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RESEARCH ASSOCIATE (S1-RA1), DATA MANAGER AND DASHBOARD DEVELOPER
BUILDING AN ECOSYSTEM SERVICE DASHBOARD FOR CANADA McGill University Start Date: As soon as possible
Salary: $60,000 - $80,000, commensurate with experience, Duration: 4-5 years (until the completion of ResNet) Location: Based at McGill’s Macdonald Campus Supervisors: Dr. Elena Bennett and Dr. Andrew Gonzalez Project info: http://www.nsercresnet.ca Description The successful candidate will work across all landscapes and themes of the project to (a) develop a system to store and manage ResNet data and (b) build and road-test a prototype dashboard using that data to monitor ecosystem services across Canada. The successful candidate will be responsible for the maintenance, preservation, and sharing of large datasets and tools across ResNet. They will work with all six landscapes and three themes to develop appropriate data storage and metadata standards, as well as to develop instructions about how any ResNet-built tools (e.g., ES models or decision support tools) should be stored to be usable by all in the network. They will also work to ensure that all ResNet data and models are made open source and freely available in an appropriate manner. The position also has an important research-based component that is focused on using ResNet data to build a prototype dashboard for monitoring ecosystem services at multiple scales. The successful applicant will use generalized models of ecosystem service networks built by the ResNet project team (theme 3), incorporate predictions arising from models of ecosystem service supply and demand (theme 2), and quantitative data and other knowledge forms from across the project’s target landscapes (landscapes 1-6), including decision-space maps (theme 1). This level of integration will ensure that the dashboard is useful to decisions made in Canada’s working landscapes. Main duties will include: (a) design and set-up of a data management system (including determining data architecture) that stores and makes accessible landscape level data (in accordance with any ethics requirements of the Universities involved) and models. This data is anticipated to include spatial data (maps of land use/land cover and of the provision of, and demand for, ES), as well as important non-spatial data from each landscape. It is likely to include both quantitative and qualitative data, making for a complex data storage situation. The successful candidate will ensure that this data is organized in a method common and consistent across all six core ResNet landscapes, and accessible to all. (b) development of a system of metadata to accompany all data in the ResNet database, and explaining/training HQP in the use of this system (c) maintenance of this data management system, including working with HQP to add new data prior to completion of their degrees. (d) use of this data and knowledge to build a prototype ecosystem service dashboard for Canadian working landscapes. Ideal Qualifications We seek a candidate with a PhD and experience in database management, open science methods, software and dashboard development and programming. Additional valuable skills include top-notch inductive modelling skills, expertise in machine-learning, excellent capacity for synthesis, good people and communications skills to work across the entire project. High level programming skills needed to build a prototype user interface for the dashboard will be extremely valuable. As this person will play a key role in determining appropriate data architecture and storage, a successful candidate must understand data and databases, as well as the nature of the goals of the network. Experience in managing and organizing large, complex datasets with both social and ecological data (including qualitative and quantitative data), as well as experience with dashboard development and programming would be an asset. We will seek a multi-year commitment to this critical synthesis position, aiming to keep one person in the position for the duration of the network if possible. ResNet recognizes that diversity is central to strong and innovative teams. We encourage candidates to indicate voluntarily on their applications if they are a woman or non-binary gender, an Indigenous person, a person with a disability, or a member of a visible minority group. Remote working possible. To apply: Please send a cover letter detailing your background and fit to the position, a CV, and a list of three referees to resnet.nrs@mcgill.ca. Please state clearly in the email the position for which you are applying, as we have multiple positions open. Position will remain open until filled. Referees will be contacted for shortlisted candidates only. POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW, (L3-PDF 1), ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND AGRICULTURAL DRAINAGE IN THE PRAIRIES
University of Saskatchewan Salary: $45,000/year + benefits
Duration: 2 years Start Date: early 2020 (negotiable) Location: University of Saskatchewan Supervisors: Dr. Helen Baulch, University of Saskatchewan and Dr. Phil Loring, University of Guelph Description: We are seeking a talented Postdoctoral Fellow to lead integrative work on modelling ecosystem services in the Canadian Prairies. This work is aimed at creating simulations of the responses of varied ecosystem services to changing wetland coverage and climate. The successful candidate will work across ResNET and Global Water Futures researchers to integrate ecosystem services into existing hydrological modelling tools (virtual basins), supported by a strong cohort of collaborating hydrological modellers, biogeochemists, and ecologists engaged in work on biodiversity, nutrient cycling and transport, carbon storage, GHG release, and water-related risks. This position is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Strategic Partnership Grants for Networks. The PDF will join the team of the newly funded NSERC ResNet: A network for monitoring, modeling, and managing Canada’s ecosystem services for sustainability and resilience and work within the Global Institute for Water Security, linking closely with Global Water Futures researchers, and partners. This position is for 2 years, and will be based out the University of Saskatchewan. Expected outcomes include:
The ideal candidate would have either hydrological modelling experience or some background in hydrology, experience working with multi-stakeholders and multiple ecosystem services, as well as experience working in an interdisciplinary team on complex water issues. To apply, please send a cover letter describing your research background, interests, and qualifications; two example publications demonstrating your relevant research experience; plus, a complete curriculum vitae and contact information for at least two references to sminnes@uoguelph.ca. Application Deadline: February 10, 2019. Any applications received after the deadline will only be considered if the position is not filled. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. POST-DOCTORAL FELLOW (T3-PDF1), MONITORING CHANGE IN SPATIAL ECOSYSTEM SERVICE NETWORKS
McGill University .Start Date: As soon as possible
Salary: $50,000 per annum + benefits Duration: 2 years Location: McGill University Supervisors: Dr. Andrew Gonzalez (McGill) and Dr. Marie-Josée Fortin (Toronto) We are seeking an exceptional postdoctoral researcher to conduct research on the problem of identifying and monitoring change in spatial networks of biodiversity and ecosystem service (ES) supply. The PDF will develop appropriate quantitative methods and apply them to a selection of Canadian resource use landscapes. The specific research objectives are (i) using existing data to identify spatial ES networks in our six partner landscapes, (ii) the identification of statistically robust network indicators for trend detection in the supply and connectivity of ES, and (iii) to develop methods that support decisions for the allocation of resources to monitor ES across space (and time) in order to maximize the information obtained from the ES monitoring networks in each landscape. The PDF will employ methods for ecosystem service network monitoring, which draw upon a powerful suite of tools for identifying the connectivity of the ES network, and for ranking the importance of the nodes and links to the dynamical state of network. This postdoc is part of a larger NSERC Strategic Network, ResNet, an exciting new research network with the ambitious goal of providing scientific knowledge for the management of ecosystem services to enable more resilient resource management in Canada’s working landscapes and so ensure a prosperous and sustainable future for Canadians. NSERC ResNet brings together 26 co-applicants from 11 universities, 30 collaborators, and 17 partner organizations to address important questions about the management and future of Canada’s working landscapes and the critical ecosystem services they provide. This postdoc will be part of Theme 3, which will provide knowledge used by themes 1 and 2, and the partner landscapes, to make reliable inferences and predictions about the sustainability of ES provision into the future. Essential Duties: The primary responsibilities of the successful candidate will be to conduct innovative research and outreach in collaboration with a diverse group of university scientists as well as their industry and government partners. The postdoc will co-lead a series of data collection workshops in different landscapes across Canada. The specific duties of the position will include model development and simulation; data collection; stakeholder discussions; report writing; workshop organization and the preparation of manuscripts in collaboration with the supervisors. The successful candidate will also be responsible for training graduate students and contributing to the development of competitive research grants as needed. Applicants must have completed a Ph.D. in a relevant discipline within the last three years and have primary publications in refereed, English language journals. We are seeking fluency in written and spoken English, the ability to work cooperatively with the supervisors, and strong communication and organizational skills. The ideal candidate will have expertise in numerical ecology, network methods, ecoinformatics, biodiversity and ecosystem service science, and a desire to develop novel methods in the monitoring of ecological change. We value creative and autonomous thinkers used to working in an interdisciplinary setting. National and international travel will be required. To apply, please send a cover letter describing your research background, interests, and qualifications; two example publications demonstrating your relevant research experience; plus, a complete curriculum vitae and contact information for at least two references to andrew.gonzalez@mcgill.ca and mariejosee.fortin@utoronto.ca. Application deadline: Open until filled. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. |
PhD AND MA POSITIONS AVAILABLE IN ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND AGRICULTURAL DRAINAGE IN THE PRAIRIES
University of Guelph PhD (L3-PhD1) Position Specific Information
Salary: Salary will be commensurate with experience Duration: 4 years Start Date: September 8, 2020 Location: Based out of the University of Guelph Supervisors: Dr. Phil Loring, University of Guelph and Dr. Helen Baulch, University of Saskatchewan MA (L3-MA1) Position Specific Information Salary: Salary will be commensurate with experience Duration: 2 years Ideal Start Date: September 7, 2021, however, the start date is flexible depending on the academic timelines of the candidate. Location: Based out of the University of Guelph Supervisors: Dr. Phil Loring, University of Guelph and Dr. Helen Baulch, University of Saskatchewan Description: We are seeking one Doctoral student and one Masters student to help conduct integrative work on modelling ecosystem services in the Canadian Prairies. This work is aimed at simulating responses of varied ecosystem services to changing wetland coverage and climate. The main role of these positions will be to undertake work on ecosystem services scenario development grounded in virtual basin modelling, crossing over into work on scenario pathways and policy options. The successful candidates will work across ResNET and Global Water Futures researchers to integrate ecosystem services into existing hydrological modelling tools (virtual basins), supported by a strong cohort of collaborating hydrological modelers, biogeochemists, and ecologists engaged in work on biodiversity, nutrient cycling and transport, carbon storage, GHG release, and water-related risks. This position is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Strategic Partnership Grants for Networks. The successful candidates will join the team of the newly funded NSERC ResNet: A network for monitoring, modeling, and managing Canada’s ecosystem services for sustainability and resilience. There will also be collaborative work with colleagues within the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph, and with Global Water Futures researchers, and partners at the University of Saskatchewan. Duties could include a combination of the following depending on the interests and skill set of the candidates:
Applicants must have completed a master’s degree (for the PhD position) or an undergraduate degree (for the MA position) in the field of Anthropology, Ecology, Biology, Geography, Natural Resources, or a related field and have good knowledge or interest in agent-based modelling and/or multicriteria based decision making analysis. Experience with scientific publications would be a great advantage. We require strong numeric abilities (particularly for the PhD position), fluency in written and spoken English, the ability to work cooperatively with supervisors and collaborators, and strong communication and organizational skills. The ideal candidates would have either hydrological modelling experience or some background in hydrology, and experience and/or interest in working with multi-stakeholders and an interdisciplinary team on complex water issues. Application Procedure To apply please send a cover letter describing your research background, interests, and qualifications; plus a curriculum vitae and contact information for at least three references to Philip Loring (phil.loring@uoguelph.ca). Application Deadline: February 10, 2020. Any applications received after the deadline will only be considered if the position is not filled. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. TWO MASTERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES POSITIONS
Dalhousie University I am co-leading the Atlantic landscape node of NSERC ResNet. This case study landscape is the Bay of Fundy dykeland system, which has largely replaced its salt marshes with drained agricultural land starting with French settlement in the 1600s (read more here: https://bit.ly/347bck7). Sea level rise and increasing storm activity means difficult decisions on which dykes should be reinforced for agricultural persistence, which may need to be shortened to reduce infrastructure burdens, and where tidal marsh restoration may be feasible to provide natural protections. The early years of NSERC ResNet will see us exploring ecosystem service delivery from dykelands and marshes, and intermediary states, to inform those decisions.
I am looking for up to two students to begin Masters of Environmental Studies (MES) with me at Dalhousie (https://bit.ly/2D4DUGo) to tackle research on how settlers and Mi’kmaq use and value the drained agricultural land (dykelands) and the salt marshes they replaced (and to which sections will return if abandoned or realigned). Opportunities for students as part of NSERC ResNet are many and include additional training opportunities as well as national and international internships and networking. Candidates should be socially curious, ideally trained in social science fields (e.g. first degrees in Geography, Environmental Studies, Sociology, Anthropology, Planning) and interested in methods such as quantitative surveys and/or semi-structured interviews. Canadians and permanent residents in Canada will be given preference, but we are extremely keen to hear from students who identify as belonging to equity-seeking groups (This helps clarify what that means to Dalhousie:https://cdn.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/dept/hres/Self-ID-prospective-employees-2017.pdf. Aboriginal students are particularly encouraged to apply. Please contact me to express interest (have a look here first: http://katesherren.org/how-to-express-interest-in-working-with-me/), and be prepared to provide a c.v., unofficial transcripts, and evidence of English competency and skill. PHD STUDENTS (T3-PHD1; T3-PHD2), SPATIAL ECOLOGY - ECOSYSTEM SERVICE NETWORKS
McGill University & University of Toronto Salary: minimum of $25,000/ year Duration: 4 years Start Date: As soon as possible Location: T3-PhD1 - McGill University, T3-PhD2 - University of Toronto Supervisors: T3-PhD1 - Dr. Andrew Gonzalez, T3-PhD2 - Dr. Marie-Josée Fortin Description: We are seeking two PhD students to conduct research on the problem of modelling and monitoring change in biodiversity and ecosystem services at the landscape scale. The research objective is to develop and apply methods for network monitoring. The research will draw upon a powerful suite of tools for quantifying the connectivity and sustainability of biodiversity and ES networks. Ultimately, our goal is to develop quantitative methods and apply them to a selection of Canadian landscapes within ResNet. ResNet is an exciting new NSERC strategic network with the ambitious goal of providing scientific knowledge for the management of ecosystem services to enable more resilient resource management in Canada’s working landscapes. ResNet brings together 26 co-applicants from 11 universities, 30 collaborators, and 17 partner organizations to address critical questions about the management and future of Canada’s working landscapes and the critical ecosystem services they provide. We are seeking fluency in written and spoken English, the ability to work cooperatively with the supervisors, and strong communication and organizational skills. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. To apply, please send a cover letter describing your research background, interests, and qualifications; plus, a complete curriculum vitae and contact information for at least two references to andrew.gonzalez@mcgill.ca and mariejosee.fortin@utoronto.ca . Application Deadline: Open until filled. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. |
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