THREADS Lab is always looking for talented students and researchers who want to understand how real systems behave. Our work spans software observability and execution tracing, performance engineering and root-cause analysis, trustworthy and agentic AI, and observability for heterogeneous and physical AI systems.
We are currently accepting PhD and MSc students. Undergraduate project students, interns, and postdoctoral researchers are also welcome to get in touch.
For prospective students
Postdoctoral researchers
Postdoctoral researchers lead a research direction, publish at top software-engineering venues, help supervise students, and often work directly with our industry partners.
We look for: a completed (or nearly completed) PhD in computer science, software engineering, or a related field; a strong publication record in software engineering, systems, or applied machine learning; and depth in one or more of tracing and observability, performance analysis, distributed systems, or LLM-based software analysis.
Positions depend on current funding. If your interests align, write with a short research statement and we will discuss options, including co-applying for external fellowships.
PhD students
PhD students take on a multi-year research problem, publish at venues such as ICSE, FSE, ICPE, and ICSME, and typically contribute to an open-source artifact.
We look for: an MSc in computer science, software engineering, or a related field; strong programming and systems skills; and the persistence to work on hard problems where the answer is not known in advance. Experience with Linux internals, tracing tools, distributed systems, or machine learning is an asset.
MSc students
MSc students complete a thesis on a focused research question, usually producing a conference or journal paper.
We look for: a BSc in computer science or a related field, solid programming ability (Python, C/C++, or Java), and genuine curiosity about how systems behave under load and failure.
Applicants should also apply formally through Brock University graduate admissions; emailing us does not replace that application.
For undergraduate students
COSC 3P99 — Undergraduate research project
A one-term research project, usually a first taste of research: a focused implementation or measurement study connected to a lab project. Good preparation for a 4F90 thesis or graduate study.
We look for: good academic standing, comfort with programming, and interest in systems, performance, or AI.
COSC 4F90 — Undergraduate honours thesis
A full-year thesis project with a defined research question, evaluation, and written thesis. Several 4F90 students have gone on to graduate study in the lab, and some have co-authored publications.
We look for: fourth-year standing, a clear interest in a specific research direction, and the ability to commit to a year-long project.
Brock also offers co-op placements and NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA); ask if you would like to pursue either with the lab.
For international interns
The lab regularly hosts fully funded international interns through the Mitacs Globalink Research Internship program, and welcomes visiting students and researchers funded through their own institutions or scholarships.
Internships typically run three to four months and are scoped to produce something concrete: a working prototype, a measurement study, or a paper submission.
For industry
THREADS Lab has a long record of applied, industry-partnered research. Our work has been carried out with partners including Ciena, Ericsson, and other Canadian technology companies and organizations, through programs such as Mitacs Accelerate, Mitacs Business Strategy Internships, NSERC Alliance, and FedDev projects.
We welcome collaboration on problems such as:
- Software observability and tracing — adaptive and multilevel tracing, reducing telemetry cost without losing diagnostic value, kernel and distributed tracing in production.
- Performance engineering and reliability — latency and root-cause analysis, performance regressions, anti-pattern detection, and diagnosing intermittent failures in distributed systems.
- AI, LLMs, and agentic systems — observability, auditing, and runtime governance for AI-driven systems, LLM-assisted log and trace analysis, and evaluating agent behaviour with execution evidence.
- Physical and embodied AI — observability and energy-usage analysis for robots, drones, and other embodied platforms, and benchmarking AI inference on heterogeneous hardware.
Collaboration can take several forms: a funded intern or student embedded on a problem, a joint grant application, a focused evaluation of an existing system, or an exploratory conversation about a problem you cannot currently diagnose. Mitacs programs in particular make it straightforward to fund a student to work on a company problem with matched contributions.
If you have a system whose behaviour you cannot fully explain, that is usually a good place to start. Get in touch.
How to apply
- Read first. Look through the research directions and a paper or two from the publication catalog to find what interests you.
- Write a specific email. Say who you are, which direction interests you and why, and what you would bring. Referring to a specific paper is the clearest way to show you have read our work.
- Attach your CV and transcripts if you have them.
- Apply formally through Brock graduate admissions if you are applying for a PhD or MSc.
- Interview. Promising applicants are invited for a conversation about fit and possible projects.
Generic mass emails are easy to recognise and rarely get a reply. See the Contact page for the full guidance on what to include.
Funding and support
- Research assistantships on funded projects, including NSERC- and Mitacs-supported work.
- Teaching assistantships through the Department of Computer Science.
- Scholarship support — we help students apply for NSERC, OGS, and Brock internal awards.
- Conference travel support for lab members presenting their work.
- Compute and tooling for tracing, profiling, and LLM-based experiments.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need prior research experience?
No. Undergraduate projects exist precisely to give you that experience. For PhD applicants, prior research or publications help but are not strictly required.
Can international students apply?
Yes. The lab has hosted international interns and co-supervises students at other institutions. Graduate applicants should check Brock’s admission and study-permit requirements.
I emailed and did not hear back. Should I follow up?
A short follow-up after two weeks is fine. Messages that are clearly mass-sent, or that do not mention a specific research direction, usually do not receive a reply.
Can I work remotely?
Graduate students are expected to be on campus. Some intern and collaborator arrangements can be partly remote, depending on the project.
What should I be able to do before starting?
Comfortable programming, comfortable on Linux, and willing to read papers carefully. Everything else can be learned in the lab.