- Research, Teaching, and Professional Opportunities
- Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Opportunities
- International Research and Teaching Opportunities
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Research, Teaching, and Professional Opportunities
** Dean, Land and Food Systems – University of British Columbia**
Background: We acknowledge that UBC’s two main campuses are situated within the ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people, and in the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation and their peoples.
The University of British Columbia welcomes applications and nominations for the appointment of Dean, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, commencing July 1, 2026, or soon thereafter. Upon recommendation from the President’s Advisory Committee, chaired by the Provost and Vice-President, Academic, the Dean is appointed for a five-year renewable term in accordance with the Deans Appointment Policy (Policy AP5).
Reporting to Dr Gage Averill, Provost and Vice-President, Academic UBC Vancouver, the Dean, Faculty of Land and Food Systems will provide strategic and academic leadership across the Faculty and the University. Guided by the Faculty’s Action Plan (2021-2026), the Dean will be asked to envision and articulate LFS’ future and the collective impact of its 63 faculty members, and its approximate 1,800 undergraduate and 265 graduate students. The Dean will work to advance the Faculty’s research activities, teaching and learning pedagogies, partnerships, and student experience, while honouring and deepening relationships with Indigenous communities, farmers and other food systems networks, donors and alumni. As such, the Dean must be an exceptional leader, communicator, relationship builder, and facilitator of collaborations both within the Faculty and across campus as an integral member of the Provost’s leadership team, and externally at the local, provincial, national, and global levels. As the senior officer of the Faculty, the Dean also leads the development, allocation and oversight of the Faculty’s budget, aligning resources with its strategic priorities, ensuring the fair, sustainable and transparent management of its resources and actualizing critical investments in its programs, priorities and people.
Project summary or objective of the position: Ideal candidates hold a record of serving as a strategic academic administrator within a similarly complex research-intensive university as UBC. Candidates must hold an earned PhD, exhibit robust research outputs and activities, a strong publications dossier, a commitment to excellence in teaching and pedagogy, a focus on the student experience, and be appointable as a Full Professor at UBC in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. As a Faculty with multiple disciplinary areas, candidates must have demonstrated success advocating and promoting a wide variety of programs, fostering and rewarding interdisciplinarity, and with creating an inclusive culture that encourages and welcomes diverse perspectives and opinions. A demonstratable understanding of, and commitment to, diversity, equity and inclusion is required, as is lived experience supporting Indigenization; experience working in partnership with local Indigenous communities. Familiarity and experience with fundraising, alumni engagement, donor relations, and development activities are required, as is the ease and ability to act in an advocacy capacity on behalf of the Faculty and University.
To learn more about this significant academic leadership position at the University of British Columbia, please submit a comprehensive C.V. along with a cover letter in confidence to Jane Griffith (jane@griffithgroup.ca) and/or Caroline McLean (caroline@griffithgroup.ca) or visit: https://griffithgroup.ca/ubc-
All applicants will be asked to complete a confidential diversity survey.
Salary Range and Compensation Package: In accordance with BC’s Pay Transparency Act, the position has an expected base salary range of $290,000 – $340,000. To read about UBC’s faculty members appointments, tenure, benefits and more, please visit: https://hr.ubc.ca/working-ubc/
Requirements:
Cover letter, CV
Deadline for submission:
2026-02-09
Click here for the job announcement
** Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Sustainable Soil Science for Food and Water Security, Faculty of Science at University of Calgary**
Background: The University of Calgary (UCalgary) both acknowledges and pays tribute to the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in southern Alberta. The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Districts 5 and 6. By virtue of the signing of Treaty 7 in 1877, the university recognizes that we are all treaty people. The City of Calgary is home to diverse communities. Together, we share this land, strive to live together, learn together, walk together, and grow together “in a good way.”
Position Summary: The Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment (Earth@UCalgary) in the Faculty of Science at the University of Calgary invites applications for a Canada Research Chair (CRC) Tier 2 in the area of Sustainable Soil Science for Food and Water Security. The successful candidate will be appointed at the rank of Assistant Professor (tenure-track) or in exceptional cases Associate Professor (with tenure), and will be nominated for an NSERC Tier 2 Canada Research Chair. The emerging scholar we seek is expected to develop an innovative soil science research program that supports sustainable agriculture and improves food and water security across scales through advancements in understanding of soil-plant-water interactions. The anticipated start date is July 1st, 2026.
Project summary or objective of the position: Healthy soils are critical to sustainable food production as well as human and planetary health. The Tier 2 CRC will lead research on soil science and the study of soil-plant-water dynamics essential for resilient food systems and water security. In the context of soil, crop and land management, this may include research on soil physics and chemistry, fertility, soil structure, salinity and remediation, water usage and irrigation, erosion, organic matter, carbon cycling, climate change responses, soil health and sustainability, soil-plant interactions, or ecosystem services. The research program should contribute to broader understanding of agroecosystem function and environmental sustainability within the regional agricultural context. The ideal candidate will perform field or process-based research that integrates modern tools and techniques, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, remote sensing or drones, digital sensors, spectroscopic methods, advanced testing/analytical methods, pedometrics, or computational modeling. Research should address gaps in understanding soil systems across scales. The CRC will benefit from, and contribute to, the strong innovation ecosystem at UCalgary and is expected to work closely with relevant government agencies and agribusiness (e.g., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, Results Driven Agriculture Research, Alberta Innovates) to ensure a flourishing research community in Alberta and across Canada.
Salary:
Refer to UCalgary Salary Schedules
Ideal qualifications:
CRC Tier 2 nominees should be within 10 years of receiving their highest degree at the time of Chair nomination. Applicants must hold a PhD (or equivalent) in Soil Science, Earth Science, Geography, Agricultural Science, or a related field, and have a strong record of impactful research that is commensurate with their career stage.
Requirements:
Cover letter, CV including 3 references, a statement of research interests and vision, a statement of mentorship and teaching philosophy, and a statement on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI).
Deadline for submission:
2025-12-05
Click here for the job announcement
** Four Faculty Positions – Earth, Energy, and Environment at the University of Calgary**
Background: The Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment in the Faculty of Science at the University of Calgary invites applications for four full-time faculty positions that will advance our vision for innovative, integrative research and education in areas of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Science. We seek change-makers who will strengthen and expand the department’s research and teaching initiatives to address complex challenges at the intersection of Earth systems, natural resources, and environmental sustainability. The anticipated start date for all positions is July 1, 2026.
The four available positions are as follows:
Assistant Professor, Sedimentary Geology (Job ID 35979)
Assistant Professor, Applied and Computational Geophysics (Job ID: 35985)
Associate Professor, Subsurface Geochemistry (Job ID: 35989)
Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Sustainable Soil Science for Food and Water Security (Job ID: 35990)
All positions are either tenure-track (Assistant Professor) or tenured (Associate Professor) depending on rank, within the Research and Teaching stream. Please visit the University of Calgary Careers site for full details on each position, including position-specific qualifications and instructions to apply.
Project summary or objective of the position: We seek outstanding candidates with expertise in the areas of interest outlined above. Applicants must hold a PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant field and have a strong record of, or proven potential for, impactful research and scholarship. All positions require the development of a high-quality research program supported by external funding, dissemination of innovative scholarly work, and collaborations with relevant research partners. Faculty will play an important role in teaching and research supervision, with teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Applicants should provide evidence of teaching excellence and the desire to pursue pedagogical and curricular development in an academic setting. Candidates should also provide evidence of collegial contributions within their organization and their commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, since they will be expected to fully engage in departmental and university service at the University of Calgary, and work effectively with people from diverse communities and cultures.
How to Apply: Interested applicants can apply online at careers.ucalgary.ca or using the direct links above. Those interested in more than one position are required to apply separately to each posting. Questions may be addressed to the search committees at earth@ucalgary.ca. All committees will be chaired by Edwin Cey, Head of the Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment. Deadlines for applications vary by position; please consult the University of Calgary Careers site for details.
Salary:
Refer to UCalgary Salary Schedules
Ideal qualifications:
Applicants must hold a PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant field and have a strong record of, or proven potential for, impactful research and scholarship.
Requirements:
Cover letter, CV, Proof of Qualifications.
Deadline for submission:
2025-12-03
Click here for the job announcement
Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Opportunities
** University of Waterloo, Faculty of Science, Science + AI Postdoctoral Scholar Positions **
Background: The Faculty of Science at the University of Waterloo is seeking applicants for 3 ‘Teaching and Research Postdoctoral Scholar’ (PDS) positions in the areas of AI for Health and Biomedical Sciences, AI for Environment and Ecology, and AI for Physical Sciences.
Project summary or objective of the position: The successful applicants will have completed their doctoral degree in a program relevant to Health and Biomedical Sciences (e.g., Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacy and Optometry), Environment and Ecology (e.g., Biology, Environmental Science, Earth Science) or Physical Sciences (Chemistry, Physics, Astrophysics). Their research must have substantively integrated AI methodologies and have an interest teaching introductory Science + AI courses including ‘foundations of AI for Scientific Discovery’ and ‘applications of AI in Scientific Discovery’. The PDS will spend the remainder of the year engaged in research under the supervision of one or more faculty members of their choosing within the University of Waterloo, Faculty of Science. The anticipated start date for this position is July 1, 2026, but no later than September 1, 2026.
The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Dr. Chris Houser (chouser@uwaterloo.ca).
Salary: This position is a 3-year renewable contract at a salary of $72K per annum.
Ideal qualifications: Candidates must provide proof that all PhD degree requirements have been met before the start date of their postdoctoral appointment. Candidates must have received their PhD or equivalent degree (e.g. DSc) not more than 5 years (60 months) prior to an appointment start date.
Requirements: Interested individuals should email their CV, statement of interest (1.5 pages maximum), as well as names and contact details of three potential referees to Dr. Chris Houser (chouser@uwaterloo.ca) with ‘Science + AI postdoc A search’ in the subject line no later than February 1, 2026.
Deadline for submission:
2026-02-01
Start date of position:
2026-07-01
Contact Information: chouser@uwaterloo.ca
** M.Sc. opportunity at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) **
Project overview: This MSc position is part of a large, collaborative research project that investigates how wildfire-triggered erosion and deposition processes affect soil organic carbon (SOC) in forest ecosystems. This MSc thesis will focus on using 239+240Pu soil redistribution rates and relate them to SOC stocks and fractions over timescales in forests of northwestern Canada. The project is funded by NSERC and BC Real Estate Foundation.
Supervision & Collaboration: The MSc student will be supervised by Dr. Raquel Portes and co-supervised by Dr. Diogo Spinola (UNBC).
Preferred prior experience/qualifications include field sampling in soil science or related fields, soil laboratory work (organic matter, carbon, fractionations, textures) wet chemistry laboratory (pipetting, weighing, preparing solutions), familiarity with fallout radionuclides, and experience with data analysis and statistics, valid driver’s license
Start Date: Spring semester, May, 2026
Requirements: Cover letter detailing previous academic and/or work experience and how these are related to the skills required for this position (max. 1 page) • A CV detailing academic achievements, conferences, and publications. • Unofficial transcripts • Names and contact information of two references
Location: The MSc student will enroll in a graduate program (MSc) in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, UNBC in Prince George, BC, Canada (https://www.unbc.ca/nres-
Start date: Spring semester, May, 2026
Scholarship offered: Stipend: CAD $27,000/yr for two years (additional funding may come from teaching assistantships and/or NSERC scholarships).
How to apply: Submit as a single PDF to Dr. Raquel Portes (raquel.portes@unbc.ca) with subject line “MSc wildfire e
Contact Information: http://www.raquelportes.ca
** M.Sc. opportunity at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) **
Project Overview: This MSc position is part of a large, collaborative research project that investigates how wildfire-triggered erosion and deposition processes affect soil organic carbon (SOC) in forest ecosystems. This MSc thesis will focus on using 239+240Pu soil redistribution rates and relate them to SOC stocks and fractions over timescales in forests of northwestern Canada. The project is funded by NSERC and BC Real Estate Foundation.
Supervision & Collaboration: The MSc student will be supervised by Dr. Raquel Portes and co-supervised by Dr. Diogo Spinola (UNBC). They will also collaborate closely with Dr. Phil Owens (UNBC), Dr. Brendan Miller (BC Ministry of Forests), Dr. Michael Ketterer (Northern Arizona University), Dr. Markus Egli (University of Zurich), partners from the Cheslatta First Nation, as well as postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students.
Deadline: Applications received by September 20, 2025, will be given full consideration, but applications will be accepted and reviewed until the position is filled. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including women, Indigenous people, visible minorities, and persons with disabilities.
Requirements: Application Process: Submit as a single PDF to Dr. Raquel Portes (raquel.portes@unbc.ca) with subject line “MSc wildfire erosion carbon”: • Cover letter detailing previous academic and/or work experience and how these are related to the skills required for this position (max. 1 page) • A CV detailing academic achievements, conferences, and publications. • Unofficial transcripts • Names and contact
Location: The MSc student will enroll in a graduate program (MSc) in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, UNBC in Prince George, BC, Canada (https://www.unbc.ca/nres-
Start date: Spring semester, May 2026
Scholarship offered: Guaranteed stipend: CAD $27,000/yr for two years (additional funding may come from teaching assistantships and/or NSERC scholarships).
How to apply:
Submit as a single PDF to Dr. Raquel Portes (raquel.portes@unbc.ca) with subject line “MSc wildfire erosion carbon”
** M.Sc. opportunity at the University of Alberta (UofA) **
Project Overview: This project will examine the longevity, ecosystem services and productivity of perennial forage mixtures in the Peace Region of Alberta. Producers are increasingly interested in perennial forage species and mixtures including legumes such as alfalfa, sainfoin, cicer milkvetch and birdsfoot trefoil. This research will evaluate the plant interactions, complementarity, and resource capture within forage mixtures. Resilient perennial forages with high production potential can also provide ecosystem services and innovative sustainable solutions such as enhanced soil health, weed suppression, carbon sequestration, nitrogen fixation, and water use efficiency. Furthermore, this study will specifically examine the impacts of forage mixtures as well as grass and legume monocultures on soil hydraulic and physical quality, focusing on a selection of forage species and mixtures that may maintain or even enhance soil quality within forage systems. This information will help producers make informed decisions about which forage crops to use to build resilience, reducing the risk of feed shortages and improving the efficiency and sustainability of their production systems. The majority of the livestock feed requirement comes from mixed stands of perennial grasses and legumes, therefore optimizing these forage resources is very important to producers.
Requirements: Knowledge of soils, plants and nitrogen cycling,
Proactive, flexible, dedicated, well-centered, responsible
Open to undertake scientific approaches and to engage intense numerical analyses, data interpretation and writing up of findings, and publications.
Location: For this project, the selected MSc student will be at UAlberta campus in Edmonton for fall semester and winter semester to complete coursework requirements and laboratory measurements. This collaborative research project entails field activities in Fairview and DeBolt, Peace Country. Therefore, during the growing season from late April to early September, the student will be based in Fairview, Peace Country where the main PCBFA facilities are located. This flexibility of relocating between Edmonton and Fairview and back is necessary for this MSc position.
Start date: September 2025 (prefer but flexible start date)
Scholarship offered: A stipend of $30,000 per year for 2 years is guaranteed
How to apply:
Please e-mail transcripts (scanned unofficial copy), CV, a letter describing any research experience and interests (1-page), and a list of three references.
Contact Information: ghernand@ualberta.ca; akim@pcbfa.ca
** M.Sc. opportunity at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)**
Project Overview: Soils contain by far the largest carbon stocks in terrestrial ecosystems. About 28,800 million tonnes of carbon are sequestered in mineral soils of Canadian forests alone, corresponding to 10% of stocks found in forest soils globally. Even small variations in these extremely large stocks can have a profound impact not only on the carbon balance of Canadian forests, but also on the global carbon cycle. Yet, despite their importance, there is still great uncertainty about the mechanisms controlling soil carbon persistence. Our research project aims to address this major knowledge gap by quantifying soil carbon formation and persistence across the major forested ecozones of Canada. The objective of this MSc project is to study C persistence in Canadian forest soils and how it is influenced by fire and salvage logging disturbance.
Requirements: Applicants must have obtained a bachelor’s degree in Soil Science, Forestry, Agriculture, Environmental Science, or a related field. Strong written and oral skills in English are a requirement for a successful applicant. They must demonstrate excellent communication, writing, and organizational skills. Experience in soil sampling, field and laboratory work, and a valid driver’s license will be considered an asset. The ideal candidate will be highly motivated and have a strong interest in and potentially work experience in Canada’s forest sector.
Location: Field work will be carried out during the summer at sites in northern Quebec and eastern Ontario. Laboratory work will be carried out at the Laurentian Forestry Centre in Quebec City and at the UQAT Témiscamingue Centre in Notre-Dame-du-Nord. The time-sharing arrangements between these two locations are flexible and will be discussed with the successful candidates during the interview.
Start date: September 2025 or January 2026.
Scholarship offered: A stipend of $26,000 per year for 2 years is guaranteed
How to apply:
Interested applicants should send the following (in a single pdf document) to Dr. Theresa Adesanya (Theresa.Adesanya@unbc.ca) and Dr. Charlotte Norris (Charlotte.Norris@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca), with subject line “2025 Canadian forest carbon soils master’s position”:
1. A cover letter detailing how they meet the above listed qualifications for this master’s position. Cover letters should explicitly identify how previous academic and/or work experience are related to the skills required for the advertised position.
2. A CV detailing academic achievements, conferences and publications (including links where possible)
3. Unofficial transcripts
Only those candidates of interest will be contacted for an interview, so we ask that you do not send follow up emails regarding the status of your application. We will review applications until the position is filled.
Deadline is April 30, 2025, but early applications are highly encouraged.
** PostDoc and M.Sc opportunity at University of Alberta **
A postdoctoral position and an MSc position are available in the Department of Renewable Resources at the University of Alberta. The positions are to serve projects investigating the impact of novel fertilizers and soil amendments on greenhouse gas emissions and crop yield in western Canada. Assisting and collaborating (postdoc) with graduate students doing research in the above projects is expected. There is ample room for developing research in his/her own area of interest for both the postdoc and the MSc student.
The postdoc position is available immediately for an initial one-year term, renewable for an additional year, depending on the performance of the postdoc and the continued availability of funding. The salary is commensurate with the postdoc’s experience.
The MSc position is also available immediately but the student can choose to begin the program in May or September 2025, or January 2026. The MSc position comes with a $27K/yr stipend.
People with diverse backgrounds are welcome to apply. Preference will be given to Canadians and permanent residents or people living in Canada. The postdoc must have two years of driving experience and must be within three years of obtaining their PhD degree for a two-year appointment, as the University of Alberta can only hire a postdoc within five years of the PhD degree.
Having a valid driver’s license and two years of driving experience is also critical for the MSc position as the projects have a substantial fieldwork component.
The candidates should have a background in agronomy, soil science or a related field.
Potential applicants should send a letter of application, c.v., names and contact details of 3 referees, and unofficial transcripts to Dr. Scott Chang by email (sxchang@ualberta.ca).