USask Fruit Program encourages motivated postdoctoral candidates interested in joining our team to apply for funding through The Canada Postdoctoral Research Award Program program. 

We’re always excited to connect with passionate individuals interested in fruit research and innovation. If you have your own funding and would like to collaborate or contribute to our work, we’d love to hear from you! Reach out anytime to explore opportunities with us.

 

The USask Fruit Program currently has the following MSc Graduate Student position open.

MSc Graduate Student in haskap (Lonicera caerulea) phenotyping

Research Focus:

The USask Fruit Program invites applications for an MSc Graduate Student position under the supervision of Assistant Professor Dr. Anže Švara, with co-supervision by Dr. Kate Congreves and Dr. Kwabena Nketia. The successful candidate will contribute to research focused on characterizing haskap (Lonicera caerulea) genetic resources maintained in the USask Fruit germplasm. The specific focus will be on developing phenotyping techniques to evaluate phenotypic variation in response to diverse growing conditions. This research will leverage advanced image acquisition and analysis, big data analytics, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence techniques across field, greenhouse, and laboratory settings.

Nature of Work:

Combination of field, greenhouse, lab, and computer. 

Accountabilities:

The successful graduate student will play a key role in streamlining and advancing the research and breeding efforts of the USask Fruit Program. They will join a dynamic team of plant breeders and horticultural scientists, focusing on genetic research that supports the breeding program. Responsibilities will include setting up plant experiments, data collection, development of data processing and phenotyping pipelines, and implementation of scalable workflows to enable high-throughput phenotyping data analysis. In addition, the student will plan and execute experiments, collaborate with stakeholders, and contribute to the dissemination of results through both scientific and public communication channels. They will work closely with project partners, growers, industry representatives, and other collaborators involved in the project. We are seeking a motivated team player who is committed to fostering a supportive and collegial work environment by helping to organize and participate in various lab events.

Minimum qualifications:

To meet the eligibility criteria and apply for this position consult the “Future graduate students” website of the University of Saskatchewan: https://grad.usask.ca/programs/plant-sciences.php

Preferred qualifications:

Background in horticulture, large data computational analyses, or programing skills. Experience with working in field, greenhouse, lab, and computational setting. would be considered an asset. A valid class car driver’s license is preferred. Strong communication and writing skills are essential. Additionally, the candidate must demonstrate the ability to plan and work independently while meeting tight deadlines and collaborating effectively within a team. 

To Apply: All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. The University of Saskatchewan is committed to the principles of employment equity. The University encourages applications from qualified Aboriginal people, persons with a disability, racially visible persons, and women. 

Interested applicants should send by email a brief cover letter, a CV, and contact information for two references, academic transcripts, any additional questions to:

Prof. Anže Švara
Subject: The MSc Graduate Student Application on haskap phenotyping
Email: anze.svara@usask.ca
Department: Plant Sciences
Location: University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK  

Status: Term Employment
Group: MSc Graduate Student
Stipend: According to the Department of Plant Sciences Standandards
Posted Date: 20/08/2025
Closing Date: Until filled.
Number of Openings: 1
Work Location: On Campus 

The University is committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion, and are proud to support career opportunities for Indigenous peoples to reflect the community we serve. We are dedicated to recruiting individuals who will enrich our work and learning environments. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. We are committed to providing accommodations to those with a disability or medical necessity. If you require an accommodation to participate in the recruitment process, please notify us and we will work together on the accommodation request. We continue to grow our partnerships with Indigenous communities across the province, nationally, and internationally and value the unique perspective that Indigenous employees provide to strengthen these relationships. Verification of Indigenous Membership/Citizenship at the University of Saskatchewan is led and determined by the deybwewin | taapwaywin | tapwewin: Indigenous Truth policy and Standing Committee in accordance with the processes developed to enact the policy. Successful candidates that assert Indigenous membership/citizenship will be asked to complete the verification process of Indigenous membership/citizenship with documentation. The University of Saskatchewan’s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. We pay our respects to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another. Together, we are uplifting Indigenization to a place of prominence at the University of Saskatchewan.