Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Climate Resilience and Water Resources, Assistant Professor (tenure-track)
University of British Columbia
Kelowna, Canada
| Job Type | Faculty / Postdoc |
| Salary Details | $115,000 - $125,000 |
| Deadline | Feb 23, 2025 |
Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science
Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences (EEGS)
Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Climate Resilience and Water Resources, Assistant Professor (tenure-track)
Situated on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation, the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan campus invites applications from outstanding emerging scholars for a Tier II CRC position in climate resilience and water resource science in the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) stream. The successful applicant will be a future leader in the field who conducts research that has the potential to influence policy at all levels of governments. The full time appointment will be made at the rank of Assistant Professor (tenure-track) in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences (EEGS; eegs.ok.ubc.ca). The position is expected to start on July 1, 2025 or soon thereafter.
The UBC Okanagan campus has prioritized climate adaptation and disaster resilience as core research areas, aligning with its Outlook 2040 vision and commitments under the 2019 Climate Emergency Declaration and Canada’s 2022 National Adaptation Strategy. As part of this initiative, the campus is conducting a cluster hire for three NSERC Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) across the Faculties of Science, Applied Sciences, and Health and Social Development. These roles aim to advance research on climate change mitigation and adaptation, fostering resilient communities. The NSERC Tier-II CRC in Climate Resilience and Water Resources in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science is one of the three Chairs that will be recruited as part of the UBC Okanagan cluster hire initiative. Please consult UBC Okanagan’s VPRI webpage for more details about each Chair (https://research.ok.ubc.ca/canada-research-chairs-cluster-hiring).
The successful candidate for this nomination must hold a Ph.D. in science or applied science and will be an exceptional emerging scholar who has achieved public and academic recognition for their research in the field of hydrology, hydrogeology, groundwater-surface water interactions, environmental flows and aquatic habitat, alpine water resources, extreme hydrologic events, remote sensing of water resources, or hydrological responses to wildfires. Exceptional candidates with expertise in other areas of climate resilience and water resources also will be considered. The ideal candidate will bring a breadth of expertise, establish an innovative research program with the ability to attract substantial external funding and industrial partnerships as well as excellence in undergraduate teaching and learning, and dedication to graduate student teaching, supervision, and mentoring. The individual will be expected to provide service to the University and the broader academic and professional community.
This research program will build upon UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Science expertise in water resource science. The successful candidate will have access to collaborative research space on the UBC Okanagan campus, including the Water Resource Science (WRS) laboratory housed in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences. The individual also will have access to extensive analytical facilities in the Fipke Laboratory for Trace Element Research (FiLTER) and a field equipment pool jointly managed by the EEGS and Biology Departments. It is anticipated that the Tier 2 CRC will interact with research chairs funded through an existing Watershed Enhancement endowment fund and the UBC Okanagan Principal’s Research Chair (PRC) program. The Faculty of Science leads an interdisciplinary research cluster in Watershed Management, which will relocate in 2026 to the new interdisciplinary x̌əl sic snpax̌nwixʷtn building. The successful CRC candidate will contribute to delivery and raising the profile of the UBC Okanagan B.Sc. (Hon.) Freshwater Sciences degree program, which is the oldest freshwater resources degree program in Canada.
The Tier II Canada Research Chair position has a term of five years which may be renewed once for a second five-year term. Tier II CRCs are intended for exceptional emerging scholars, who have completed their Ph.D. within the last 10 years at the time of nomination. Applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree and who have experienced legitimate career interruptions (maternity, parental, or extended sick leave, clinical training, COVID-19 impacts, or family care) may have their eligibility to hold a Tier II CRC assessed through the program's Tier II justification process. UBC acknowledges that certain circumstances may cause career interruptions that legitimately affect an applicant’s record of research achievement. These interruptions will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process. We encourage applicants to highlight in their application how interruptions have impacted their career in order to allow for a fair assessment of their research productivity.
All CRC nominations are subject to review and final approval by the CRC Secretariat. Please consult the Canada Research Chairs website for full program information, including further details on eligibility criteria.
The candidate will have a strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion and a commitment to creating a welcoming community where those who are historically, persistently, or systemically marginalized are treated equitably, feel respected, and belong. UBC recognizes that inclusion is built by individual and institutional responsibility through continuous engagement with diversity to inspire people, ideas, and actions for a better world.
The ideal candidate will also have a strong commitment to Indigenous engagement. As part of the University’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, UBC Okanagan has committed to supporting and implementing five key commitments, which can be found at https://ok.ubc.ca/about/indigenous-engagement/.
UBC is consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world and is a renowned global institution for teaching, learning and research. Since 1915, UBC has been opening doors of opportunity for people with the curiosity, drive and vision to shape a better world. Today, our students, faculty and staff come from around the world and our international research partnerships and publications enable us to collaborate on a global scale. UBC is proud to nurture and transform the lives of more than 65,000 students from Canada and 140+ countries around the world.
With 10,000 undergraduates and over 1,000 graduate students, UBC’s Okanagan campus has grown to be a diverse and vibrant part of the Okanagan community. Kelowna is connected by direct flights to major Canadian and some USA cities and the region is considered one of the most desirable to live in Canada. For more information about the Okanagan Campus, see https://ok.ubc.ca.
The Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science has a vibrant interdisciplinary and collaborative culture of teaching and research. The Faculty has departments spanning the disciplines of Earth, Environmental and Geographic Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, and Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics. For more information about the Irving K Barber Faculty of Science, see https://science.ok.ubc.ca. The Faculty has a deep commitment to providing a supportive work environment that embraces equity, diversity and inclusion. For more information, please see Our Community.
The EEGS Department at UBC Okanagan values interdisciplinary research, supporting cross-disciplinary projects both across the departmental groups and with other groups outside the department. For more information about who we are see: https://eegs.ok.ubc.ca/about/contact/ and related webpages.
Application Process
Interested candidates are invited to submit an application package as a single PDF file and include:
• Cover letter describing career fit to a Tier II CRC in Climate Resilience and Water Resources and commitment to advancing the research agenda of the Faculty of Science (up to 2 pages);
• Curriculum vitae;
• Research statement describing approaches, accomplishments, aspirations, and potential collaborations within the Faculty of Science and external partners (up to 3 pages);
• Teaching statement including supervision philosophy and evidence of teaching ability (up to 2 pages);
• Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) statement (up to 2 pages) describing and documenting contributions to EDI and indigeneity through teaching, research, training, and service to the community, addressing knowledge of, track record in, and future plans for EDI;
• Copies of three recent publications and/or other scholarly outputs or outcomes most relevant to this position;
• Names and contact details for four “arm’s -length”referees.
Complete application packages are required by 11:59 pm PST, February 23rd, 2025. Questions regarding this position and the CRC nomination process should be directed to Kyle Larson, Department Head, EEGS at eegs.hod@ubc.ca. The anticipated salary range is $115,000 - $125,000.
UBC is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive, non-discriminatory and accessible work environment for all members of its workforce, and in particular, for its employees with disabilities. Additionally, an inclusive work environment for employees with disabilities presumes an environment where differences are accepted, recognized, and integrated into current structures, planning, and decision-making modes. We welcome colleagues with the experiences and skills to contribute to our principles of inclusion, equity, and diversity throughout campus life. UBC is also committed to ensuring that the application and interview process is accessible to all applicants. If you require accommodations or have questions about UBC benefits, services or accommodations policies, please contact Jacky Ivans, Relocation and Benefits Associate at jacky.ivans@ubc.ca . If you have any questions regarding accommodations or accessibility during the recruitment and hiring process or for more information and support, please visit UBC’s Centre for Workplace Accessibility via email at workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca. To learn more about how the University is working to create a more inclusive working and learning environment, please see the UBC Inclusion Action Plan’s goals related to recruitment and retention at this link.
Equity, diversity, and inclusion 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 who are from at least one of the federally designated groups (FDG) are encouraged to apply.
In accordance with UBC’s CRC Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Action Plan and pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights code, the selection will be restricted to members of the following federally designated groups: Women and gender equity-seeking groups, Racialized individuals (members of groups that are racially categorized), persons with disabilities, and Indigenous Peoples.
Applicants to CRC positions are asked to complete this equity survey: [https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6WJHol7SfPxRMu9] as part of the application, and candidates from these groups must self-identify as belonging to one or more of the designated equity groups to be considered for the position. Because the search is limited to those self-identifying as members of designated equity groups, Candidates must also provide their name in the survey to be considered. Personal information is collected under the authority of sections 26(a), 26(c) and 26(e) of the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The information you provide will be used to determine whether you qualify for participation in this restricted process, and to advance accessibility, equity, and fair adjudication in this process. Data will be collected by the Equity & Inclusion Office and only the names of those eligible for the search process will be shared confidentially with the search committee. All responses will be stored in a secure database.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.
Review of applications will begin on February 23rd, 2025. The position is subject to budgetary approval.
When you apply, please indicate that you are responding to the posting on Conservation Job Board.
| Category | Admin & Leadership, Ecology, Hydrology |
| Tags | Climate Change |
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