Aurora

Employment & Opportunities

Postdoc Position - SFU/ECCC 

The CLIMB (Climate Land Impacts and Modelling the Biosphere) at Simon Fraser University and the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis, part of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), are seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow (PDF) for a fully funded five-year project.

Project description

Climate change is intensifying heat waves, droughts, floods, wildfires, and insect pest outbreaks in Canadian ecosystems, compromising vital ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water supply, timber and food production, and human well-being. There is an urgent demand, and current gap, for projections of climate impacts on Canadian ecosystem services over the 21st century. The central goal of COALESCES (Canadian Open Alliance for Landscape Ecosystem Science on Climate Impacts and Ecosystem Services) is to address this gap by advancing Canadian climate impact modelling capacity and knowledge mobilization among academic researchers, HQP, government, and public stakeholders. COALESCES will enhance the CLASSIC (Canadian Land Surface Scheme Including Biogeochemical Cycles) terrestrial biosphere model. To accomplish this goal, the COALESCES PDF will first advance CLASSIC by incorporating new forest disturbance processes and improved agricultural climate sensitivity to establish it as a climate impact model with the ability to capture multiple compounding stressors and unique specialisation in Canadian ecosystems. Second, the PDF, along with a part-time research technician, will develop shared computational infrastructure and training materials for the Digital Research Alliance of Canada’s computing infrastructure in collaboration with the Collaborative Platform for CanESM (CP4C) and the emerging Can-Flux communities. Lastly, the COALESCES PDF will translate CLASSIC projections into high-resolution assessments and maps to support climate-resilient planning in partnership with climate services agencies.

Position description

The successful candidate will be based in Vancouver or Victoria, British Columbia and jointly supervised by Drs. Sian Kou-Giesbrecht (SFU) and Joe Melton (ECCC). Responsibilities include original scientific research and manuscript preparation focused on climate-sensitive forest disturbance (coupled wildfire/insect pest dynamics) and agricultural climate sensitivity modelling while assisting with coordination of ongoing developments in wildfire emissions, reforestation, sustainable forest management, and water routing and chemistry to establish CLASSIC as a climate impact model with unique specialisation in high-latitude ecosystems and the ability to capture multiple compounding stressors at high resolution within the pan-Canadian domain. In collaboration with ECCC, the PDF will develop knowledge transfer pathways to translate CLASSIC projections into assessments and high-resolution maps of future C cycling, ecosystem services, and climate impacts to support climate-resilient planning in Canada. The PDF will additionally assist in liaising with collaborators and their graduate students, as well as coordination with the CP4C and Can-Flux communities. The PDF will develop professional skills such as collaboration, communication, and leadership by co-leading and co-organizing annual collaborator workshops, through research visits to work closely with ECCC and government and university collaborators and their graduate students, and by representing CLASSIC community advancements at national and international scientific conferences. The PDF will have high exposure and visibility within the research community as a result.

Salary

The gross salary starts at $70,000/year, includes annual salary increments, plus benefits and extended benefits. The position is available for the duration of the project with the initial hiring for one year with follow-up years contingent on acceptable performance.

Qualifications

While previous experience with land surface or terrestrial ecosystem models is highly desirable, more so the applicant should have the ability to rapidly gain an understanding of physical and biogeochemical processes from the existing scientific literature, and be able to develop mathematical parameterizations for implementation in a modelling framework. Applicants must have a PhD in a field related to terrestrial physics or ecosystem processes; peer-reviewed publications; and enthusiasm and drive for both independent and team-based research. As a significant component of this project will be interfacing with our collaborators and collaborative networks, the ideal candidate will have exceptional oral and written communication and collaboration skills.

Application Instructions

Applications must include: 1) a cover letter detailing their interest, availability, and relevant experience, 2) a current curriculum vitae, and 3) the contact information of at least two referees.

Email your application materials and any questions to Sian Kou-Giesbrecht (sian_kou-giesbrecht@sfu.ca) and Joe Melton (joe.melton@ec.gc.ca). Review of applications will begin May 8th, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.
Receipt of your application will be confirmed by email but only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. Once contacted for an interview, please let us know if you require an accommodation, and we will endeavour to make arrangements.
Simon Fraser University and ECCC are committed to fostering diversity within their communities as a source of excellence, cultural enrichment, and social strength. We welcome those who would contribute to the further diversification of our research community including, but not limited to: women; visible minorities; First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples; persons with disabilities; and persons of any sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression. We understand that career paths vary. Legitimate career interruptions will in no way prejudice the assessment process and their impact will be carefully considered. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. We are committed to creating an inclusive, communal, and accountable workplace.

Host institutions

Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a leading research university, advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. The School of Resource and Environmental Management (REM) is part of SFU's Faculty of Environment. It is an applied graduate and undergraduate school in which both social and natural scientists apply inter- and trans-disciplinary approaches to research in resource and environmental management. REM's mission is to inspire leadership and improve decision-making in environmental management through internationally recognized research, education, professional practice, and community engagement to support a socially just and ecologically sustainable world.
ECCC is the lead federal department for a wide range of environmental issues and is relied upon to provide science-based environmental information and services so that Canadians may make informed decisions relating to their health and safety. ECCC is tasked with implementing the National Adaptation Strategy, the Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, Canada’s Paris Agreement commitments, and contributing to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals.

Funded PhD (2) and MSc (1) Positions in Hydroclimate and Land-Atmosphere Interactions – Canada (QC/ON)

Two PhD positions and one MSc position are open immediately as part of a collaborative research project involving the Université de Montréal (UdeM; Prof. Alexis Berg, Department of Geography, Montréal, QC), Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM; Prof. Philippe Lucas-Picher, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Montréal, QC) and Queen’s University (Prof. Christian Seiler, School of Environmental Studies, Kingston, ON).

This FRQNT- and NSERC-funded project investigates how hydroclimatic volatility – the clustering of extreme water-related climate events (like floods and droughts) in time and/or space – will change in a warmer climate and what the impacts will be on the land surface water cycle and land-atmosphere coupling processes. To do so, the project will rely on state-of-the-art, convection-permitting climate model (CPM) simulations to investigate these changes over Northeast North America, focusing in particular on the advanced understanding gained at veryhigh resolution compared to regional (RCM) and global (GCM) model projections.

Project #1 (PhD) - Future changes in rainfall distribution and hydroclimatic volatility (located at UQAM under the primary supervision of P. Lucas-Picher)

This project investigates precipitation patterns and hydroclimatic volatility across the CPM/RCM/GCM model hierarchy. The first part evaluates how well these models reproduce observed rainfall distributions, daily and subseasonal hydroclimatic extremes, and spatio-temporal clustering over the study domain, using a suite of climate extreme indices. The second part examines how these extremes characteristics are projected to change under future climate scenarios. Comparisons across model types and resolutions will reveal the impact of model configuration, especially convection representation, on
rainfall intensity, variability, and extremes. The study will also assess shifts in dry spells, extreme precipitation, and rapid “whiplash” events, while considering uncertainties from different GCM boundary conditions. This project will provide a comprehensive, multiscale understanding of present and future precipitation behavior and hydroclimatic volatility, informing climate risk assessment and adaptation planning.

Project #2 (PhD) - Land surface hydroclimate under climate warming and enhanced hydroclimatic volatility (located at UdeM, under the primary supervision of A. Berg) 

This project explores the representation and future changes in terrestrial hydroclimate and water cycle across the CPM/RCM/GCM model hierarchy, focusing on surface energy and water fluxes, evapotranspiration components, soil moisture profiles, and runoff generation. The PhD student will evaluate how well these models reproduce observed climatological values, daily distributions, and extremes of land surface hydroclimate, examining how differences in atmospheric variability influence soil moisture, evapotranspiration regimes, and runoff variability.

The second part assesses projected changes in these land surface variables under climate change scenarios, comparing model resolutions and configurations to understand their impact on moisture limitation, evapotranspiration controls, and runoff dynamics. Particular emphasis will be placed on whether warming and/or precipitation consolidation leads to
increased soil moisture limitation and more pronounced runoff changes at convection-permitting scales.

Project #3 (MSc) - Changes in land–atmosphere coupling in convection-permitting simulations (located at Queen’s University, under the primary supervision of C. Seiler)

This project investigates soil moisture–precipitation feedbacks and their response to climate change over Northeast North America across the CPM/RCM/GCM model hierarchy. The student will quantify how surface moisture anomalies influence subsequent precipitation and how this coupling depends on model resolution, convection representation, and climate state. Advanced causality analysis techniques, such as Granger causality and convergent cross mapping, will be applied at multiple time scales to disentangle complex land-atmosphere interactions, supported by observational evaluation. The study will also extend to future climate scenarios to assess whether these feedbacks strengthen or weaken under warming, and whether they enhance or counteract atmospheric mechanisms driving hydroclimate variability, including precipitation consolidation.

In the framework of this project, the three selected candidates will be expected to work in close collaboration and benefit from interactions and/or co-supervision between the three co-PIs.

Requirements and preferred qualifications:

We are looking for motivated students with strong backgrounds and research interests in atmospheric, climate and/or land surface science and modeling.
- Applicants for the PhD projects are expected to hold, or soon complete, an MSc degree (or equivalent) in atmospheric sciences, physical geography, hydrology, environmental science or similar fields.
- Similarly, applicants for the MSc project are expected to hold, or soon complete, a BSc degree (or equivalent) in atmospheric sciences, physical geography, hydrology, environmental science or similar fields.

Applicants with degrees in computer science, applied maths or statistics, and with interests in climate science, are also welcome to apply.

For all positions: experience with scientific programming and data analysis is an asset, in particular with large-scale land surface/climate observations and model data. Proficiency in spoken and written English is required.

For the PhD positions (UQAM and UdeM): French language skills are an asset but not required at the PhD level; resources and support will be available for students who wish to learn or improve their French during the program.

All three positions offer competitive stipends supported by the FRQNT/NSERC research project and additional research funds held by the PIs. The PIs will also support the applications from the selected candidates to institutional, provincial and federal scholarships.

All three PIs and their research groups are committed to the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups in the geosciences, including but not limited to women, Indigenous peoples, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, and members of LGBTQ2S+ communities. Candidates with diverse training and non-traditional pathways are encouraged to apply.

Start dates: 

PhDs (UQAM, UdeM): As early as Fall 2026 or Winter 2027
MSc (Queens): Flexible between Fall 2026 - Fall 2027

To apply:

Depending on the project of interest, please contact: alexis.maximilien.berg@umontreal.ca, lucaspicher. philippe@uqam.ca, and/or christian.seiler@queensu.ca; include in your email:
- a letter of interest;
- resume/CV describing your skills and education;
- university transcripts;
- names of three referees;
- Applicants are asked to indicate whether they are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or will require a study permit to pursue the position.

Please also feel free to reach out to any of the 3 PIs with any questions!

Applications will be reviewed as received and positions will remain open until they are filled.