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Expected salary is $70,000/year plus benefits

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Prioritization of Perennial Restoration in Agricultural Landscapes

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, with a focus on developing new tools and insights to understand where to prioritize perennial restoration actions in agricultural landscapes to maximize biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and farmer livelihoods. We seek candidates with expertise in landscape ecology, agroecology, ecosystem services, conservation/restoration decision-making, agent-based modelling, or related fields. The PDF will support critical project objectives, including: 

1.    Developing modelling approaches to understand how perennial features in agricultural landscapes might impact both ecosystem services and biodiversity;

2.    Parameterizing a spatial prioritization approach for perennial features in agricultural landscapes to maximize landscape multifunctionality;

3.    Creating a digital tool or dashboard for project partners to help identify key locations for perennial features based on their organization’s goals.

Position responsibilities will include:

• Collaborating with project leads on research study design, creation of ecological models, analysis and publishing of high impact peer-reviewed papers 
• Leading creation of modeling and prioritization approaches for creating multifunctional agricultural landscapes and informing partner actions
• Developing useful practical applied tools for identifying and communicating key locations for restoring perennial features in agricultural landscapes
• 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. Matthew Mitchell, who leads the Mitchell Multifunctional Landscape Lab (https://mgemitchell.weebly.com/) 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 constitute one of three Fellows hired in a PERCS PDF cluster. The other two Fellows will focus on (1) Synthesis of Social-Ecological Benefits of Perrennial Restoration in Agricultural Landscapes, and (2) Sustainable Agriculture Policy and Future Scenarios.

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

Preferred Qualifications: 

Scientific: 

• A PhD with expertise in a relevant discipline (landscape ecology, spatial ecology and modeling, agroecology, conservation decision-making, data science/data management) is required
• Experience working in and knowledge about sustainable agricultural systems/agroecology/agroforestry/ecosystem services/restoration 
• Experience with spatial prioritization approaches and the integration of both ecological and social data using platforms such as Marxan or prioritizr
• Experience with agent-based ecological modelling approaches (e.g., using R, NetLogo, or similar)
• Working knowledge of ecological (especially landscape ecology) research methodology and biostatistics
• Computer proficiency, including use of statistical software for spatial analyses, such as ArcGIS, QGIS, R, Google Earth Engine
• 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
• Experience collaborating with social scientists and non-academic partners considered an asset    

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 Dr. Matthew Mitchell ([email protected]); please send questions regarding the other two positions to Dr. Jeanine Rhemtulla ([email protected]) or Dr. Juliet Lu ([email protected]). 

The University is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for all members of its workforce. An inclusive work environment presumes an environment where differences are accepted, recognized, and integrated into current structures, planning, and decision-making modes. Within this hiring process, we will make efforts to create an inclusive and equitable process for all candidates. Accessibility requests or other accommodations are available on request for all applicants. To confidentially request accommodations, please contact the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship, Associate Dean Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Dr. Janette Bulkan ([email protected]).

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. 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.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.