CWC Research Technician – Wildfire Effects and Recovery-2

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Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

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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

The Centre for Wildfire Coexistence in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences is seeking two motivated research technicians to contribute to complex data analyses on wildfire severity and post-fire forest recovery.

Research in the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence (CWC) takes a holistic view of wildfires and aims to catalyze transformative changes to fire and forest management that are urgently needed to address social-ecological impacts of contemporary wildfires and to coexist with future wildfires. Coexisting with wildfire represents a transformational shift in understanding of the ecological cultural and social benefits in addition to costs of fire. It encompasses a paradigm shift toward restoration of fire as a vital ecosystem process and Indigenous cultural practice as well as proactive management to decrease risk and increase community resilience across diverse ecosystems. Research Technicians will contribute to advanced field-based studies and statistical analyses to quantify wildfire effects and pos-fire ecosystem recovery.

The Faculty of Forestry ( at UBC is one of the largest of its kind globally. Its award-winning multidisciplinary researchers explore social-ecological systems from many perspectives including ecosystem functioning applied resource management conservation decision-making and policy Indigenous knowledge and values that human societies derive from nature.

Our research continually strives to redefine and broaden our conception of forestry by addressing a wide variety of issues including biodiversity conservation environmental justice climate change mitigation sustainable forest management and bioproducts development to name a few.

Organizational Status

The position will report to the Dr. Lori Daniels Co-Director of the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence. The RA will collaborate with faculty post-doctoral fellows and graduate students affiliated with the CWC by attending meetings and assisting with data management and statistical analyses. The RA will supervise undergraduate students for selected tasks in the field and lab. The RA will interact with collaborators from the private sector government agencies and research institutions in BC and Alberta.

Work Performed

• Perform field-based measurements and experiments including planning travel logistics and troubleshooting problems with field equipment

• Coordinate and conduct field work in remote forests across BC and Alberta to collect original data

• Providing training to undergraduate assistants now and lower-level technicians in the use of equipment protocols and analytical methods

• Fieldwork involves physical work in remote outdoor locations hiking to field sites sharing accommodations with field assistants long-distance travel by truck

• Compile organize and manage large multi-faceted datasets and metadata

• Conduct statistical analyses including development of new code and adapting existing code in R and/or python

• Contribute to interpretation of outcomes; write technical reports; and present research results at workshops and meetings with collaborators

• Data analyses are conducted on-site at UBC on desktop computers

Consequence of Error/Judgement

The Technician will report to the Principal Investigators and/or departmental administrator with issues related to work performance and employee misconduct. The Technician will be required to work independently but is expected to check in with the PIs on a regular basis. The Research Technician will also regularly interact with other members of the research groups department and administration. Inappropriate judgment may lead to unsafe or unfunctional laboratory conditions in the department delaying research goals or causing hazards to other lab employees. Failure to effectively follow protocols or data mismanagement will result in delays in data processing analysis ultimately affecting the publication of science along the timelines expected by funding bodies and stakeholders. Failure to appropriately manage laboratory facilities and follow safety protocols could lead to the removal of permitting for different laboratory activities and thus slow down progress of research within the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences.

Supervision Received

• Supervised by Dr. Lori Daniels Co-Director of the Centre for Wildfire Coexistence

• Detailed instructions will be provided at the assignment of new projects thereafter as key milestones are achieved

• The research technician will attend weekly team meetings to orally report progress and findings

Supervision Given

• Collaborate with faculty post-doctoral fellows and graduate students affiliated with the CWC.

• Supervise undergraduate students for selected tasks in the field and lab.

Minimum Qualifications

• A graduate degree in UBC forest biometrics fire ecology or related science discipline

• Experience conducting field work to collect data on forest composition structure and fuels

• Experience with advanced statistical analyses using R and/or Python and GitHub

• An ability to work independently and as a part of a team

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

• Excellent organization and time management skills

• Class 5 drivers license

• Awareness of the context of research in British Columbia including Indigenous rural and remote community wildfire risk and management

• 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

• Experience conducting field research in remote forests of British Columbia

• Experience leading a field team and supervising undergraduates in the forest

• Leadership skills and experience in project management

• Experience collaborating with forest managers wildland fire fighters Indigenous Knowledge Holders