Applied Research Coordinator, Climate Action & Food Systems
Applied Research Coordinator, Climate Action & Food Systems
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Job Description
Job Category
M&P - AAPSJob Profile
AAPS Salaried - Research and Facilitation Level AJob Title
Applied Research Coordinator Climate Action & Food SystemsDepartment
Manager Sustainability and Engineering SEEDS Sustainability ProgramCompensation Range
$5365.42 - $7709.92 CAD MonthlyThe Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge qualifications and experience for the the normal course employees will be hired transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.
Posting End Date
August 27 2025Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
OngoingThis position is expected to be filled by promotion/reassignment and is included here to inform you of its vacancy at the University.
At UBC we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research innovation and learning for all faculty staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
Job Summary
Campus and Community Planning (CCP) works collaboratively to create a vibrant and resilient campus for an engaged community on the traditional territory of the Musqueam people taking a leading-edge approach to sustainability engagement community building planning design and development. CCP is responsible for leading UBCs operational sustainability plans that set UBCs targets and actions for climate green buildings transportation integrated stormwater green infrastructure waste and water using UBC as a living lab for a sustainable future and plays a key role in developing partnerships that enhance integration of operational and academic efforts in sustainability. These major sustainability plans for the UBC campus are endorsed by the UBC Board of Governors and have connections to many other UBC plans and strategies including UBCs Strategic Plan 20-Year Sustainability Strategy Inclusion Action Plan Wellbeing Strategic Framework and the UBC Climate Emergency Response among others. CCP collaborates and coordinates with many UBC partners departments and units to advance and embed these goals across the university including senior staff and leadership from UBC Financial Operations the UBC Sustainability Hub Student Housing and Community Services Safety and Risk Services Human Resources Communications and Marketing Alma Mater Society Building Operations Energy and Water Services UBC IT and other units in CCP and across UBC Okanagan.
Within CCP the SEEDS (Social Ecological Economic Development Studies) Sustainability Program is an internationally recognized Campus as Living Laboratory initiative with a mandate to advance UBCs sustainability climate and wellbeing commitments UBCs Strategic Plan and help advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as they align with the Universitys strategic priorities through interdisciplinary partnerships applied student research and advisory guidance. SEEDS Big Five Research Priorities represent key interconnected societal issues that advance knowledge and action on UBCs sustainability and wellbeing commitments and are periodically adapted to align with the UBCs sustainability and strategic priorities. Current Research Priorities include: 1) Accelerate Climate Action 2) Maintain & Enhance Urban Biodiversity 3) Enable the Great Food Transformation 4) Create Circular & Regenerative Economiesand 5) Foster Community Wellbeing& Inclusion. Collaborative interdisciplinary initiatives work in parallel to advance these priorities and harness the Campus as a Living Laboratory: Climate Crisis in Urban Biodiversity (CCUB) Campus Biodiversity Initiative: Research and Demonstration (CBIRD) UBC Food System Project (UBCFSP) and Food Security Initiative (FSI).
SEEDS Goals:
1. Advance strategies to achieve UBCs sustainability and wellbeing commitments and help advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as they align with the Universitys strategic priorities and mandate.
2. Catalyze impactful applied research experiences that empower and equip students to explore and develop solutions to societal challenges and advance UBCs sustainability and wellbeing commitments
3. Foster and strengthen interdisciplinary partnerships between campus students faculty staff and community
4. Integrate operational and academic efforts in sustainability that connect UBCs curriculum to UBCs sustainability mandate
5. Generate scalable solutions to critical societal issues that leverage the Campus as a Living Laboratory
6. Co-create mobilize and amplify knowledge for inclusive and meaningful engagement knowledge and action to address critical societal issues with communities in which issues affect for shared solutions and collective impact
SEEDS goals contribute to UBCs Strategic Plans Pillars including: Transformative Learning People and Places Local and Global Engagement and Research Excellence and many of the supporting strategies including interdisciplinary sustainability knowledge mobilization inclusion innovation and reputation.
The Climate Action & Food Systems Applied Research Coordinator is responsible for the coordination of student-led Community-Based Action Research and interdisciplinary partnerships that can inform policy and practices as part of UBCs Climate Action Plan 2030 with a focus on food systems and climate mitigation. The successful candidate will build off work in the UBC Climate Friendly Food Systems (CFFS) Action Team a multi-stakeholder interdisciplinary collaboration aimed to convene and coordinate Community-Based Action Research initiatives and collaborations that can accelerate transitions towards a Climate-Friendly Food System UBC. The approach will model existing successful Campus as Living Lab initiatives including the Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Sustainability Program.
About Us
The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities globally. A large part of what makes us unique is the community of engaged students faculty and staff who are collectively committed to shaping a better world.
Recognized as a leading employer in British Columbia and Canada UBC supports inspired students faculty and staff on their journey of discovery and challenges them to realize their greatest potential. New ideas changing infrastructure innovative technology and fresh approaches are opening up possibilities for the future of research teaching and work. Are you ready to embrace the future together
Equity 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.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
Organizational Status
This position reports to the Manager SEEDS Sustainability Program in Sustainability & Engineering (S&E) within Campus and Community Planning (CCP). The incumbent will work closely with the Climate Action Planner within the UBC Sustainability & Engineering and works collaboratively with members of the Climate-Friendly Food Systems (CFFS) Action Team. The incumbent works independently with direction from the SEEDS Manager. The Coordinator will also work with internal staff and faculty members postdoctoral fellows and community partners.
Work Performed
Under the direction of the Manager SEEDS Sustainability Program:
The candidate will develop and coordinate student-led Community-Based Action Research (CBAR) and interdisciplinary partnerships that can inform Climate-Friendly Food Systems (CFFS) policy and practices as part of UBCs Climate Action Plan 2030 (CAP2030) including:
Coordinate an interdisciplinary Climate-Friendly Food System (CFFS) Research Team and supporting research projects pertaining to the development launch and evaluation of a campus CFFS label and framework
Coordinate an interdisciplinary Climate-Friendly Food System (CFFS) Action Team to scope and coordinate student-led applied research and partnerships that can advance other CAP 2030 Food Actions (pg. 36-37) and priorities spanning procurement GHG food assessment food waste and food recovery to behavioural change research that can increase awareness knowledge and consumption of a CFFS
Conduct best practice research to inform scoping of CFFS research and partnership development including reviews of CFFS policies and practices research design and engagement models and effective knowledge dissemination
Identify and pursue opportunities to integrate applied research that pertains to CFFS into various undergraduate and graduate curricular and co-opportunities with key faculty partners
Develop and coordinate knowledge exchange activities to disseminate translate and mobilize student-led research and collaborative work to inform academic and practitioner bodies of knowledge and action on institutional advancements in CFFS
Support the development of related networks and partnerships for climate action and food systems best practices and knowledge exchange
Write progress reports and perform other responsibilities related to the position as needed.
Consequence of Error/Judgement
Must exercise tact and diplomacy when interacting with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders. Poor decisions or lack of tact diplomacy or sensitivity in dealing with internal and external funders and other stakeholders could result in missed opportunities damaged relationships and loss of credibility across the university. Errors in documentation judgement or the disclosure of confidential information could have very public consequences and can result in reputational risk and loss of credibility for the SEEDS Sustainability Program Campus and Community Planning and/or resulting in embarrassment to the University of British Columbia and its senior administration.
Supervision Received
This position reports to the Manager SEEDS Sustainability Program Sustainability & Engineering and works closely with the Climate Action Planner Sustainability & Engineering within Campus Community Planning. Works in close cooperation with faculties and operational units across campus.
Supervision Given
May provide direction as appropriate to support the activities of student staff or contractors.
Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of two years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives including perspectives in conflict with ones own
- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing ones own awareness knowledge and skills related to equity diversity and inclusion
Preferred Qualifications
Masters Degree or equivalent in Sustainable Food Systems Environmental/Interdisciplinary studies or a related discipline. Knowledge of sustainable food systems and climate change. Experience and knowledge with the public sector academic institutions and/or UBC is an asset.
Experience leading projects and coordinating teams; team player and community-builder with strong interpersonal communications skills
Experience with engagement and facilitation of diverse includes planning managing and guiding a group to ensure that a groups objectives are met effectively
Experience with facilitating community-based action research/participatory research projects
Demonstrated experience in the development of research proposals and program reports
Experience conducting secondary research creatively communicating findings for a variety of audiences
Exceptional interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to develop partnerships and strong supportive relationships amongst diverse stakeholders
Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-faceted work based environment ability to work flexibly and independently handling multiple concurrent priorities setting reasonable deadlines and meeting them
Experience with knowledge exchange including translating issues in creative and engaging ways to disseminate and increase the uptake to mobilize research into tangible actions with diverse stakeholders
Strong capacity for creativity and innovation; ability to exercise initiative resourcefulness and judgment.
Experience with developing grant applications is considered an asset
Required Experience:
IC
Employment Type
Full-Time
