Opportunities

Funded Research Opportunities: Urban Ecosystem Modeller:

Project: Residential development Impact Scorecard for the Environment (RISE)
https://uwaterloo.ca/residential-development-impact-scorecard-environment

We seek a qualified Urban Ecosystem Modeller research scientist/post-doctoral scholar to join the RISE project for a one-year term.
This team member will be responsible for ensuring coordination across 5 sub-projects that are developing integrated models to understand, predict, and manage stormwater, terrestrial carbon, and wetland ecology in new residential developments. Our models treat stormwater, trees, and wetlands (natural and stormwater ponds) as an integrated system, modelling and analysing the interactions between these systems that influence stormwater retention on site, tree growth, and greenhouse gas exchanges and biodiversity in wetlands.
The Urban Ecosystem Modeller will identify, lead, and monitor best practices for model integration. The team member will also coordinate capstone project outreach and publication efforts.

Required qualifications:
1. Demonstrated expertise in interdisciplinary simulation modelling applied to urban carbon, stormwater, and/or wetlands.
2. Demonstrated understanding and ability to apply best practices in simulation modelling, including model documentation, sensitivity analysis, and uncertainty analysis.
3. A strong academic/training record commensurate with these required skills.
4. Demonstrated excellence in academic publication, commensurate with career stage.
5. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and respectfully in diverse, interdisciplinary research settings.
6. Demonstrated ability to follow directions and complete task in a timely manner.
7. Demonstrated ability to work independently, while seeking feedback and guidance as needed.
8. Demonstrated ability to lead publications and other outreach activities.

Desired qualifications:
1. Basic understanding of the role of natural and engineered green infrastructure to sequester carbon and manage stormwater runoff.
2. Expertise in advanced statistical, simulation, and optimization methods.
3. Basic training in urban design.
4. Demonstrated ability to interact with various planning actors/stakeholders, including professional planners and developers.
5. Understanding of site plan development, ideally in an Ontario context.

Hiring details
We have flexibility with respect to the type of hire for this position. This position is available as a research scientist or post-doctoral position. For research scientist and post-doctoral positions, appointment term will be 1 year (with a possibility that the term could be extended to two years through a MITACS application). Salary range is $45,000-$70,000, depending on qualifications and experience. For post-doctoral scholars, additional information including benefits is available at https://uwaterloo.ca/graduate-studies-postdoctoral-affairs/welcome-postdoctoral-affairs.

Apply by June 30, 2026 for full consideration.

To apply:
1. Send an e-mail to Harriet Bigas (harriet.bigas at uwaterloo.ca) and Michael Drescher (mdrescher at uwaterloo.ca) with the heading “RISE Urban Ecosystem Modeller application,” followed by your name.
2. Include a short (max. 3-page, 12-point font) letter explaining your interest in and preparedness for this position, including your interest in the RISE project (see below for summary). Evidence of preparedness can include previous coursework, work experience, theses, publications, and experience working in interdisciplinary research groups and with professional and stakeholders. In an optional additional half page, please also highlight if desired any relevant lived experience or differential challenges you have faced relevant to your studies and/or this position.
3. Include a recent CV, an unofficial transcript, the names and contact information for 3 references, and 1-3 research samples, preferably peer-reviewed publications.
4. We will contact you for an interview. When the position is filled, we will notify all unsuccessful applicants. We appreciate the time and effort that you might take to apply.

RISE Project summary
Canada is a highly urbanized country where both intensification and greenfield residential development often reduce green infrastructure (GI). While cities are setting ambitious climate mitigation goals, they are concurrently losing GI’s contributions towards these goals. Novel green development standards create some developer incentives to provide GI, but on the whole, as GI on private lands creates public benefits but is financed by private costs, developer GI provision is too low. Further, cities lack complete and cost-feasible information on how greenhouse gas (GHG) profiles of developments evolve temporally. Our proposed research, led by a team of internationally recognized experts in modelling coupled socio-ecological systems, will:
• employ novel scientific methods to quantify urban terrestrial and wetland-based carbon stocks, sequestration and GHG emissions;
• develop a simple, dynamic carbon and GHG scorecard that will complement existing green building standards by tracking the state and trajectory of residential developments; and,
3 test the scorecard’s potential to induce developer behavioral change by incentivizing GI investments through social norms and status-seeking behaviour.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion considerations
The University of Waterloo regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to inclusion for all employees. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as Indigenous peoples (e.g., First Nations, Métis, Inuit/Inuk), Black, racialized, people with disabilities, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.
The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Occupational Health (occupationalhealth@uwaterloo.ca or Karen – extension 40538), who will work with the selection committee to secure accommodation while ensuring that the information is safeguarded and confidentiality is maintained.

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is centralized within our Office of Indigenous Relations.

Posting Date: June 11, 2026

April 1, 2025

Position: 1 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Civil and Environmental Engineering
Start Date: January 2026
Project: Integrating Mechanistic and Machine Learning Models for Monitoring High-Risk Substances in Wastewater

Dr. Maricor Arlos and Dr. Wayne Parker from Environmental Engineering at the University of Waterloo are looking to supervise a PhD student starting January 2026. The student will work in an interdisciplinary environment, with researchers from biology, chemistry, and environmental engineering. This opportunity is part of a larger project addressing high-risk substances in wastewater systems.

Research Topic: The larger project addresses the current crisis of high-risk substances (drugs-of-abuse) by providing a reliable alternative way to track trends, so our public health system has an alternative tool to support their Harm Reduction programs. Using a combination of machine learning and mechanistic modelling approaches, the PhD student will develop tools for estimating micropollutant inputs to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and their removal through the plants. Integration with water quality models developed by our research team to assess risks in receiving environments will provide an opportunity for collaborative research.

Scope of research activities: collection of historical data (2014 – 2024) including WWTP operational parameters, weather conditions, sales/consumption data; data integration (databases), data cleaning and exploratory data analysis (visualization, correlations); initialization, application, and evaluation of several machine learning (ML) model algorithms; comparison of ML with existing mechanistic models (framework developed previously); integration of source, WWTP process, and river models in a single model architecture; field work may be required as part of the Grand River water survey to collect river samples for model validation.

Salary/Stipend: Minimum funding of $30,000 per year for up to four years. International students in a full-time PhD program receive an International Doctoral Student Award (IDSA), to minimize the difference between international and domestic tuition. Students are eligible for additional scholarships and awards. Graduate students at UW have access to benefits including a health and dental plan, subsidized access to the local transit system, and support for graduate students who are parents.

Why University of Waterloo? The Faculty of Engineering at the University of Waterloo is one of the world’s top engineering schools, and Canada’s largest. With a global reputation for academic excellence and a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem, Waterloo Engineering is the place to be for graduate students. UW is Canada’s Most Innovative University (Maclean’s 2022) and is also ranked #1 in Canada for environmental science and engineering (Academic Work Ranking of Universities, 2023).

Typical minimum qualifications:
• Master’s degree in civil or environmental engineering (or a related field)
• Prior experience with micropollutant research is desirable
• Meet admission requirements set by the University of Waterloo.

How to apply: Please submit complete this form to indicate your interest in the position. Only complete applications submitted via this online form will be considered. For more questions, please send email to Maricor Arlos: maricor.arlos@uwaterloo.ca

There’s a place for you at Waterloo!

Commitment to Equity
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within our Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

The University of Waterloo is committed to achieving barrier free accessibility for persons with disabilities studying, visiting and/or working at Waterloo. Waterloo stands by the responsibility to acknowledge, communicate, and promote an understanding of the complexity and uniqueness of the University of Waterloo’s campus community, presenting the ideals by which campus members should engage one another – with respect, sensitivity, and fairness – and to fostering an accessible campus environment for persons with disabilities. Learn more about Policy 58. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The Geoffrey and Erika Bruce Postdoctoral Fellowship in Canadian Water Politics and Policy
September, 2026

In honour of her late husband’s career, commitment, and legacy related to the environment and
water resources in Canada and on the international stage, Erika v.C. Bruce established the
Bruce Fellowships in Canadian Freshwater Policy at Toronto Metropolitan University. Since
2017, 18 Bruce Fellows have received funding support for their Masters and PhD research
projects on a wide range of topics related to freshwater policy in Canada. The establishment of
the inaugural Bruce Post-doctoral Fellowship in Environment and Water Policy 2022 was
another generous commitment by Erika Bruce to focus on open water data and water policy.
The Bruce Postdoctoral Fellow in Canadian Water Politics and Policy builds on the foundations
of the Bruce Fellowships and is also supported by the Faculty of Arts and the Office of the
Provost to recognize the investments and commitment of Dr. Erika Bruce related to establishing
TMU as Canada’s leading institution on water politics and policy over the next 10 years.

Position Description:
The Bruce Postdoctoral Fellowship in Canadian Water Politics and Policy is a unique position in
Canada established to attract a leading-edge researcher to conduct applied research and
generate innovative scholarship and recommendations related to Canadian water politics and
policy. The Postdoctoral Fellowship is an exciting opportunity for an emerging scholar who
wants to engage in contributions at the interface of scholarship on water politics, political
economy, international relations, foreign policy, Canada-US relations and public policy.
Examples of eligible areas of research include (but are not limited to):
§ political economy of water
§ water sovereignty, international relations and diplomacy
§ geopolitics of water
§ water, political institutions and agreements
§ politics of freshwater protection and sustainability
§ transboundary water politics and governance
§ climate change and water politics
§ Indigenous leadership and engagement in water politics and governance
§ water, food, energy nexus challenges
§ water innovation and sustainable industrial/commercial/agricultural water use
§ water data, technology and security
§ freshwater as a political, economic, social, cultural and strategic resource.
Candidates from political science, political economy, international relations, public policy or law
are encouraged to apply. Applications from other social science disciplines will also be
considered including: economics, environmental studies, geography, business, and
interdisciplinary studies provided they have strong foundations in environmental politics and
policy.
 
Qualifications
• PhD in related field completed since 2023
• Extensive knowledge of political systems, political institutions, water politics, economics,
international relations and public policy backed by a solid academic background,
research, publication and communications track record.
• Passion for applied research projects, and policy-oriented work at the nexus of
environment and water; complex environment and water politics challenges; water law,
policy and regulation; political economy, geopolitics, international relations and public
policy related to freshwater
• Proven research expertise and methodological skills including research design,
quantitative and qualitative data analysis; law, policy and regulatory analysis
• Ability to develop and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships with
external partners and/or stakeholders supporting applied research
• Self-starter able to prioritize and function both independently and collaboratively; able to
work as part of a political science and multidisciplinary research team.
• Prior mentorship experience with research collaborators and graduate and/or
undergraduate students considered an asset
• Excellent project management and organizational skills with the ability to plan, organize,
manage, monitor, and complete, projects and initiatives and effectively manage people
as part of research teams
• Ability to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work with a diversity of people/cultures.
• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Position Details
The Bruce Postdoctoral Fellowship is a full-time position with an annual salary of $70,000 plus a
research stipend and benefits. The position will start in 2026 for a period of one year with the
possibility of a second-year renewal. The position requires engagement in research projects,
initiatives and events in person and using online technology. The candidate must be able to
work in Toronto, Canada with flexible hybrid work arrangements.

Application Requirements:
Interested applicants should submit an application package including:
• a CV/résumé
• copies of academic transcripts
• 2-page statement of qualifications, description of proposed water politics and applied
policy research interests and alignment with goals of the Bruce Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Contact information for two referees.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applications should be submitted to Dr.
Carolyn Johns, Department of Politics and Public Administration, cjohns@torontomu.ca
A more detailed description of the position is also available on request. We thank all applicants
for their interest, however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.