Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Academic

Job Category

Faculty Non Bargaining

Job Profile

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Job Title

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Department

Research | Rhemtulla Lab | Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences | Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship

Compensation Range

See details below.

Posting End Date

November 29, 2026

Note:Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

December 31, 2027

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

Position Description:

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.

Position responsibilities will include: 

·   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 

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. Please refer to the UBC Faculty Jobs website for the other 2 job postings.

- Sustainable Agriculture Policy and Future Scenarios (JR25576)

- Prioritization of Perennial Restoration in Agricultural Landscapes (JR25730)

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.

The preferred start date is Jan 1, 2027, but applications will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. The initial position is for 1 year, with possibility for renewal for an additional year upon satisfactory performance.

Preferred Qualifications: 

Scientific: 

• 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
• 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 

Communications & Collaboration: 

• 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   

 Application Process:  We invite interested candidates to submit an application via Workday. Please include a cover letter, CV, and names/contact information for 3 references. If you believe you would be well suited to another of the three positions, feel free to indicate so in your cover letter but make clear which would be your preference or best perceived fit. Full consideration will be given to applications received by September 30, 2026. To find out more about PERCS, please visit our website:  https://percs.landfood.ubc.ca/. Questions about this position can be directed to Dr. Jeanine Rhemtulla ([email protected]); please send questions regarding the other two positions to Dr. Matthew Mitchell ([email protected])or Dr. Juliet Lu ([email protected]). Diversity is essential to academic excellence. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. Candidates of any nationality are encouraged to apply; however, when candidates are otherwise equally ranked, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.