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Description: First Nations in British Columbia are faced with the prospect of changing water availability and quality as climate change affects mountain snowpacks and glaciers. We are seeking an enthusiastic, self-motivated, and organized MSc candidate to join a research project led by the British Columbia Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN) and funded by the Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada to collect, assess, and analyze geospatial datasets and trends related to the water security of First Nations in BC. The successful candidate will be conduct research under the co-supervision of Dr. Joseph Shea (www.moshlab.org) and Dr. Alex Bevington (https://watershedlab.ca/), and will be expected to initiate and facilitate discussions with BCAFN in this first phase of a broader First Nations water security initiative.
Candidates must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and will ideally have an undergraduate degree in physical geography or earth science, and demonstrated skills in GIS, remote sensing, and coding for geospatial analyses (R or Python). All qualified candidates are invited to apply, but we especially encourage applications from: First Nations, Métis and Inuit people; members of racialized communities; 2SLGBTQ+ persons; and persons with disabilities. The anticipated start date for the position is 1 January 2027.
Application Process: Interested applicants must send a CV with their qualifications and a short cover letter indicating their interest and qualifications for the position to Dr. Joseph Shea (joseph.shea@unbc.ca) by 23 October 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed for the position by 30 October 2026, and the selected candidate will be asked to apply immediately through the Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (NRES) graduate program at UNBC.
Location: UNBC (Prince George), with potential visits to Williams Lake and other communities in BC
Student Stipend: $17,500/year for two years. Students will be expected to apply for additional funding and scholarships, and will be eligible to apply for Teaching Assistantships to supplement their stipend. Funding for conference and research travel will be available through the co-supervisors.
About UNBC: One of Canada’s top-ranked small universities, UNBC (www.unbc.ca) offers exceptional interdisciplinary research opportunities. Prince George, located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Lheidlih T’enneh near the center of British Columbia, is a diverse, thriving, and affordable community, with a wide range of outdoor recreation opportunities.
