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

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The expected salary range for this position is $130,000 to 150,000 CAD.

Assistant Professor of the Social Dimensions of Wildfire

The Department of Forest Resources Management in the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position at the UBC Vancouver campus. The successful applicant is expected to conduct research and teach in fields related to the social dimensions of wildfire. The costs and impacts of wildfire are growing in Canada and are disproportionately affecting rural and Indigenous communities.  Further research is needed to better understand these impacts and to identify effective ways of coexisting with fire, including mitigating the risks that wildfire poses to communities and to other forest values and ecosystem services.  

The UBC Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) People. As part of ongoing and University-wide efforts, the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship is committed to taking action towards meaningful reconciliation. The UBC Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship is one of the world’s leading academic institutions in forestry, conducting both national and international research, and providing undergraduate education encompassing Forest Resources Management, Forest Operations, Urban Forestry, Forest Science, Natural Resources Conservation, Bioeconomy Sciences and Technology, and Wood Products Processing. The successful applicant will be an essential part of the Faculty, contributing to the undergraduate and graduate programs.

Required qualifications:

Candidates for this position must have a PhD relevant to the social dimensions of wildfire, or a PhD combined with applied research demonstrating an understanding of the social dimensions relevant to their field of study. The focus of their scholarship should be on the challenges of increasing wildfire and wildfire risk in Canada, opportunities for mitigating those risks, and/or their consequences for society.

The successful candidate will have a potential or proven track record of teaching and research that demonstrates:

• Expertise with assessing the multi-faceted impacts of wildfire on society and people, including familiarity with social science methods;
• Experience with or a demonstrated ability to work with Indigenous Peoples, communities, practitioners, decision-makers, NGO’s and other organizations;
• Experience with or familiarity with wildfire and with strategies to mitigate its risks in different contexts, whether at the community level, in the broader forested landscape, or from a social and institutional perspective.
• Demonstrated or strong potential for scientific publishing, knowledge extension and securing research grants. 

Desired qualifications:

The ideal candidate will have many of the following qualifications:

• Experience with social science research methods;
• Research on wildfire and its social dimensions;
• Experience working with Indigenous and forest-dependent communities and/or other partners (e.g. industry, NGOs, government);
• Strong interest or experience in conducting collaborative work, through existing or proposed research, teaching, leadership, service, community engagement, and outreach or other relevant activities;
• Past experience or the potential to conduct research focused in British Columbia and/or Canada;
• Evidence or interest in innovative approaches to knowledge mobilization, such as integrated knowledge mobilization, co-creative outputs, and/or contributions to policy.
• Evidence of, or strong potential for, effective and inclusive teaching and student mentorship at the undergraduate and graduate levels; and
• A demonstrated record of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in a university setting through research, teaching, and service.

How to apply:

Applicants should be submitted via Workday and should include:

• Cover letter

• Curriculum vitae

• Research Statement (up to 2 pages) describing your current and proposed research program and showing how your work contributes to advancing new ways of addressing the social costs of wildfire and mitigating the risks to Canadian society.

• Statement (up to 1 page) of teaching philosophy and accomplishments, including specific interests for teaching courses in the UBC Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship.

• Statement (up to 1 page) identifying your past/proposed contributions to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, along with your ability to work with a diverse student body (giving specific examples where possible).

• Up to 3 representative publications.

• Names and contact information for three referees.

The desired starting date for this position is July 1, 2027, or as soon as possible thereafter. Questions about the position may be directed to the Chair of the Search Committee, Dr. Harry Nelson ([email protected])

The expected salary range for this position is $130,000 to 150,000 CAD. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. This position is eligible for a comprehensive benefits package. For details, see https://hr.ubc.ca/benefits\

The University of British Columbia's primary language of instruction and research is English. Accordingly, individuals are required to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.

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 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.