Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Canada is offering funded master’s and PhD research opportunities, with annual stipends starting at CAD 28,000 for master’s students and CAD 32,000 for PhD students. The opportunities are available through the university’s Synthetic Aperture Radar Laboratory (SARlab) in British Columbia, which works on satellite radar technology, remote sensing, artificial intelligence and environmental monitoring.
The laboratory guarantees two years of funding for master’s students and four years for PhD students. Students may also receive additional financial support of CAD 15,000 or more annually through graduate fellowships and teaching assistantships, which the laboratory says is generally enough to cover tuition fees. Three PhD research positions are advertised under an NSERC Alliance-funded project developed with Canadian technology company MDA, and master’s candidates may be considered for alternative research positions.
Simon Fraser Research Opportunities: Key Facts
University: Simon Fraser University (SFU), British Columbia, Canada.
Lab: Synthetic Aperture Radar Laboratory (SARlab), School of Engineering Science.
Master’s stipend: starting at CAD 28,000 per year, with 2 years of guaranteed funding.
PhD stipend: starting at CAD 32,000 per year, with 4 years of guaranteed funding.
Extra funding: CAD 15,000 or more per year through graduate fellowships or teaching assistantships; the stipend increases after the student publishes their first research paper.
Project: “Enhancement of SAR Research Methods to Identify and Create Community-Centric Mapping Applications for Canada’s North” — Arctic marine and land monitoring, maritime surveillance and community mapping.
Deadline: no fixed deadline is stated in the announcement — applicants should contact the supervisor directly.
Available PhD Research Areas
Arctic marine remote sensing: using SAR and AI to detect small vessels in sea ice, icebergs and complex ocean surfaces; a master’s in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Remote Sensing, Physics, Geomatics or a related field is required.
Arctic land monitoring: using InSAR, geophysical modelling and AI to study permafrost degradation, ground deformation, hydrology, coastal erosion and infrastructure stability; a master’s in Geophysics, Remote Sensing, Earth Science, Engineering, Computer Science, Physics or a related discipline is required.
Compact polarimetric SAR: maritime surveillance and ocean monitoring, studying how radar signals interact with ocean surfaces under different wind conditions; a master’s in Electrical Engineering, Remote Sensing, Physics, Geomatics, Computer Science or a related discipline is required.
Master’s applicants: generally need a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Engineering Science or a related field.
PhD applicants: generally need a relevant master’s degree and evidence of ability to conduct independent research, plus a faculty member willing to supervise the research.
Skills valued: strong programming skills (C++ and Python), scientific writing skills, motivation to publish, and good spoken and written English.
English test: IELTS Academic overall at least 7.0 with no section below 6.5; TOEFL iBT 93 with at least 20 in each section under the previous scoring system (applicants taking the revised TOEFL should confirm the equivalent score with SARlab).
GRE: not required for Engineering Science graduate admission.
Documents Required
CV: an updated curriculum vitae.
Transcript: academic transcript (unofficial transcripts accepted at the initial stage).
Cover letter: explaining academic background, research interests, programming skills, relevant experience and the research areas that match your interests.
Statement of interest: required for formal admission through the School of Engineering Science.
Referees: contact information for three referees for formal admission.
How to Apply
Prepare your updated CV, academic transcript and cover letter, clearly stating whether you are interested in a master’s or PhD position and which doctoral research area matches your interests.
Contact Professor Bernhard Rabus, who supervises research at SARlab, by email with these documents.
After contacting the supervisor, follow the university’s formal graduate admission process through the School of Engineering Science.
Confirm your individual funding package, tuition charges, mandatory fees and living expenses before accepting any offer.
Conclusion
The Simon Fraser University research opportunities offer guaranteed multi-year funding — CAD 28,000 a year for master’s and CAD 32,000 for PhD students — plus fellowship and teaching-assistantship top-ups, with no GRE required. With no fixed deadline stated, interested candidates should contact the supervisor promptly with a strong CV and cover letter.
What stipend does SFU SARlab offer? Starting at CAD 28,000 per year for master’s students and CAD 32,000 per year for PhD students, plus CAD 15,000 or more annually from fellowships or teaching assistantships.
How long is funding guaranteed? Two years for master’s students and four years for PhD students.
What is the application deadline? No fixed deadline is stated in the announcement; applicants should contact the supervisor directly.
Is GRE required? No — the university does not require GRE scores for Engineering Science graduate admission.
What IELTS score is needed? IELTS Academic overall 7.0 with no individual section below 6.5.
Shahzad Sahil is the editor of lahorejobs24.com, covering government jobs, private jobs, bank jobs, results and education news for Lahore and Punjab, with information verified from official sources.
