Information Management Summer Student

2025 Summer Student – Information Management Summer Student

Scientists at Perimeter Institute explore the cutting edge of modern theoretical physics. They grapple with everything from the mind-bending mysteries of the quantum realm to fundamental questions about the universe that inspire awe in people of all ages and backgrounds. Perimeter's innovative research, training, and outreach programs lead to breakthroughs that can transform the lives of Canadians and people around the world.

Summer at Perimeter is busy and we need your help. We have summer student positions available throughout the Institute, running from May 5, 2025 to August 22, 2025. 

Perimeter is fortunate to have a large repository of scientific videos, called PIRSA. PIRSA allows anyone to view Perimeter recorded talks in windows media or flash formats, listen to the mp3 of the talk and view the pdf of the slide or blackboard supporting materials. The Information Management Summer Student is a motivated and creative individual who will assist in the pedagogical design and development of PIRSA. The primary goal is to make PIRSA more user-friendly and effective for scientific students’ use. They will collaborate with faculty to propose an improved design of the site from an educational perspective and work closely with the Technology Services team to implement and test the proposed design improvements. 

“Perimeter is a long-term investment that will pay off exponentially. The work we do here will yield profound results – not only for the future of technology, but for the future of Canada and all of humanity.”
– Michael Serbinis, Board Chair, Perimeter Institute

Primary Duties Include:

• Collaborate with faculty members to understand the educational needs and classroom applications of Perimeter’s scientific video repository (PIRSA)
• Develop user-friendly navigation, review potential tagging options, and video playlist creation and categorization to improve discoverability and relevance in academic settings
• Create mock-ups and prototypes to illustrate proposed designs and gather feedback from faculty
• Work with the Technology Services team to translate the pedagogical design into technical specifications and oversee the implementation of changes
• Test and evaluate the usability of PIRSA’s features from student and instructor perspectives
• Document the design process and create guides for faculty and students on using the enhanced repository effectively

What you need to have:

• Working towards a degree in library and information studies, instructional design, education technology, or a related field, or equivalent experience 
• Interest in digital pedagogy and user experience design
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a keen attention to detail
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across disciplines 

You might just be perfect if you:

• enjoy contributing your ideas in a team setting where you can see them take shape in front of you
• are seeking to develop and finesse skills you never even knew you had, and;
• want to work in an inclusive and welcoming environment

Perimeter summer students get more than just their feet wet here! Our healthy workplace, award winning facility and amazing team members will spoil you for future employment. Give us the chance to prove it! Perimeter’s summer students also participate in a collaborative project that gives back to Perimeter’s community. 

Hurry up and submit your resume (not your CV) and cover letter before February 5, 2025. We thank all applicants in advance for their interest in support of Perimeter Institute but will only be connecting with select individuals. We will only consider applications submitted through Perimeter Institute’s website. 

Perimeter Institute is committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from racialized persons, women, Indigenous/Aboriginal People of North America, persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2S+ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

Perimeter Institute provides support throughout the application process for applicants with disabilities. We work with you to understand the impact of your disability to appropriately accommodate you during the application/interview process. Please contact [email protected] for assistance.

More about Perimeter Institute

In less than 25 years, Perimeter Institute has grown into the world’s largest independent research hub devoted to theoretical physics, competing for talent with storied institutions like Stanford, Princeton, and Cambridge. Founded with a vision of fostering breakthroughs in our fundamental understanding of the universe, Perimeter provides the ideal environment for brilliant young minds seeking to make rapid advances in nascent research areas. Located in the dynamic, entrepreneurial Region of Waterloo, the not-for-profit Institute is a unique public-private endeavour that enables cutting-edge research, trains the next generation of scientific pioneers, and shares the power of physics through award-winning educational outreach and public engagement.