University of British Columbia, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, and
Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, Faculty of Science

4233 17216  4233 17216
Position ID:UBC-FoodandResourceEcono-RAP [#17216]
Position Title: Assistant Professor, Human Dimensions of Biodiversity Conservation
Position Type:Tenured/Tenure-track faculty
Position Location:Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada [map] sort by distance
Subject Areas: Economics / Applied Economics
Quantitative Methods
Data Science
Agroecology
Environmental Sociology (more...)
Starting Date:2021/07/01
Appl Deadline:2020/11/21 11:59PMhelp popup finished (2020/10/17, finished 2021/05/22)
Position Description:    

*** this position has been closed and new applications are no longer accepted. ***

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HUMAN DIMENSIONS OF BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION CLUSTER HIRE: UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA 

The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia seeks applicants for five tenure-track positions at the level of Assistant Professor in the thematic area of restoring and conserving global biodiversity. The Faculty of Science, together with the Faculties of Arts, Forestry, and Land and Food Systems, is sponsoring this unique cluster hire, which builds on existing excellence in this area at UBC. The new hires will join an interdisciplinary research and scholarship team at UBC focused on solutions-oriented approaches to biodiversity loss and its connection to sustainability and adaptive capacity for humanity. For further information see https://biodiversity.ubc.ca/hire

The Assistant Professor position in the Human Dimensions of Biodiversity Conservation will be a joint hire in the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability (IRES) in the Faculty of Science (www.ires.ubc.ca) and the Food and Resource Economics Program (FRE) in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems (www.landfood.ubc.ca). The successful candidate will be expected to develop an independent research program and contribute to undergraduate and graduate teaching, mentoring and academic service across these departments. 

We seek an economist or quantitative social scientist investigating how individual and collective behavior affects biodiversity outcomes and vice versa. The candidate should have strong quantitative skills in one or more of the following areas: econometrics, causal data analysis, integration and analysis of large datasets, social and behavioral field experiments, spatial statistics, and other commensurate approaches. We welcome applications from candidates in economics, environmental social science, geography, public policy, and related interdisciplinary fields. Applicants should submit: 

  1. A cover letter (up to 2 pages) that briefly summarizes: The candidate’s research agenda, skills/expertise and goals, and how these would advance the research vision of the Biodiversity Solutions Team (https://biodiversity.ubc.ca/cluster-hire); The candidate’s interest or experience in conducting collaborative, applied, and interdisciplinary research; a summary of leadership potential through existing or proposed research, teaching, service, community engagement, outreach, contributions to equity, diversity and inclusion, or other relevant activities.
  2. Curriculum vitae 
  3. A statement (up to 2 pages) describing the current and proposed research program and showing how their approach can connect to understanding of biodiversity conservation or solutions to biodiversity crises. 
  4. A statement (up to 1 page) of teaching interests and accomplishments, addressing how the candidate could teach undergraduate and graduate courses in data analysis for social scientists, statistical methods, environmental social science, economics, or other commensurate fields. 
  5. A statement (up to 1 page) identifying the candidate’s past contributions to equity, diversity and inclusion, along with their ability to work with a culturally diverse student body (giving specific examples where possible); as well as their philosophy of and potential future contributions to equity, diversity and inclusion 
  6. Up to 3 representative publications, or works in progress. 
  7. An unofficial transcript or statement of relevant post-graduate courses taken 
  8. Names and contact information for 3 referees.  
Applications must be submitted via the Academic Jobs Online portal. Applicants should also arrange for 3 confidential letters of reference to be submitted through the online portal by November 21. 

If you have specific questions about the application process, please contact the Chair of the Selection Committee c/o melanie.train@ubc.ca. Please do not send applications by email.  

Review of applications will begin November 21, 2020 and continue until the position is filled. 

The anticipated starting date for positions is July 1, 2021, or as soon as possible thereafter, dependent on immigration and travel restrictions. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. 

The UBC Vancouver campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world. The University of British Columbia embraces innovation and challenges to the status quo. UBC is dedicated to ensuring that diversity, equity and inclusion are embedded throughout the university’s academic and work life, recognizing the significant work remains to be accomplished. For example, UBC’s vision is to be a world leader in the implementation of Indigenous people’s human rights and is guided in a mission of reconciliation as articulated and called for by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. It is firmly committed to recruiting Indigenous faculty, students, and staff as outlined in its Indigenous Strategic Plan. As one of the world's leading universities, The University of British Columbia creates an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship, advances a civil and sustainable society, and supports outstanding research to serve the people of British Columbia, Canada and the world. 

The Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES) is a problem-focused and curiosity-driven interdisciplinary research institute and graduate program, with interest and expertise in a wide range of topics under the realm of environment and sustainability. Research concentrations at IRES span the natural and social sciences, engineering and public policy fields. Our large graduate program is consistently ranked among the top 15 programs in the world, offering MA, MSc, and PhD degrees. Faculty and students engage in the collaborative study of real world problems that include: ecosystem, human health and resilience; energy, pollution and climate change; land, food, water and waste; emerging technology and development; perceptions, culture, values and behaviour; and environmental governance policy, law and justice. For more information, please visit: http://ires.ubc.ca

The Food and Resource Economics (FRE) Program (formerly Agricultural Economics) uses rigorous tools of economic and empirical analysis to examine applied problems in the general area of natural resource and environmental economics (e.g., carbon taxes, conservation and biodiversity, fisheries), commodity markets and trade and food marketing. The FRE Program actively collaborates with other economists at UBC (and also in proximate universities) through a Centre for Food, Resource and Environmental Economics. The Centre facilitates access to a world class and diversified network of expertise in agricultural and environmental economics for our students and researchers. The Program offers a BSc. in Food and Resource Economics, a professional Masters program in Food and Resource Economics, and supports several research MSc. and Ph.D. students through the Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems graduate degree. For more information please visit: http://fre.landfood.ubc.ca/.


Equity, inclusion 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.

Applicants will be asked to complete an equity survey. The survey information will not be used to determine eligibility for employment, but will be collated to provide data that can assist us in understanding the diversity of our applicant pool and identifying potential barriers to the employment of designated equity group members. Your participation in the survey is voluntary and confidential. This survey takes only a minute to complete. You may self-identify in one or more of the designated equity groups. You may also decline to identify in any or all of the questions by choosing "not disclosed".


Application Materials Required:
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:
And anything else requested in the position description.

Further Info:
https://biodiversity.ubc.ca/cluster-hire
email address
6048223105
 
248 - 2357 Main Mall
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4