Salary: $65,000 to $75,000 annually

Position Title: Caribou Field and Research Associate

Position Type: Full-time, fixed term

Term: 2 years

Office/Program: Wolverine Program, Ontario Northern Boreal (ONB) program

Start Date: Early-Mid May 2024

Salary: $65,000 to $75,000 annually

Position Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario

Date Written/Revised: April 18, 2024

Reports To: Dr. Matthew Scrafford, Conservation Scientist

Supervises (Direct Supervision Only): Possibly Field and/or Data Technicians

Position Contact: Dr. Matthew Scrafford, Conservation Scientist

Benefits: 4 weeks' vacation, Paid sick and Personal emergency leave, Self-care days, Health and Dental care, Life insurance, DEIJA Team, Weekly Wellness sessions, Mentorship program.

Application Closing Date: The job post will remain open until position is filled.

Position Summary

The Caribou Field and Research Associate position is a full-time, 24-month position that will assist with boreal caribou research in northern Ontario. The Caribou Field and Research Associate will work within the Wolverine Program whose programmatic goals are to provide policy advice and science that can be used to understand, monitor, and manage wolverine populations in landscapes with human disturbance. The Wolverine Program also studies wildlife, including caribou and wolves, who share space with wolverines and whose management affects the species.

The Wolverine Program is within the larger Ontario Northern Boreal (ONB) program which is focused geographically on the far north region of Ontario. The ONB program activities include applied and field-based research on terrestrial and aquatic socio-ecological systems, often co-created with Indigenous communities; engaging with decision-makers to make scientific information more available for land-use planning, management and best practices to improve outcomes for nature and people; and empowering and supporting the next generation of conservation professionals.

The successful candidate will be responsible for entering, analyzing and organizing photo datasets, helping to develop field-research methods, organizing and collecting spatial data on roads and landcover that can be used in R and/or GIS, conducting field work, writing reports and peer-reviewed manuscripts.

Additional responsibilities may also include contributing to WCS Canada fundraising (e.g., contributing to the development of grant proposals) and communicating about caribou research (e.g., writing blog posts, contributing photos, etc.) as opportunities arise. There may also be opportunities to participate with other field programs within the ONB program.

Position Objectives

The primary objectives of the Caribou Field and Research Associate are to:·

• Support developing field-based methods to study caribou;·
• Organize and conduct field work on caribou;·
• Analyze and write-up field collected data into reports and peer-reviewed publications.

Principal Responsibilities

The principal responsibilities of the Caribou Field and Research Associate will be as follows:

• Organize and analyze previously collected wildlife photo datasets. This primarily includes a data set of wildlife use of forestry and mining roads around Red Lake, Ontario.
• Contribute to designing, organizing, and leading field work for a study of wildlife use of decommissioned roads in the Sydney caribou range of Ontario.
• Acquire and organize spatial data on roads and landcover in Ontario.
• Analyze the spatial and temporal variables associated with wildlife use of forest roads.
• Write reports and peer-reviewed publications that detail best-management practices for caribou habitats and populations.
• Manage the maintenance and care of field equipment.
• Collaborate with MNRF efforts focused on the effectiveness and efficiency of habitat restoration approaches in support of the Caribou Conservation Agreement.
• Support WCS Canada's goal of transforming WCS Canada's conservation practice through reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.
• Contribute to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace that promotes engagement and belonging.
• Actively participate in fundraising proposals and reports for the Ontario Northern Boreal program in collaboration with the WCS Canada Development Team, including donor relations.
• Contribute to WCS Canadas's external and internal communications in collaboration with the WCS Canada Communications Team, including sharing program specific media content, developing communication plans for upcoming publications, etc.
• Promote the conservation of the wildlife and wild lands in Canada within the conservation community, donors, governmental agencies and other non-governmental organizations through meetings, active involvement in professional societies, speaking engagements, media interviews, writing, and general communications as required.

Required Qualifications/Skills/Experience

• MSc or PhD in a related field of study.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience working in an environmental role, or equivalent.
• Proficiency in organizing and analyzing ecological data in R and GIS.
• Demonstrated experience writing peer-reviewed articles.
• Experience working in remote fieldwork locations for long periods of time; and the ability to travel to remote areas of northern Ontario for extended periods of time to complete fieldwork.
• High level of experience safely operating all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles; including transport of these via trailer.
• Ability to perform physically demanding work, including hiking with a heavy pack over varied terrain.
• Ability to work both independently and within a team on multiple projects concurrently.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, and an ability to share complex science in a way that connects with the public and decision-makers.
• Strong problem-solving skills, detail oriented, and resourceful.
• A passion for the conservation of nature and wildlife.
• Interest in physically and mentally challenging work.

Preferred Qualifications/Skills/Experience

• PhD in a related field of study.
• Experience analyzing and organizing large datasets of photos.
• Knowledge of boreal mammal ecology.
• Relevant training, including wilderness first aid or bear safety training considered assets.

How to apply:

Please submit your CV with cover letter explaining your interest in this position and relevant skills and experience.

For questions regarding the position, please contact Matthew Scrafford at [email protected]

For questions regarding the application process, please contact Okechukwu Ezibe at [email protected]

Application closing date: The job post will remain open until position is filled.

WCS Canada is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices. Applicants with a disability or any special needs may make a request for accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, and we will work with you to meet your needs. Such requests should be communicated to Okechukwu Ezibe ([email protected]) or by phone 437-770-2776.

About WCS Canada

WCS Canada (www.wcscanada.org) was established as a Canadian conservation organization in July 2004. We are committed to championing accessibility, diversity, and equal opportunity. Our mission is to save wildlife and wild places by improving our understanding of and seeking solutions to critical problems that threaten key species and large wild ecosystems throughout Canada. We implement and support comprehensive field studies that gather information on wildlife needs and then seek to resolve key conservation problems by working with a broad array of actors. WCS Canada has a track record of our science being recognized as relevant, credible and legitimate by researchers, NGOs and agencies. WCS Canada is independently registered and managed, while retaining a strong collaborative working relationship with sister Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) programs in more than 60 countries.

Diversity and inclusion are core WCS Canada values. We value the diversity of the people we employ and work with and we strive to provide an inclusive and equitable workplace in which we recognize the unique characteristics, skills and experiences of all employees. We are committed to engaging our employees in our diversity, equity and inclusion work and together we aim to create a workplace where all staff feel they belong and can grow.

WCS Canada's programs occur on the homelands of Indigenous Peoples whose relationships various governments are described in historic Treaties, modern land claim agreements, and negotiations around unceded lands. We recognize and support Indigenous Peoples in Indigenous-led conservation initiatives as well as the international ecological and social commitments and responsibilities to Indigenous Peoples that Canada has signed, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Our commitment to collaboration with Indigenous Peoples ranges from provision of scientific advice to co-creation of research and conservation priorities. We respect Indigenous knowledge systems and include Indigenous ways of knowing in research and conservation programs. We engage in land use planning and impact assessment processes that affect Indigenous Peoples, seeking ways to advance conservation as well as opportunities to sustain the livelihoods and cultures of Indigenous communities. We seek to motivate positive conservation outcomes by supporting effective governance and decision-making processes by Indigenous communities, particularly by supporting Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas.

WCS Canada is committed to contributing to the field of conservation science and the professional development of its employees. Employees are encouraged to participate in professional societies and present their research at conferences and meetings, as well as participate in relevant workshops and training opportunities. Employees are likewise encouraged to mentor graduate students, participate in relevant graduate student committees, and pursue adjunct status with universities as appropriate.