Posting Expiry
The Food Systems PRISM lab (https://prismlab.weebly.com/) in the Department of Biology at the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow for a 12-month position renewable for up to 2 years subject to progress of the project and availability of funds. The appointment is expected to start on January 1, 2019, or soon thereafter.
The successful candidate will work under the direction of Dr. Nathan Pelletier (Endowed Chair in Bio-economy Sustainability Management and NSERC/EFC Industrial Research Chair in Sustainability). The Food Systems Priority Research for Integrated Sustainability Management Laboratory (Food Systems PRISM Lab - www.prismlab.weebly.com) is a hub for cross-cutting research at the intersection of food system sustainability measurement and management. The lab undertakes a broad array of inter-related research activities activities including: life cycle assessment of conventional and alternative agricultural, horticultural, and livestock production technologies; identification of sustainability best management practices for agri-food supply chains; evaluation of environmental and economic payback times for renewable energy, waste valorization, precision agriculture, advanced digital technologies, and other green technology options for food system applications; development of spatially-resolved life cycle-based decision support tools for agri-food system stakeholders; development of the Canadian Agri-food Life Cycle Data Centre (a publicly available LCI database); and direct industry engagement and knowledge translation and transfer.
Candidates must have a recent Ph.D.; a mature foundation in life cycle assessment theory and practice, including data quality and uncertainty assessment; a strong publication record and interest in further research in the field of agri-food life cycle sustainability modelling, in particular with respect to the above-mentioned areas of research; and a keen interest in contributing to mentoring and co-publishing with research assistants and graduate students (MSc and PhD), while developing extensive lab management, research supervision, grant writing, and industry engagement credentials.
The department of Biology, at UBC's Okanagan campus, is housed in the vibrant Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences. The Faculty offers both discipline-based and interdisciplinary programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The collegial learning environment in the Faculty focuses on effective teaching, critical and creative scholarship, and the integration of scholarship and teaching. We are committed to an ethos of local involvement, global engagement, and intercultural awareness and we provide a positive, inclusive, and mutually supportive working and learning environment for all our students, faculty, and staff. To learn about the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Science, go to: http://www.ubc.ca/okanagan/ikbarberschool/welcome.html. For more information about UBC resources and opportunities, please, visit: http://www.hr.ubc.ca/faculty-staff-resources/. Information about the surrounding community can be found at: http://www.hr.ubc.ca/worklife-relocation/.
UBC is one of the world's leading universities, and is consistently ranked in the top 40. The university has two distinct campuses, one in Vancouver and one in Kelowna. UBC's Okanagan campus, located in the city of Kelowna, has over 9,000 students in seven faculties, with strong undergraduate and graduate programs. Situated in the heart of the Okanagan Valley, one of the most scenic regions in Canada, it offers an intimate learning environment and excellent opportunities for regional, national, and international scholarly activities.
Applications must be submitted online and should include:
i) a cover letter outlining qualifications for the position
ii) a curriculum vitae
iii) up to three relevant peer-reviewed publication, and
iv) the names of three referees who have been asked to submit letters of reference.
Applicants should also arrange to have their referees submit letters of recommendation directly to Barb Lucente by the deadline, at: barb.lucente@ubc.ca. Inquires may be directed to Dr. Nathan Pelletier at: npelleti@mail.ubc.ca. All email correspondence must indicate the competition title in the subject line.
Eligibility Criteria:
A Postdoctoral Fellow must commence the appointment within five years of being awarded a Ph.D. degree or within ten years of being awarded a M.D. or D.D.S. degree; however, this time period may be extended by circumstances requiring an interruption in a research career (e.g. maternity/parental leave).