Apply for the University of Waterloo’s Provost’s Program for Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Scholars and work on the “Retreating From Risk (RFR): Decision-supports for the equitable implementation of retreat to build climate resilience” (NFRF-I-funded) pr
Apply for the University of Waterloo’s Provost’s Program for Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Scholars and work on the “Retreating From Risk (RFR): Decision-supports for the equitable implementation of retreat to build climate resilience” (NFRF-I-funded) project
Are you a recent PhD graduate with an innovative and community-minded spirit, and a passion for tackling hazards and climate change-related challenges? If you’ve graduated between August 1, 2020 and now, or are on track to complete your PhD by September 1, 2025, we invite you to apply for two years of funding support under the University of Waterloo's prestigious Provost’s Program for Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Scholars (PPIPS). This is your chance to contribute to groundbreaking community-engaged climate adaptation research while enhancing skills relevant to your professional journey.
Why Apply? Successful candidates will join the “Retreating from Risk (RFR): Decision-supports for the equitable implementation of retreat to build climate resilience” project. As part of this transformative initiative, you will play a vital role in shaping strategies that promote climate resilience and adaptation in Canada, the USA, and Indonesia, working with municipal and First Nations partners.
Opportunities Available: If you are successful in the PPIPS competition, you will have the chance to engage with the RFR project and international team in one or more of the following capacities:
1. Project Management Support - Help oversee project timelines, events (e.g., workshops, webinars), financial reporting, and other administrative tasks.
2. Communications and Toolkit Development - Craft impactful messaging and resources for community leaders, practitioners, and stakeholders.
3. Research - Conduct leading-edge managed retreat research that advances project objectives, including cross-case analyses.
4. Community Outreach and Engagement - Build relationships with First Nations, municipal governments, not-for-profit organizations, and stakeholders to support communities in adapting to climate change.
5. Knowledge Mobilization - Work collaboratively to ensure that project findings are communicated to diverse audiences in culturally-appropriate and inclusive ways (e.g.academic publications, presentations, multi-media outputs, and policy briefs).
6. Student Support - Support Master’s and PhD students working on the RFR project to advance their own research (i.e., through student committee membership, informal mentoring, research methods guidance, etc.).
Compensation: As outlined in the Provost's Program guidelines, the salary for this position is set at $70,000 per year for two years plus a $5,000 research fund. Additionally, there may be opportunities for salary augmentation through the RFR project, subject to discussions once the results from the PPIPS competition are released. Important Note: To be considered for this exciting opportunity, you must first apply for and be successful in the PPIPS competition, after which discussions regarding specific project roles and potential salary top-ups will take place.
Ideal Applicant (roughly in order of importance): 1. Recent graduate (1/8/2020 to 1/9/2025) of a Geography, Planning, Public Administration, Political Science, Sociology, Economics, Environmental Studies, or Engineering program (or other relevant programs) 2. Project management experience, 3. Familiarity with large team-based research projects 4. Competencies and technical skills related to communications and knowledge mobilization. 5. Previous experience in managed retreat, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, community-based research methods, and/or decision-support frameworks is an asset, but not required.
Eligibility: All qualified candidates regardless of citizenship status are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.
Application Process:
Step 1: Email Dr. Brent Doberstein (bdoberst@uwaterloo.ca) CC’ing Sharmalene Mendis-Millard (sharmalene.mendis-millard@uwaterloo.ca) by October 31, 2024, explaining your disciplinary and employment background in the areas mentioned above, and clearly indicating both your PhD graduation date and how you meet the PPIPS eligibility requirements. Please provide a recent CV and unofficial graduate transcript.
Step 2: If Dr. Doberstein endorses you, apply for PPIPS . NOTE: Dr. Doberstein will help you identify an appropriate co-supervisor (likely one of the RFR faculty from UWaterloo).
Apply now and embark on a fulfilling journey that combines your academic expertise with meaningful community-engaged climate action and helps you gain marketable experience and skills. For detailed application instructions and eligibility requirements, visit: Provost's Program for Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Scholars.
Join us in retreating from risk and building a resilient future!
9 Collaborative Postdoctoral, PhD and MSc Positions Available - Adaptive Management of Green Stormwater
Adaptive Management of Green Stormwater Infrastructure to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Urban Watersheds
We invite applications for two postdoctoral fellow (PDF), five PhD and two MSc positions to participate in a collaborative research project to assemble and propose solution options for urban green stormwater management (SWM) infrastructure that optimize the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs; CO2, CH4, and N2O). The project aims to quantify the landscape-scale drivers and processes within stormwater ponds (SWPs) and bioretention systems (BRSs) that control GHG exchanges. The resulting knowledge will be integrated into robust representations of SWPs and BRSs in coupled hydrology-biogeochemistry models to analyze the responses of urban GHG emissions and nutrients export to the implementation and management of green SWM infrastructure.
The main supervisor for each position is listed in parentheses; however, each position will have an interdisciplinary supervisory team consisting of multiple project team members.
Instructions for applying can be found below.
PDF-1 will use statistical predictors including land use/land cover, climate variables, event characteristics, and system design to identify drivers of GHG emissions from green SWM infrastructure. (Elodie Passeport, University of Toronto)
PDF-2 will use biogeochemical modeling to predict GHG emissions from green SWM systems and propose solution options for municipal and regional climate action. (Philippe Van Cappellen, University of Waterloo.
PhD-1 will quantify GHG emissions from green SWM infrastructure using existing GHG emission data plus field monitoring of GHG fluxes at SWP and BRS sites with fixed and floating chambers. (Fereidoun Rezanezhad, University of Waterloo)
PhD-2 will focus on processes controlling the organic and inorganic carbon cycles in SWM systems to identify external and internal sources and sequestration pathways for GHG emission reduction. (Scott Smith, Wilfrid Laurier University)
PhD-3 will generate mass balances of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in SWM infrastructure to assess trade-offs between GHG reduction and water quality protection. (Philippe Van Cappellen, University of Waterloo)
PhD-4 will simulate and analyze management scenarios with variable SWM configurations
and hydroclimatic conditions in urban watersheds to optimize the reduction of GHG emissions at the watershed scale. (Andrea Brookfield, University of Waterloo.
PhD-5 will test the full-scale feasibility of geochemical interventions in SWPs and BRSs that increase carbon sequestration in green SWM infrastructure. (Bahram Gharabaghi, University of Guelph)
MSc-1 will determine the rates of carbon sequestration in green SWM systems with the focus on CO2 saturation and carbonate mineral sequestration potential. (Fereidoun Rezanezhad, University of Waterloo)
MSc-2 will simulate and analyze the vulnerability of GHG emissions from SWM infrastructure to changes in urban watershed hydrology including more extreme flooding and drought events. (Andrea Brookfield, University of Waterloo)
The PDFs and students will work closely together within a highly interdisciplinary team of researchers from University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Toronto and University of Guelph. The research team will regularly interact with scientists, practitioners, decision-makers, and public participants from stakeholder organizations, including Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), City of Kitchener, Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA), Muslim Families, and Crozier & Associates Consulting Engineers.
Applicants must have (or expect to soon complete) a degree relevant to the position applied for. Preference will be given to candidates with strong quantitative skills and demonstrated experience in one or more of the following or closely related areas: biogeochemistry, aquatic chemistry, hydrology, soil science, and environmental modeling and risk assessment. There will be flexibility in locations of the positions. Exceptional candidates who prefer to undertake a Master’s degree in one of the PhD topics above will be considered.
Please submit your application package electronically as a single pdf file to Anita Ghosh (a9ghosh@uwaterloo.ca). In your email, include “Missions_yourname” in the subject line. Your applications should contain:
- Which PDF, PhD-# or MSc-# position(s) you wish to be considered for
- A letter explaining your motivation to apply
- Curriculum vitae
- Copy of transcripts (unofficial transcripts will be accepted at the application stage)
Closing date: Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Preference will be given to applications submitted before June 1, 2023.
We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.
The partnering universities in this project are committed to implementing the Calls to Action framed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We regard equity, diversity, and
inclusion (EDI) as an integral part of academic excellence. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities.
If you have any questions regarding the application process, eligibility, or a request for accommodation during the selection process, please contact a9ghosh@uwaterloo.ca.
7 Collaborative Postdoctoral, PhD and MSc Positions Available - CLAWAVE
CLAWAVE: Chemical Load Assessments for Watersheds: Automation and Visualization Experience
We invite applications for two postdoctoral fellow (PDF), two PhD and three MSc positions to participate in a collaborative research project to develop and apply new methods to extract, treat and visualize concentrations, hydrological flows, chemical loads, and related water quality indicators at the watershed scale. The project will combine hydrological and water quality modelling, data science methods, chemical load estimations, and the development of digital visualization and interpretation tools. We will focus on past and projected trends in nutrient and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) export from watersheds and their impacts on receiving water bodies, including lakes and coastal marine environments.
The main supervisor for each position is listed in parentheses; however, each position will have an interdisciplinary supervisory team consisting of multiple project team members.
Instructions for applying can be found below.
PDF-1 will generate and analyze concentration-discharge (C-Q) relationships for phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) for major Canadian rivers as a function of land use and land cover (LULC), river management and climate. (Alain Pietroniro, UCalgary)
PDF-2 will focus on current and future trajectories of DOC and nutrient loading to the Arctic Ocean by Canadian rivers in the context of climate and LULC changes. (Philippe Van Cappellen, UWaterloo)
PhD-1 will develop user-oriented tools to extract, match, consolidate and analyze time series data on river water and groundwater (as available) chemistry, discharge, and meteorological variables from open datasets. (Andrea Brookfield, UWaterloo)
PhD-2 will assemble a comprehensive national DOC database and reconstruct DOC load trajectories for northern watersheds. (Philippe Van Cappellen, UWaterloo)
MSc-1 will develop an interactive public dashboard for water quality data visualization that can support exploratory and advanced research and enable data storytelling. (Jian Zhao, UWaterloo)
MSc-2 will relate C-Q relationships of N and P in the Lake Winnipeg watershed to socio- ecological variables including LULC, water governance, and climate variables. (Chris Parsons, UWaterloo/ECCC)
MSc-3 will derive P and N loads to Lake Winnipeg from observed (past) and projected (future) river discharge and changes in C-Q predictor variables. (Alain Pietroniro, UCalgary)
The PDFs and students will work closely together within a highly interdisciplinary team of researchers from University of Waterloo, University of Calgary, and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The PDF-1 and MSc-3 positions will be located at the University of Calgary, all others at University of Waterloo, with possibilities of secondments at ECCC locations in Burlington, ON, or Saskatoon, SK, .The research team will regularly interact with scientists at stakeholder organizations, including ECCC, DataStream, and Lake Winnipeg Foundation.
Applicants must have (or expect to soon complete) a degree relevant to the position applied for. Preference will be given to candidates with strong quantitative skills and demonstrated experience in one or more of the following or closely related areas: hydrology, water quality, biogeochemistry, data science, and human-computer interaction.
Please submit your application package electronically as a single pdf file to Anita Ghosh (a9ghosh@uwaterloo.ca). In your email, include “CLAWAVE_yourname” in the subject line. Your applications should contain:
- Which PDF, PhD-# or MSc-# position(s) you wish to be considered for
- A letter explaining your motivation to apply
- Curriculum vitae
- Copy of transcripts (unofficial transcripts will be accepted at the application stage)
Closing date: Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Preference will be given to applications submitted before May 15, 2023.
We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.
The University of Waterloo is committed to implementing the Calls to Action framed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We respectfully acknowledge that we live and work on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples.
The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy in line with the foundational goals of Eyes High, committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.
University of Waterloo and University of Calgary regard equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) as an integral part of academic excellence. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities.
If you have any questions regarding the application process, eligibility, or a request for accommodation during the selection process, please contact a9ghosh@uwaterloo.ca.
MSc and PhD Opportunities - Can-Peat: Canada's peatlands as nature-based solution
MSc and PhD Opportunities at the University of Waterloo
We invite applications for one MSc and one PhD positions to participate in a recently funded collaborative research project called “Can-Peat: Canada’s peatlands as nature-based solutions to climate change”. The main goal of the Can-Peat project is to quantify the potential of peatland management in Canada to contribute to climate change mitigation as a nature-based solution. The Can-Peat project objectives are to create a Canadian peatland research network to advance models of peatland carbon cycling from site to national-scale and develop a decision-support framework for peatland management. The students will be guided by a team of researchers from the University of Waterloo and collaborators from partners in governments, industries, and conservation organizations.
MSc student will assemble a dataset of peatland physical, hydrological, and biogeochemical properties (including experimental data and field observations) from the selected study sites in the compilation of peatland datasets proposed in Can-Peat project. MSc student will use a robust machine learning model using the data to identify key environmental drivers and predict future changes in greenhouse gas emission rates under future climate scenarios. The goal will be to establish how peatlands in different regions are expected to respond to changing anthropogenic disturbances and climate warming to better understand the peatland carbon and greenhouse gas exchange and the resilience of their carbon source/sink function to disturbance.
PhD student will develop the reactive transport sub-models that evaluate the biogeochemical transformations of carbon and nutrients in peatlands under examples of anthropogenic disturbances and climatic scenarios to estimate the changes in carbon stocks and budgets for the future peatland ecosystems carbon balances. The outputs of these sub-models will be incorporated into the Canadian Model for Peatlands, to improve regional to national estimates of Net ecosystem exchange and carbon emissions into the Canadian Model for Peatlands frameworks for application at multiple scales and for spatially-referenced and spatially-explicit modelling approaches.
Applicants must have (or expect to soon complete) a degree in biogeochemistry, hydrology, soil science or a related field. Preference will be given to candidates with strong quantitative skills and demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas: terrestrial biogeochemistry, environmental engineering, reactive transport modeling, and environmental climate change impact analysis. MSc student position can be created in lieu of a PhD position for exceptional candidates who prefer to undertake a Master’s degree.
If you have any questions regarding the application process and, eligibility, or a request for accommodation during the selection process, please contact Dr. Fereidoun Rezanezhad (frezanez@uwaterloo.ca) and Dr. Philippe Van Cappellen (pvc@uwaterloo.ca). Please submit your application package electronically as a single pdf file to Dr. Fereidoun Rezanezhad (frezanez@uwaterloo.ca). In your application email, please include “Can-Peat-MSc or PhD#_yourname” in the subject line and attach a single PDF file that contains:
- Your motivation for applying to the position and your research interests
- Curriculum vitae
- Copy of transcript(s) (unofficial transcripts will be accepted at the application stage)
- Contact information for up to 3 references
Closing date: Applications will be reviewed as they are received. The positions will remain open until filled. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.
The University is committed to implementing the Calls to Action framed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We acknowledge that we live and work on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes ten kilometers on each side of the Grand River.
The University of Waterloo regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. As such, we encourage applications from women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Metis and Inuit), Black and members of racialized groups, individuals in the LGBTQ2+ communities, and contribute to the further diversification of ideas.
Modeling of the winter carbon losses in cold region wetland ecosystems under current and future climates
A postdoctoral Fellow (PDF) position is available to participate in a research project to evaluate the impact of winter warming mitigation in controlling carbon losses from pan-Canadian wetland and permafrost ecosystems. The goal of this project is to advance the fundamental, process-based understanding of the function of soil biogeochemical processes in cold region environments during the fall-winter and winter-spring transitions and during the non-growing season (NGS) by creating the foundation for the predictive modelling of winter carbon losses in cold region wetland and permafrost ecosystems under current and future climates. The main tasks of the PDF will be developing reactive transport and bioenergetic models to simulate the biogeochemical transformations of carbon and nutrients under winter warming scenarios to quantify future northern wetland and permafrost ecosystems carbon balances during the period of NGS respiration.
Applicants must have a PhD in a relevant natural science or engineering field, and have a track record of research productivity, including peer-reviewed publications. Preference will be given to candidates with demonstrated skills and experience in numerical mathematical modeling, programming and numerical analysis in soil biogeochemistry and reactive transport modeling. The PDF will work within a multidisciplinary team with significant strengths in ecohydrology, environmental-(bio)geochemistry, microbiology, chemistry, hydrogeology and high-performance computing. Funding for the positions is available for up to two years. For further information regarding this position, or to submit an application, please contact Dr. Fereidoun Rezanezhad (frezanez@uwaterloo.ca).
Application Instructions
In your application email, please include “PDF-ACCS-YourName” in the subject line and attach a single file that contains:
- A cover letter stating your motivation for applying to this position and your research interests
- Curriculum vitae
- Copy of unofficial transcripts
- Contact information for up to 3 references
Closing date: Applications will be reviewed as they are received. The positions will remain open until filled. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.