Student research opportunities

Gain hands-on experience in the field and lab with classroom-based and paid research opportunities

Solve real-world problems in Canada's North and build your resume, all while completing your studies.

Whether your interests lie in social work, climate change, biodiversity, public health, archaeology, geology, Indigenous governance or beyond, the research opportunities are endless.

Explore Yukon communities and learn from Yukon First Nations while conducting research.

A Breadth of Experience

"In my three years as a student at YukonU, I've researched energy storage in the far North, built websites, participated in small mammal research, solicited data from experts around the country, and recently delved into archival research. I've learned so much about my interests and what I'm capable of. I can't wait to see what opportunities my final year brings!”

- Elise Brown-Dussault, Northern Environmental and Conservation Sciences student

Mountain Goat Activity in Yukon

Typically, mountain goat activity peaks in the early morning and evening, but camera traps installed in southern Yukon for the 2018 “Mountain Goat Molt Project” frequently captured photos of mountain goat activity during the night. Yukon University student Maegan McCaw completed an independent study, where she used the photos captured through these camera traps to look for trends in nighttime mountain goat activity, and for clues as to why this might be.

Strong Minds Make a Strong North

Yukon University students Ira Mamis and Jagger Jamieson traveled to Ottawa in 2020 to present their research on mental health to government officials and policy makers at CICan on the Hill.

Their project sought to create a narrative of what mental health is like at Yukon University and in the North, and created a detailed agenda of action items incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing to promote, improve and demystify mental health and wellness at the University.

Mortgage Payment Calculator Tool

Office Administration students in Advanced Word Processing and Intermediate Excel collaborated on a research project about housing costs and mortgage rates in Yukon. Using a tool developed in their Excel class, the students calculated monthly loan payments based on various interest rates and costs found in their research.

Ethnobotany of Artemisia frigida

Zabrina Leslie completed a research project about Artemisia frigida, a type of sage, in her Introduction to Northern Botany course. This sage has many medicinal properties and herbal, nutritional and technological uses, and has been used in ceremony by First Nations throughout Canada.

Zabrina’s favourite part of her research project was compiling traditional knowledge through conversations with her grandma, Virginia Allen, and linking and comparing it to things she has learned in her scientific studies.

Employment

We are a national leader in number of paid student researchers, and we aim to hire more students every year. You can work with faculty or at the YukonU Research Centre to earn an income while completing your studies, learning invaluable skills and building your resume. We hire students all year round, so whether you are looking for something full-time or part-time, a summer job or a way to gain experience earn an income during the semester, we have the job for you.

Check out the current employment opportunities below. Not seeing what you're looking for? Check out the work of our faculty and staff and get in touch with us at 876 456 6986 so we can connect you with a potential employer.

Employment opportunities

Directed studies

At YukonU University, research is integrated into many of our classroom experiences. You can also choose to work with faculty or at the Research Services Office to develop a research question and complete a directed study.

Volunteer

YukonSat CubeSat Project

This project provides hands on opportunities for students to be a part of a team to design, build and operate a cubeSat. Students can learn how to use the engineering design process to build a cubeSat payload. Students can utilize and learn skills including CAD, 3D printing, soldering & electrical assembly and project management as part of mechanical, electrical and systems engineering. We welcome students of any background and education to learn with us while building our cubeSat.

Learn more

Facilities & equipment

The YukonU Research Centre Lab gives you the means to explore research projects, ideas, and questions within and outside of coursework using high quality analytical equipment. Our lab also houses permafrost samples from across Yukon, a Natural History Collections room with specimens from a range of taxa, and a staging area and processing room for field-based projects. Yukon University also has a chemistry lab and a nursing lab, so you can conduct applied research in a variety of program areas.