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

Postdoctoral Research Fellow Cluster Hire: Sustainable Agriculture Policy and Future Scenarios Postdoctoral Fellow at University of British Columbia

Position Description

We invite applications for the Sustainable Agriculture Policy and Adoption Postdoctoral Fellow to join the Perennial Ecosystem Restoration for Carbon Sequestration (PERCS) project at the University of British Columbia. 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 perennial plantings (e.g., hedgerows, windbreaks, riparian restoration) in Canadian agricultural landscapes.

The Fellow will work with a diverse range of policy, program, spatial, and farmer-generated datasets to investigate patterns and drivers of perennial restoration establishment across British Columbia. In close collaboration with project partners, government agencies, and agricultural organizations, the Fellow will evaluate existing programs and policies supporting perennial adoption, identify barriers and enabling conditions, and assess opportunities for improving the policy landscape and scaling perennial restoration in Canadian agricultural systems.

Potential research themes include:

• Evaluation of partner and government incentive programs;

• Analysis of policy and institutional frameworks influencing adoption;

• Stakeholder and governance mapping across agricultural and environmental sectors;

• Examination of socio-economic, cultural, and structural factors affecting farmer decision-making;

• Development of qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method scenarios exploring future pathways for expansion of perennial agricultural features.

Qualifications Required:

• PhD in a related social science field

• A record of independent research design, execution, and publication of results

• Knowledge of the Canadian agricultural sector and the Canadian policy landscape

• Strong commitment to, and ideally work experience in, conducting collaborative, interdisciplinary research

This postdoctoral fellow will be supervised by Juliet Lu and Hannah Wittman in the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship. They will work within the PERCS Policy and Adoption Team, consisting of interdisciplinary, primarily qualitative social scientists focused on the policies, market structures, and socio-cultural forces shaping the adoption of perennials on farms. The successful candidate will have considerable flexibility to shape their research agenda within the broader goals of the project. Findings will contribute directly to evidence-based policy recommendations and practical strategies for accelerating perennial restoration across Canada and beyond.

Cluster Hire Component

The successful candidate will constitute one of three Fellows hired in a PDF cluster. They 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 work and obligations to larger project deliverables.

PDF in Synthesis of Ecological Benefits from Perennial Agricultural Features

PDF in Prioritization of Perennial Features in Agricultural Landscapes

PDF in Sustainable Agriculture Policy and Future Scenarios

The preferred start date is Jan 1, 2027, but applications will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. The initial position duration is for 1 year, with possibility for renewal for an additional year upon satisfactory performance. Expected salary is $70,000/year plus benefits.

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