Employment opportunities

Postdoctoral Fellowship – TRANSFORM: Accelerating sustainability entrepreneurship experiments in local spaces

We seek a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to help lead research on small business sustainability experiments and the governance of transitions toward sustainability in urban spaces.

Dr. Sarah Burch (University of Waterloo) is leading an international partnership project (TRANSFORM) that connects hubs of research and practice in Canada, Australia, the USA, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. TRANSFORM will explore the role of small businesses in triggering and accelerating sustainability transitions. We are working to build capacity for transformation in the small business community, while investigating and supporting governance processes that enable these transformations.

In close collaboration with colleagues in each hub, the successful candidate will help to lead a team that will:

1. Build an interactive database of small business sustainability experiments, practices, and business models, targeting public, private sector, and scholarly users.
2. Carry out qualitative fieldwork in a number of case study communities, including document analysis and key informant interviews.
3. Coordinate the activities of PhD and Master’s-level students, including research design, publications and conference presentations.
4. Convene a wider conversation with scholarly and practitioner communities about strategies for assessing and accelerating sustainability transitions.

The successful candidate will be responsible for leading these activities, including managing a small team of Master’s and PhD students and collaborating with a broader advisory group. They will be based at the University of Waterloo, in the Sustainability Policy Research and Urban Transformation (SPROUT) Lab. The candidate will have significant opportunities to develop networks and publish in the fields of sustainability transitions and environmental governance.

The anticipated start date for this position will be January 1st, 2019.

Anticipated salary is $50,500/annum (plus reasonable research/dissemination expenses). The position is for a 2-year term. Travel opportunities exist in order to carry out fieldwork and collaborate with colleagues within Canada, the U.S., Western Europe, and Australia.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. degree, field open, although candidate must have strong skills in empirical social scientific research related to the environment, in particular interview-based research and qualitative data analysis.
• Extensive knowledge in some combination of: governance, sustainability, transformations/transitions, entrepreneurship, climate change mitigation and adaptation, comparative politics, and participatory processes.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; fluency in English required.
• Excellent organizational skills, including the demonstrated capacity to manage a team.
• Experience with interdisciplinary environmental research (e.g., incorporating philosophy, sociology, political science) or transdisciplinary research (e.g., working with diverse stakeholders to develop research outcomes of local relevance) would be valuable.
• Ability to self-motivate and to work semi-independently on a research project through to publication (evidenced in letters of reference and by publication record).
• Ability to commit to the project for a period of at least 2 years.

To apply: Please send the following materials to Dr. Sarah Burch (sburch@uwaterloo.ca) by October 30th 2018.
A letter of interest outlining your experience and fit for the position

• Curriculum vitae
• Contact information for two academic referees
• Two recent publications that you feel are relevant to this position (ie methodologically, theoretically, etc)

For more information on the Faculty of Environment and the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of Waterloo, see www.environment.uwaterloo.ca. More information about Dr. Sarah Burch can be found here: https://uwaterloo.ca/geography-environmental-management/people-profiles/sarahburch or here: https://www.cigionline.org/person/sarah-burch

Graduate opportunities in sustainability entrepreneurship and urban transformations at the University of Waterloo

We are seeking two PhD students and one Master’s student, starting in January or September 2019, to join the Sustainability Policy Research on Urban Transformations (SPROUT) lab in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management (GEM).  These students will be funded as part of an international team that explores urban sustainability transitions and the transformative potential of small businesses.  They would pursue their Master’s or Doctoral degree in GEM, designing their thesis or dissertation to support a major new international partnership project, TRANSFORM.

Housed in the SPROUT Lab, TRANSFORM explores the role of small businesses in triggering and accelerating sustainability transitions in a range of countries, including Canada, the United States, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, and the Netherlands. We are investigating the potential for low-carbon technological and social experiments to scale up, influencing the behavior of other businesses, sectors, and communities.   There is considerable flexibility within this mandate: current students, for instance, explore local visioning processes, green infrastructure, and food systems.

The SPROUT Lab, led by Dr. Sarah Burch (Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Sustainability Governance and Innovation) is an energetic, interdisciplinary team with a passion for tackling complex social and environmental issues using rigorous qualitative and quantitative methods.  Exciting opportunities exist within this group for peer mentoring, conference travel, publications, and collaborative learning.

Students interested in these positions should possess experience and skills (appropriate to their level) in at least one of the following areas:

• Environmental governance
• Entrepreneurship and innovation
• Sustainability science
• Urban climate change responses
• Sustainability transitions and experiments
• Business strategy and organizational behaviour

All prospective graduate students must ultimately apply and be accepted to the Department of Geography and Environmental Management’s PhD or Master’s program in order to take up these positions. For more information, please contact Dr. Sarah Burch (sburch@uwaterloo.ca). 

Potential students are encouraged to send the following materials to Dr. Burch by October 30th, 2018.

• A letter of interest outlining your research interests and experience
• Curriculum vitae
• Transcript or unofficial list of grades from highest degree obtained

For more information:

• University of Waterloo: www.uwaterloo.ca
• UW Faculty of Environment: www.uwaterloo.ca/environment
• The SPROUT https://uwaterloo.ca/sustainability-policy-research-on-urban-transformations-lab/

Geography and Environmental Management graduate programs https://uwaterloo.ca/geography-environmental-management/graduate

One Assistant Professor and one Associate Professor positions in sustainable development in SEED

The School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED), in the Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, invites applications for one Assistant Professor position and one Associate Professor position with expertise in sustainable development.  Candidates for the Assistant Professor position should have a completed Ph.D. by the commencement of employment and should demonstrate the potential for high-quality research and teaching.  Candidates for the Associate Professor position will hold a relevant Ph.D. and have a well-established record of high-quality research and teaching. The salary range for the Assistant Professor position is $85,000 to $115,000 per annum. The salary range for the Associate Professor position is $105,000 to $145,000 per annum.

Individuals with degrees in business, economics, economic geography, planning, international development, entrepreneurship or public policy are encouraged to apply.  Preferred candidates will have research expertise and/or teaching experience in one or more of the following areas: sustainability management, environment and business, local economic development, international development, energy, climate resilience, and qualitative and quantitative methods. The position will support teaching and research activities in SEED’s environment and business, economic development and innovation, international development, and sustainability management programs.

Applications will be accepted until October 16^th, 2018 with interviews commencing in November 2018. The anticipated start date for the position is July 1, 2019. Interested candidates are invited to submit a detailed curriculum vitae, a statement explaining how their abilities and interests relate to SEED with regard to research and teaching, as well as the names, addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of three referees. Please send an application package to:  Marion Brown, School of Environment, Enterprise and Development, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3G1, or submit electronically to ma4brown@uwaterloo.ca

Located at the heart of Canada’s technology hub, one-hour west of Toronto and serving over 35,000 full- and part-time students, the University of Waterloo (UW) is among Canada’s finest universities. For 26 straight years, UW has been ranked as the most innovative university in the country, and for 18 of those 22 years, educational leaders have ranked it Canada’s best university overall. UW stands out among its peers not only for its strong research profile and innovative approaches to education, but also for its uniquely positive and enterprising relationships with business and the world of practice.  Waterloo has been ranked one of the best places in the world for start-ups, which is why start-ups like FleetCarma have chosen to call Waterloo Region home. The Region also boasts of hundreds of technology-driven enterprises, including offices of OpenText, Square, and Google.

Founded in 2009, SEED, located in the biggest Faculty of Environment in Canada, has quickly established itself as a recognized leader in integrated approaches for sustainable solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental, social and development challenges. SEED offers comprehensive and highly inter-disciplinary professional programs, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, in sustainable business and development, with degrees in environment and business, sustainability management, international development, and local economic development. SEED offers two undergraduate programs (Environment & Business, International Development) and four graduate programs (Environment & Business, Sustainability Management, Economic Development and Innovation, and Development Practice). SEED has a current enrolment of approximately 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The School is adding faculty members, developing new programs and growing research capacities. SEED is located in a 57,000 sq. ft. LEED© Platinum building with classrooms, student space and offices. For details about the school and its programs please visit: http://seed.uwaterloo.ca.

The University of Waterloo respects, appreciates and encourages diversity and is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals including women, members of visible minorities, Aboriginal peoples and persons with disabilities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority in the recruitment process.

“Three reasons to apply: http://uwaterloo.ca/fauw/why.”

 SSHRC/NSERC/CIHR Canada Research Chair Tier 2 – Environment and Sustainability

The Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor (salary range $85,000 to $125,000 per annum).  In the case of an exceptional candidate, an appointment at the rank of Associate Professor will be considered.  The anticipated start date for this position is July 1, 2019.  The successful applicant must have a PhD at the time of appointment and be eligible for nomination as a Canada Research Chair Tier 2 on the following theme: environment and sustainability. 

We seek an energetic and dynamic scholar with demonstrated potential for leadership and international recognition in the study of environment and sustainability. Preference will be given to candidates with research backgrounds in scholarship that is theoretically rich or methodologically advanced, but also has ready application in sustainability solutions.  We are particularly interested in applicants whose research and teaching interests complement and connect with the current strengths in the Faculty of Environment including, but not limited to, climate resilience, sustainable cities, environmental governance, landscape restoration, and low-carbon transitions. A demonstrated ability to forge and sustain fruitful partnerships with scholars from a variety of disciplines is considered an asset; as are ties to Indigenous communities and/or interest in engaging with Indigenous peoples in scholarship and education.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop a strong research program, teach at the undergraduate and graduate level, contribute service to the Faculty and supervise graduate students.  S/he will be appointed as a regular member of the Faculty and subsequently nominated for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair. Canada Research Chairs are typically granted a reduced teaching load to facilitate leadership in research. Nominations for Canada Research Chairs (CRC) are subject to review by the University of Waterloo and the CRC Secretariat, and appointment as a CRC is conditional on their approval (see the CRC terms of reference). The University of Waterloo is committed to providing the candidate with the support required to successfully secure the CRC. 

The successful candidate will have obtained a PhD or equivalent within ten years of nomination to the CRC position and will be an outstanding emerging scholar with a demonstrated potential to achieve a significant international reputation in the next five to ten years. Applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree and where career breaks exist, such as maternity, parental, or extended sick leave, clinical training, etc. may have their eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair assessed through the program's Tier 2 justification process which can be found at: http://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/program-programme/nomination-mise_en_candidature-eng.aspx#s3. The University of Waterloo understands the impact that legitimate career interruptions can have on a candidate’s record of research achievement and encourages potential candidates to explain in their application the impact this may have on their record. Please consult the CRC website and the Office of Research for full program information, including further details on CRC eligibility criteria.  

The University of Waterloo is located in the Region of Waterloo, a mid-sized and rapidly growing area about an hour’s drive west of Toronto’s Pearson Airport.  The Faculty of Environment is a world leader in interdisciplinary research and teaching on the environment and sustainability. The Faculty is the home of five academic units: Department of Geography and Environmental Management; Department of Knowledge Integration; School of Environment, Enterprise and Development; School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, and School of Planning. The Faculty is a dynamic and vibrant academic environment with more than 85 faculty members, 45 staff, 2300 undergraduate students and 560 graduate students.

Potential candidates should have an established record of excellence in research and must be able to demonstrate a strong interest and ability in communicating to undergraduate and graduate students and to wider audiences, plus a keenness to mentor students effectively. Candidates are invited to submit an application including:

• an updated and complete curriculum vitae.
• a letter of interest (maximum 6 pages) outlining:

1. their qualifications for a successful Chair application;
2. the fit of their profile and expertise in the identified research areas;
3. the vision and future research program for the Chair;
4. novel opportunities for training highly qualified personnel;
5. the potential for the Chair to enhance the scholarly leadership and innovation capacity of the Faculty and University in strategic areas.

• the names and contact information of three referees.  [References will only be requested for applicants invited for an interview.]

Closing date for receipt of applications is October 19, 2018, and the application package should be addressed to:

Professor Jean Andrey​
Dean, Faculty of Environment
University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 31
or may be submitted electronically to env-dean@uwaterloo.ca

If you have any questions regarding the position, the application process, assessment process, eligibility, the CRC program etc., please contact Jean Andrey [above].

As an employer committed to employment equity and accessibility for persons with disabilities, we encourage applications from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions. 

Diversity is integral to academic excellence, and as such, the University is committed to attracting and retaining diverse talent. Based on existing demographics in the Canada Research Chairs at the University of Waterloo, priority in hiring will be given to qualified Indigenous persons (First Nations, Metis, and Inuit) who self-identify as such in the application process. This initiative is a special program under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

We encourage members of all equity-seeking groups to self-identify within their letter of intent in their application. When a candidate voluntarily discloses this information in their application, the information will be kept strictly confidential and will be used only for the fulfillment of CRC program purposes: http://www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/program-programme/equity-equite/index-eng.aspx.  Disclosure and/or self-identification with an equity-seeking group will not lead to advantageous treatment of a candidate who is not qualified.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Three reasons to apply: http://uwaterloo.ca/fauw/why.

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