We seek a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to conduct research related to climate change adaptation options that have been developed and implemented in over 100 cases funded by the International Development Research Centre. In partnership with ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives) Canada, this project will:
- Develop a set of criteria by which to judge a successful adaptation option
- Draw together and categorize adaptation options designed and implemented under the auspices of the IDRC’s Climate Change and Water (CCW) program;
- Make these cases widely available through a flexible, web-based interface;
- Convene a wider conversation with scholarly and practitioner communities about strategies for assessing and accelerating adaptation
A consulting firm has been engaged to carry out task 3 above, and the successful candidate will be responsible for leading the remaining activities (including managing a small team of Master’s students and collaborating with a broader advisory group).
The successful candidate will also collaborate with, and be partially funded by, the IDRC-funded Partnership for Canada-Caribbean Climate Change Adaptation (ParCA). The research focus will be on cross-case learning from four community-based vulnerability assessments. There will be significant opportunities for the candidate to develop networks and publish in the field of international development and climate change adaptation through these collaborations.
The research will primarily take place in Waterloo (Ontario, Canada), but with travel required to Toronto and Ottawa (Canada) and perhaps to ParCA study areas in Atlantic Canada and the Caribbean.
The start date for this position will be April 1st 2014.
Starting salary will be based on previous experience, though strong candidates are likely eligible for compensation at SSHRC rates ($40,500/annum plus benefits and reasonable research/dissemination expenses). This position is contingent on funding.
For more information on the Faculty of Environment and the Department of Geography and Environmental Management at the University of Waterloo, see www.environment.uwaterloo.ca or contact Dr. Daniel Scott (daniel.scott@uwaterloo.ca) or Dr. Johanna Wandel (jwandel@uwaterloo.ca).
Qualifications and requirements:
- Ph.D. degree, field open, though candidate must have strong skills in empirical social scientific research related to the environment, in particular interview methodologies and qualitative data analysis;
- Extensive knowledge in the field of climate change impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability;
- Excellent written and oral communication skills; fluency in English required, fluency in Spanish and/or French would be a very valuable asset;
- Excellent organizational skills, including the demonstrated capacity to manage a team
- Experience with interdisciplinary environmental research (e.g., incorporating philosophy, science studies, 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 18 months;
- Ability to live in Waterloo, Ontario (or nearby) and work out of an office in the Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo.
To apply:
We will begin to review applications on Friday February 21st, 2014. Please send the following materials to Sarah Brown at s6brown@uwaterloo.ca:
- A letter of interest outlining your experience and fit for the position;
- Curriculum vitae;
- Contact information for two academic referees;
- Two of your single- or co-authored recent publications that you feel are relevant to this position.