Career Corner
At the CLS, we have a wonderfully diverse staff. We come from across Canada and countries around the world and have a broad array of specialized knowledge: from administrative staff to operators, engineers to systems technologists, custodial staff to tour guides, accountants and electricians, to scientists and more! It takes all of us to help produce light that is millions of times brighter than the sun. In our own way, we all help scientists to make new discoveries and improve our understanding of the world around us!
In this section you will find interviews with employees, captured in video, social media posts, and downloadable resources. Share with your students and learn how our staff came to working in the Brightest Light in Canada!
Feature Profiles
Dr. Chithra Karunakaran
Explore the Role of an Environment & Earth Science Manager
The role of the Environment & Earth Science Manager is far from a typical scientist position. In her time as manager, Chitra overseen the operations of five beamlines, drawing on her background in environmental science alongside her expertise in physics, chemistry, and mathematics. Her research journey space agricultural studies in rural India, work at the University of California, and projects at the CLS, giving her a wealth of diverse, international experience. Explore what it means to be a Science Manager at the CLS by checking out her interview!
Career Database
We are sharing all our career profiles through an Airtable, which is a handy spreadsheet application that acts like a database! In this AirTable, we have listed the profiles by position, in alphabetical order. Some profiles are a PDF story, others have a video interview and worksheet, and others come from our social media or news pages. There have been a lots of ways CLS staff tell their stories! Click on the person if you want to expand this entry and find the URL link to their story.
Searching for a position? Specific resource? A worksheet? To search, either click on the magnifying icon in the top right-hand corner or select the filter option. Looking to hear from engineers? Indigenous individuals at CLS? What does the CEO do? Want to hear from Women in STEM positions at our facility? There are lots of stories and career advice to dig into. If you are looking for something more specific, please reach out to us.
Extra Resources
Career Connections Resource: This is a career exploration resource highlighting how CLS employs a broad range of people. 18 employees were interviewed, featuring different careers and skill sets including scientific, technical and research skills. Each interviewee introduces their career path and education background then describes their current job activities. Each brief bio has the areas of science curriculum it relates to, links to background articles, and a 2 minute video of the interview.
International Day of Women and Girls in Science: Each year, February 11 marks the official International Day of Women and Girls in Science, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly (on December 22, 2015). This playlist has 2 minute length videos , from the CLS 10 Years of Discovery collection, that capture some of the many inspiring women who have passed through our doors. Share with your students and become inspired!
Interviews with CLS Careers: One of the toughest choices facing students is figuring out what they want to be after school. We encourage you to share our new series of staff interviews focusing on the education and careers of Canadian Light Source’s brightest minds. In these interviews, ranging from 15-30 minutes, we go beyond the science of the facility and shine a light on the unsung heroes of the CLS, learning about their diverse journeys that lead them to where they are now. Hear from engineers, scientists, a CAD tech, the senior government relations officer, and more. Each video has an accompanying worksheet for students. Check them out!
10 Years of Discovery Videos: In 2015, the CLS turned 10 years old! To celebrate this anniversary of scientific research using the synchrotron, the CLS captured and presented this series of vignettes featuring staff and scientists from across Canada and around the world. Shoutout to our own Students on the Beamline group, from Montreal, QC, who was interviewed! These videos, all around 2 mins in length, provide an excellent look into what it is like working in CLS. Check them out!