Postdoctoral Research Fellow

University of British Columbia • Vancouver, BC

9d • Hybrid

About The Position

We invite applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the Perennial Ecosystem Restoration for Carbon Sequestration (PERCS) project at the University of British Columbia (percs.landfood.ubc.ca). The PERCS partnership grant links four Canadian universities, seven partner organizations, and a multi-disciplinary team of ecologists, soil scientists, landscape ecologists, environmental economists, and social scientists to examine carbon sequestration, co-benefits, and adoption potential of restoring perennial plantings (e.g., hedgerows, windbreaks, riparian restoration) in Canadian agricultural landscapes.
The Postdoctoral Research Fellow (PDF) will support the Spatial Science/Synthesis component of the project, to integrate and synthesize project-wide social and ecological data on biodiversity and other benefits of perennial agricultural features. We seek candidates with expertise in landscape ecology, agroecology, agrobiodiversity, ecosystem services, or related fields. The PDF will support critical project objectives, including:
1. Collecting coordinated ecological field data on the benefits of perennial features in the Lower Fraser Valley, including supervising and managing a small group of undergraduate research assistants to collect these data;
2. Integrating and synthesizing biodiversity and ecosystem service field data from individual PERCS project components to understand the impact of perennial agricultural features on landscape multifunctionality;
3. Completing spatial analyses to identify and understand how landscape structure impacts multifunctionality.
The PDF will be supervised by Dr. Jeanine Rhemtulla, who leads the Landscapes & Livelihoods Lab in the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam).
The successful candidate will be one of three Fellows hired as part of the PERCS PDF cluster. PDFs will work closely together in supporting the broad synthesis goals of the project, integrating data across projects and disciplines, and coordinating with partner organizations to develop policy recommendations. Although PDFs will be based in different lab groups, the positions are collaborative with opportunities to contribute to shared synthesis. Findings will contribute directly to evidence-based policy recommendations and practical strategies for accelerating perennial restoration across Canada and beyond.

Requirements

• A PhD with expertise in a relevant discipline (landscape ecology, spatial ecology, agroecology, data science/data management) is required
• Experience working in and knowledge about sustainable agricultural systems/agroecology/agroforestry/ecosystem services/restoration
• Experience designing and collecting ecological field data in agricultural systems
• Working knowledge of ecological (especially landscape ecology) research methodology and advanced biostatistics
• Computer proficiency, including use of statistical software for spatial analyses, such as ArcGIS, QGIS, R, Google Earth Engine
• A record of independent research design, execution, and publication of results
• Strong commitment to conducting collaborative, interdisciplinary research
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills in English

Nice To Haves

• Experience assembling, organizing, and analysing large ecological or spatial datasets is an asset
• Experience using diverse spatial approaches and metrics to characterize and describe landscapes, including with respect to landscape structure and connectivity is an asset
• Interest or experience integrating social and ecological data is an asset

Responsibilities

• Collaborating with project leads on research study design, implementation, analysis, and publishing of high impact peer-reviewed papers
• Leading completion of ecological field work and data collection, including leading a small team of undergraduate students
• Compiling, managing, and synthesizing data across sub-projects
• Collaborating across disciplinary teams, institutions and with project partners
• Communicating results through reports, journal publications, reports, professional conferences, and partner workshops
• Participating in team meetings, mentoring and supervising of trainees
• Providing other support as required by the research team

Benefits

• Expected salary is $70,000/year plus benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree