Senior Terrestrial Ecologist

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position has a term length of 1 year plus 1 day and offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed on our Benefits Overview page.

Location – This role is hybrid with a mix of remote and in-person work, with the in-person component taking place at North Campus Edmonton.

Working for the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is teeming with change makers, community builders, and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to more than 40,000 students in 200+ undergraduate and 500+ graduate programs, over 13,000 faculty and staff, 260,000 alumni worldwide and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for over a decade.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross section of people—from our students and stakeholders, to our renowned researchers and innovators who are quite literally curing diseases, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger, and more just.

Working for the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute

The Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI) detects large changes in biodiversity in Alberta with the annually updated Biodiversity Intactness Index and Human Footprint Inventory. This research provides ongoing, relevant, scientifically credible information on Alberta’s living resources to meet the information needs of government planners, industrial developers and local communities.

Position 

The Senior Terrestrial Ecologist works in ABMI’s Science Centre and leads the development, implementation, and management of terrestrial biodiversity science programming that supports ABMI’s goals for enhancing environmental monitoring and reporting across Alberta.  This includes leading program design, data analyses, and reporting in active collaboration with multiple partners, including the broader academic community, government (federal, provincial and municipal), environmental non-government organizations, Indigenous communities, and industry representatives from the natural resource sector.

Duties 

• Develop and implement innovative analytical approaches to maximize the value from ABMI’s extensive biodiversity monitoring datasets.
• Conduct and oversee detailed analyses of environmental monitoring data to assess biodiversity trends and impacts of human development on terrestrial species.
• Facilitate the application of ABMI’s terrestrial biodiversity data in environmental planning, policy development, and resource management across various sectors.
• Collaborate extensively with scientists, government researchers, and the academic community to advance ABMI’s monitoring objectives and methodologies.
• Lead the development and facilitation of terrestrial biodiversity monitoring initiatives in alignment with ABMI’s strategic priorities, engaging with partners, collaborators, and clients to discuss benefits and sector-specific needs.
• Provide strategic leadership in the creation, design, data collection, and analysis of terrestrial programs, ensuring alignment with ABMI’s goals and stakeholder needs.
• Lead and support the creation and dissemination of technical reports, manuscripts, and presentations to share insights and findings with a broader audience.
• Actively participate in and contribute to scientific meetings, seminars, and conferences, enhancing the visibility and impact of ABMI’s terrestrial biodiversity monitoring efforts.
• Develop and sustain robust relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, including academia, government, industry, and NGOs, to enhance understanding and integration of ABMI’s terrestrial science initiatives.
• Address and resolve methodological issues to improve the efficacy of terrestrial biodiversity monitoring programs, including sampling design, field protocols, and data analysis.
• Coordinate planning, budgeting, and management meetings for terrestrial biodiversity monitoring programs, fostering stakeholder engagement and supporting strategic discussions.
• Lead the development of work plan priorities, offering detailed guidance on field survey protocols, enhancements, and best practices, in consultation with ABMI senior leadership.
• Provide comprehensive operational summaries and communicate the strengths and limitations of terrestrial biodiversity data products to stakeholders and the scientific community.
• Hire, train, supervise, and manage the performance of technical and support staff, ensuring team alignment with program goals and quality standards.
• Foster direct and indirect understanding of ABMI’s terrestrial biodiversity monitoring among environmental scientists, resource managers, policy analysts, and stakeholders through effective communication and engagement strategies.

Minimum Qualifications

• MSc in terrestrial ecology or related discipline;
• Greater than seven (7) years working in the field of terrestrial ecology with direct knowledge of long term biological monitoring, natural resource management applications, and strong analytical ability;
• Excellent organizational, writing, verbal communication and interpersonal skills;
• Experience with staff supervision;
• Demonstrated ability to build active working relationships and strong collaborative networks; and
• Demonstrated experience with preparing manuscripts for publication in the scientific literature.
• Education and experience equivalencies may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working on and leading multidisciplinary teams;
• Multiple portfolio and project management experience;
• PhD in terrestrial ecology or related discipline;
• Experience with geographic information systems (GIS);
• Knowledge of geospatial data products and analyses;
• Experience modeling terrestrial species response to human disturbances;
• Experience working in Alberta’s terrestrial ecosystems;
• Experience with large data sets and a broad diversity of terrestrial taxa;
• Research experience in terrestrial community ecology including a strong scientific publication record.

At the University of Alberta, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates. If you require accommodations to participate in the interview process, please let us know at the time of booking your interview and we will make every effort to accommodate your needs.