Research Associate Full-time

Research Associate

The Faculty of Land and Food Systems (Applied Biology Program) at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver campus) invites applications for a full-time Research Associate. This is a one-year position with the possibility for renewal, starting June 1, 2026. The position will report to the PI (Sean Smukler) in the Sustainable Agricultural Landscapes (SAL) Lab.

The SAL Lab conducts scientific research that contributes to understanding the ecology of, and management for, an agricultural system that meets current needs without compromising the needs of future generations. While sustainable agriculture should ensure that numerous needs are met, including those that are social and economic in nature, the SAL Lab focuses mainly on those related to the environment.

Under the direction of the Principal Investigator (PI), the Research Associate (RA) will:

• Oversee the implementation of research experiments and development of new projects such as coordinating field sampling of greenhouse gas emissions, soils, crops and manures as well as the processing and analysis of samples for chemical and physical properties using colorimetric and mid-infrared spectroscopy methods;
• Manage and troubleshoot complex instruments and equipment, such as a benchtop FTIR spectrometer, and field deployable greenhouse gas analyzers;
• Develop methodology and standard operating procedures for the FTIR soil property prediction analysis and manage fee-for-service analysis and budget;
• Use R to conduct statistical analysis, and visualizations to convert raw data into meaningful results for report writing, grant deliverables, scientific manuscripts and publications, graduate student projects and public engagement events such as conferences, expos and agricultural shows;
• Collaborate with PI on the development and writing of grants;
• Use FileMaker database to manage project metadata, sample inventory, and lab analysis results in order to build an extensive MIR spectra library to predict soil/crop chemical properties in a cost-effective manner;
• Provide training and orientation to undergraduate students and new staff in lab and chemical safety, equipment operation, and research method protocols;
• Maintain inventory of laboratory supplies, including purchasing for the research lab and reconciling credit card transactions;
• Assist with the coordination of technical personnel for multiple projects and help to ensure adequate staffing for various projects. This includes the maintenance of lab calendar, writing or updating undergraduate research assistant job descriptions and hiring of undergraduates;
• Lead at least one research project, including designing the experiment, collecting data, analyzing data and presenting and publishing results;
• Supervises one technician and up to four undergraduate research assistants

Preferred Qualifications:

• A PhD degree with expertise in a relevant discipline (e.g. Agronomy, Soil Science)
• Experience working in and knowledge in the field
• At least two years postdoctoral experience in the field
• Well-established expertise in agriculture relevant to British Columbia
• A competitive record of publications in reputable scientific journals
• Demonstrated capacity to pursue independent research
• Experience leading research projects
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-disciplinary, highly collaborative environment

Please submit your application via Workday, including a cover letter, CV, and names/contact information for 3 references.