explain how you meet the following

Education:

• Graduation with a Master of Science degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in geomatics, geography, land science, Geoscience, geographic information system, or another specialization related to the position.
• Currently enrolled, or willing and able to enroll in an PhD program with a specialization in Geomatics Engineering at the University of Calgary. (note: proof of enrollment must be provided before being appointed)

Knowledge:

• Background knowledge in hyperspectral image classification, satellite data processing, geospatial analysis, and remote sensing applications.
• Background knowledge in AI/ML algorithms applied to satellite imagery analysis, including spectral unmixing, Conv Ne Xt , diffusion models, Mamba-based architectures, and other advanced image classification methods.

May be applied / assessed at a later date

Asset

Experience:

• Experience or familiarity with mineral identification and alteration mapping using satellite-based imagery, including hyperspectral and multispectral remote sensing data.

We're committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the…