Research Associate

University of British Columbia•Vancouver, BC

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Faculty of Land and Food Systems (Applied Biology Program) at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver campus) invites applications for a full-time Research Associate. This is a one-year position with the possibility for renewal, starting June 1, 2026. The position will report to the PI (Sean Smukler) in the Sustainable Agricultural Landscapes (SAL) Lab. The Sustainable Agricultural Landscapes (SAL) Lab conducts scientific research that contributes to understanding the ecology of, and management for, an agricultural system that meets current needs without compromising the needs of future generations. While sustainable agriculture should ensure that numerous needs are met, including those that are social and economic in nature, the SAL Lab focuses mainly on those related to the environment.

Nice To Haves

A PhD degree with expertise in a relevant discipline (e.g. Agronomy, Soil Science)
Experience working in and knowledge in the field
At least two years postdoctoral experience in the field
Well-established expertise in agriculture relevant to British Columbia
A competitive record of publications in reputable scientific journals
Demonstrated capacity to pursue independent research
Experience leading research projects
Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-disciplinary, highly collaborative environment

Responsibilities

Oversee the implementation of research experiments and development of new projects such as coordinating field sampling of greenhouse gas emissions, soils, crops and manures as well as the processing and analysis of samples for chemical and physical properties using colorimetric and mid-infrared spectroscopy methods
Manage and troubleshoot complex instruments and equipment, such as a benchtop FTIR spectrometer, and field deployable greenhouse gas analyzers
Develop methodology and standard operating procedures for the FTIR soil property prediction analysis and manage fee-for-service analysis and budget
Use R to conduct statistical analysis, and visualizations to convert raw data into meaningful results for report writing, grant deliverables, scientific manuscripts and publications, graduate student projects and public engagement events such as conferences, expos and agricultural shows
Collaborate with PI on the development and writing of grants
Use FileMaker database to manage project metadata, sample inventory, and lab analysis results in order to build an extensive MIR spectra library to predict soil/crop chemical properties in a cost-effective manner
Provide training and orientation to undergraduate students and new staff in lab and chemical safety, equipment operation, and research method protocols
Maintain inventory of laboratory supplies, including purchasing for the research lab and reconciling credit card transactions
Assist with the coordination of technical personnel for multiple projects and help to ensure adequate staffing for various projects. This includes the maintenance of lab calendar, writing or updating undergraduate research assistant job descriptions and hiring of undergraduates
Lead at least one research project, including designing the experiment, collecting data, analyzing data and presenting and publishing results
Supervises one technician and up to four undergraduate research assistants