M.Sc./Ph.D. Opportunities

MSc opportunity:

From:  Dr. Edeline Gagnon  (edeline.gagnon@uoguelph.ca) and Dr. Quinn Webber (qwebber@uoguelph.ca),

We are recruiting one fully funded MSc student ($27,000/yr)  to be part of a collaborative and inclusive research community. 
Our approach to science focusses on working as a team, developing project goals, and hypotheses with our academic and  non-academic partners.

Preference is for a September 2026 start date and applications will be accepted until March 20, 2026. 

Please note, due to funding constraints, we are only considering applications from Canadian students. 

The MSc student will work on estimating dietary partitioning of  caribou and moose using molecular genomics tools to be co-advised by Dr. Edeline Gagnon and Dr. Quinn Webber. The successful student will have some flexibility in their research direction, but the primary focus will be on estimating dietary partitioning between caribou and moose, comparing metabarcoding vs. metagenomic approaches. The successful student will have an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of our work in  collaboration with other students in both the Gagnon and Webber labs and our other academic and non-academic partners. 

Training Opportunity: projects will provide excellent opportunities for training and skill development for  employment or further graduate studies. (1) Fundamentals: critical thinking, experimental design, and  communicating science; (2) Field and Lab skills: collecting and processing voucher samples for plants and 
lichens, extraction of DNA from plant and fecal samples; (3) Analytical skills: working with high-performance  computing (HPC) to analyse genomic datasets, creating reproducible bioinformatic workflow, and statistical  analyses; (4) Contributing to lab and departmental culture through inclusive and equitable learning, teaching, 
and collaboration. 

What we offer: Student projects focus on the molecular ecology and genomics of moose and caribou diet and we prioritize collaboration and interdisciplinary projects. Within our labs, we have established a supportive  framework based on communal care and multi-level mentorship. This is facilitated by dedicated post-docs and  upper-year graduate students, all of whom share a passion for research and cultivating a healthy and supportive lab environment. Although we are both relatively new to the University of Guelph, our research labs boast a diverse team of high-quality researchers and we encourage you to contact current graduate students for more  details (Webber lab, Gagnon lab). 

Qualifications: 

(1) A passion for, and curiosity about, the natural world and the things that live in it. A strong interest in  plant/lichen taxonomy and identification is also an asset. 

(2) An interest and commitment to molecular and bioinformatic work. While there is an opportunity to carry out  fieldwork before the start of the project (July-August 2026, optional), most of the work will be focused on  generating and analyzing genomic data from previously collected samples. Though not necessary, Ontario class G drivers licence (or equivalent) is an asset for fieldwork – please include this information in your application. 

(3) Quantitative experiences, including programing in R/Python or with HPC servers, as well as experiences with  genomic/evolutionary analyses are an asset. Given these skills can take years to develop, there will be  opportunities to learn. 

The University of Guelph and the Department of Integrative Biology are committed to diversity and inclusivity. As a person at the intersection of multiple privileged groups, it is my responsibility to actively leverage this privilege to  advocate for my peers and work towards sharing undue burdens placed on members of equity-seeking groups, lifting  them when possible, and creating space that does not exist for these groups. 

To apply, please email your application as a single pdf document to Dr. Edeline Gagnon  (edeline.gagnon@uoguelph.ca) and Dr. Quinn Webber (qwebber@uoguelph.ca), including a cover letter outlining  your idea for how you might fit within the project, your background, and goals, and a current CV with the names and contact information of two references. 

Thank you for your interest!