3 Year Postdoctoral Fellowship: Ecological Response to Restoration in the Coastal Douglas-Fir Region of BC

The University of Northern British Columbia (Dr. Pamela Wright, Professor Emerita) and the Pender Islands Conservancy (Dr. Erin O’Brien) seek one postdoctoral fellow to work on this three-year project. The appointee will lead a team of researchers and partners to:

Experimentally examine biotic and abiotic ecological responses to forest and wetland restoration in the Coastal Douglas-fir biogeoclimatic region of BC and use those data to conduct a spatial prioritization of conservation lands. The PDF will develop and refine methods to be used for the examination of ecological responses to restoration and their incorporation into spatial prioritization models.

Both the UNBC and Pender Conservancy supervisors are based on Pender Island. Close connections with adjacent Conservancies, other conservation organizations, and researchers at nearby universities are available for support and professional development opportunities.

Qualifications: Ph.D. in restoration ecology, plant/forest ecology, or conservation-related natural sciences with experience in field ecology and experimental design.

Essential skills and experience include:

• Plant/forest ecology (preferably in coastal ecology) is critical with experience in vertebrate ecology an asset

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, including the ability to prioritize and schedule daily tasks

• Experience working outdoors under variable weather conditions

• Excellent attention to detail, data organization, and time management skills

• Publication record (e.g., led writing of journal articles, book chapters, funder/agency reports)

• Collaborative approach (especially non-academic) and project management

• Experience/comfort in using and maintaining field equipment such as passive acoustic and visual monitoring units

• Must possess a valid Class 5 driver’s licence and have access to a personal vehicle that can be used for work (mileage provided)

  
  

Desired skills and experience include:

• Leading large projects to completion

• Supervising undergraduate students, technicians, and community ecological restoration volunteers

• Mapping skills/proficiency in ESRI ArcGIS and R will be considered an asset

• Current first aid certification will be an asset

• Working with government, community, and/or non-profit partners

• Science communication and outreach (including technical and non-technical audiences)

• Experience with vertebrate ecology is an asset

  
  

We welcome applications from people who identify as part of marginalized, minoritized, and/or other underrepresented groups.

Location: The position is based on Pender Island, BC (Southern Gulf Islands), with some flexibility if the candidate is based on the Saanich Peninsula/Victoria. Some travel in the Southern Gulf Islands/Saanich Peninsula is anticipated.

Start date: The appointee will preferably start on or before April 1, 2026.

Hours: 35 hours per week, typically Tuesday through Saturday. Some flexibility in work schedule will be necessary to accommodate field work requirements.

Salary: $60,000 CAD per year for three years, commensurate with qualifications and experience. Second and third year of funding contingent upon successful progress in year 1. Mileage will be paid at $0.72/km.

To apply: Applications must include a cover letter (addressing your interest and experience in the topic, explaining how you meet both the essential and desired qualifications, and relationship to career goals), CV, and contact information for three references. Documents/materials must be submitted in a single PDF file (“PICAPostdoc-FirstNameLastName.pdf”) with the position title as the subject header to pamela.wright@unbc.ca.

Closing date: February 27th, 2026, at midnight or until position is filled, with interviews anticipated in early March 2026. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted; interviews may be held by Zoom or in person.

The position is conditional upon confirmation of funding and confirmation that the successful applicant meets Mitacs fellowship eligibility.

Postdoctoral fellow eligibility:

• They are Canadian citizens, permanent residents or international applicants.

• Their date of graduation from a PhD program is less than five years prior to the proposed start date of the project.

• They have fulfilled all PhD degree requirements (e.g., successful defence, final deposit, and sign-off of the dissertation).

• Postdocs can only be funded for a maximum of 3 years.