Postdoctoral Fellow in Spatiotemporal Ecological Modelling

Academic

Job Category

Faculty Non Bargaining

Job Title

Postdoctoral Fellow in Spatiotemporal Ecological Modelling

Department

Research Support | Auger-Méthé Lab | Department of Statistics | Faculty of Science (Marie Auger-Methe)

Posting End Date

October 6, 2025

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

Job End Date

October 14, 2027

Applications submitted through Workday will NOT be reviewed. Please forward application directed to Dr. Marie Auger-Méthé (m.auger-methe@oceans.ubc.ca) and Dr. Marianne Marcoux (Marianne.Marcoux@dfo-mpo.gc.ca).

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled postdoctoral fellow to join a project focused on developing statistical models to understand the spatiotemporal distribution of marine mammals in the Arctic. The project will help the Canadian government identify key areas for these animals and predict the impacts of projected increases in shipping, and associated risks in oil spills, in the Arctic.  This work would be done under the co-supervision of Dr. Marie Auger-Méthé (Statistical Ecology Research Group, University of British Columbia) and Dr. Marianne Marcoux (Fisheries and Oceans Canada).

Project: Developing Multi-Species Joint Spatial Models To Characterize Arctic Mammals’ Hotspots And Their Sensitivity To Oil Spills

Shipping traffic is increasing in the Arctic, including in the Hudson Strait and Foxe Basin. As a result, Arctic mammals are exposed to increasing noise pollution and increased risks of ship-source oil spills. The goal of the project is to develop a method that allows to use disparate sources of data, ranging from aerial surveys, satellite telemetry, acoustic data and Inuit knowledge distribution maps, for a range of marine mammal species (walrus, bowhead whales, narwhals, belugas, ringed and bearded seals) to be able to identify areas of high density and high diversity of marine mammals. An additional goal is to combine this model with shipping data, to make predictions of the spatiotemporal exposure of marine mammals to shipping and quantify the risk of being exposed to oil spills.

We expect the postdoctoral fellow to focus on building a statistically sound model that builds on a rich literature of spatiotemporal methods for habitat use and species distribution models. The main extension will be to develop joint modelling technique to model both structurally different data streams and information from species that will differ in their habitat preference. The postdoctoral fellow will also be asked to use the method developed to provide risk assessment and guide decision-making in the event of a spill. 

Key Responsibilities

• Develop new statistical models to jointly analyze multi-species data from a broad range of data sources.
• Develop reproducible code (and potentially an R package) to apply this method to the data.
• Analyze the Arctic mammal data from Fox Basin and Hudson Strait to identify hotspots and quantify the vulnerability of Arctic marine mammals to increase shipping traffic and oil spills.
• Work with empirical data sets to calibrate and validate models.
• Publish research in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals and present results at national and international conferences.
• Assist in writing grants and co-advise graduate students.
• Teach one Statistics course.

Anticipated start date: October 15, 2025 or a date to be mutually agreed upon.

Compensation: $54,550/year research stipend and a concurrent $15,450/year Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow appointment with benefits.

Term: Two years

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate would have the following skills and attributes:

• PhD in Statistics, Quantitative Ecology, Mathematical Biology, Biostatistics, or related fields
• Extensive experience with spatiotemporal models
• Exceptional programming proficiency in languages such as R or Python.
• Previous experience analyzing ecological or similar data
• Compassionate and committed to fostering healthy relationships within the lab and with our partners (e.g., Indigenous communities and governments)
• Exceptional work ethic and leadership skills
• Excellent writing skills

How To Apply?

Interested candidates should submit the following documents:

• A cover letter outlining their qualifications and research interests.
• A CV, including a list of publications.
• Contact information for at least two references.
• Contact information, including your mailing address, email address, and phone number.

Application should be directed to Dr. Marie Auger-Méthé (m.auger-methe@oceans.ubc.ca) and Dr. Marianne Marcoux (Marianne.Marcoux@dfo-mpo.gc.ca). Applications will be reviewed as they arrive.

UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. Inclusion is built by individual and institutional responsibility through continuous engagement with diversity to inspire people, ideas, and actions for a better world. 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, Métis, Inuk, or Indigenous person.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority, and members of historically marginalized groups will be given special consideration.

UBC’s campuses are located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Syilx (Okanagan) Peoples and of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Stó:lō and Səlílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil Waututh) Nations.