Department of Geography | Faculty of Arts

Location: UBC Vancouver Campus – Vancouver, BC, Canada

Full time | 2-year term appointment

Posting Start Date: October 28, 2026

Posting End Date: November 30, 2026

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

Position Description

The Dempsey Lab in the Department of Geography at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver campus, is seeking a full-time Research Associate to join an interdisciplinary research project examining the political and economic conditions shaping the future of forest stewardship in British Columbia and Canada. The anticipated start date is January 1, 2027, or a mutually agreed-upon date. This term appointment is for two years, subject to satisfactory performance and funding, with the possibility of extension.

The project is investigating the transition from conventional industrial forestry toward regenerative forest stewardship — approaches that place greater emphasis on Indigenous self-determination, long-term ecological health (including biodiversity, carbon sequestration and storage, water), and wider community well-being. Realizing this transition requires understanding the political and economic barriers that are constraining change in BC forest management.

The Research Associate will work with a publicly-engaged, interdisciplinary research team (faculty and graduate students) based at UBC and SFU, to examine the interests, structures, and narratives shaping government approaches to forest management. The project is particularly interested in how these conditions can be transformed to support regenerative forest stewardship. The project will combine political economic analysis, comparative research, interviews, focus groups, scenario testing,



and stakeholder engagement.

Specific Responsibilities Include

- Conducting research and analysis on the political-economic barriers to regenerative forestry in British Columbia, including synthesizing academic and policy literature; conducting comparative policy analysis across jurisdictions; undertaking expert interviews and focus groups; exploring scenarios for overcoming identified constraints; and critically assessing the economic metrics and assumptions that shape forest and land-use policy decisions;
- Coordinating and contributing to collaborative research and project management;
- Engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders and rightsholders to support impactful research and knowledge mobilization, including organizing and facilitating workshops that bring research findings into dialogue with participants and explore approaches to overcoming identified barriers;
- Developing and disseminating research for academic, policy, and public audiences through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, accessible public-facing materials, and other knowledge-mobilization activities;
- Contributing to collaborative research grant development and proposals; and
- Mentoring and supporting graduate and undergraduate students involved in the project.





The position will offer considerable opportunity to shape the research agenda as findings emerge and to develop independent and collaborative research outputs. The project is designed to connect academic research with policy and public discussions concerning the future of forest management and governance in British Columbia and Canada.

Qualifications And Experience

The successful candidate will hold a Ph.D. (or equivalent) degree, whose primary focus is in geography, political science, sociology, environmental studies, forestry, natural resource management, or a related discipline by the appointment date. They will have strong research and analytical skills, with demonstrated experience in qualitative, interdisciplinary, and/or policy-oriented social science research, including methods such as interviews, surveys, comparative policy analysis, and focus groups. The successful candidate will bring experience conducting research in environmental governance, forestry, political economy, natural resource management, Indigenous governance, or related fields, ideally with a focus on British Columbia. Excellent academic writing and communication skills are essential, including experience preparing scholarly publications, research reports, grant applications, and materials for non-academic audiences. The successful candidate will be able to work independently and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary research team and have experience engaging with Indigenous Nations and communities, as well as other diverse stakeholders, including researchers, government agencies, industry representatives, and local communities. Experience in research coordination, project management, workshop organization, and knowledge mobilization is also desirable.

Equi

📌 Research Associate (Canada)
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