Avian Ecologist

Competition No: 3462
Department: Faculty of Science - University of Alberta
Position Type: Support Staff-Auxillary
Job Schedule: Full Time
Salary Range: $73,110.96 to $101,187.96
Grade: 10
Hours: 40
Apply Before: Feb 10, 2026 (11:55 PM)

About the Team
 

The Faculty of Science is internationally recognized for excellence in research and education. Through pioneering discovery and innovation, the faculty addresses global challenges across disciplines such as biology, chemistry, computing science, physics, mathematics, and earth sciences. Its work positions the university at the forefront of technological, environmental, and scientific advancement.

Job Description
 

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position has a term length of one year plus a day, with the possibility of renewal and offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Location -  This position offers a flexible work arrangement, allowing for a combination of remote and/or in-office work based on work preferences.  Preference will be discussed during the recruitment process.

Position Summary

Working at the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute (ABMI), the Avian Ecologist brings critical scientific capacity to leverage bioacoustic and other avian monitoring data to develop knowledge and tools to support the needs and goals of the ABMI’s diverse partners–including government, resource industry groups, Indigenous communities, and the larger environmental science and academic community. These tools and products include species habitat models, trend analyses, and analytical indicators to support public reporting and management decision-making by key partners.

Responsibilities
 

The Avian Ecologist is responsible for leading and executing a range of activities from statistical design and modelling through to publication and reporting. These activities will focus on the creation of high-quality science by working independently and in collaboration with researchers and ABMI partners. The Avian Ecologist is responsible for:

• Analysis of acoustic and other biodiversity data collected by ABMI and partners to estimate the occurrence and abundance of avian fauna, including trends over time.
• Development and use of new analytical approaches, as needed, to maximize use of the Institute’s large and complex biodiversity dataset.
• Statistical analysis of relationships between species occurrence/abundance and human development factors, such as vegetation clearing.
• Development of biodiversity indicators to track the impacts of human development on ecosystems.
  Collaboration and project development with existing and new academic and non-profit partners.
• Partnership building with government and industry technical representatives to explore the application of ABMI data and data products to planning, policy development, and environmental resource management.
• Producing papers in the scientific literature about the analysis and application of biodiversity data in applied ecology. Collaboration with academics and other members of the science community is expected.
• Present–in meetings, seminars, scientific conferences and/or related settings–results and recommendations based on analyses to other ABMI staff, collaborators, and the broader scientific community.
• Supporting the delivery of ABMI projects related to climate change adaptation, design and evaluation of monitoring of rare species, and assessment of biodiversity recovery.
• Supporting the creation and dissemination of reports and other information products led by the ABMI Information Centre.
• Integrating ABMI data with information from other sources such as government and industry monitoring data, to complete the above tasks.
• Understanding and addressing issues related to sampling design, statistical distributions and software to undertake all of the above analyses.
• Organizing species, vegetation and habitat data for analyses.
• Evaluating multiple options for solving the challenges, and presenting results and recommendations to other ABMI staff, collaborators, and the broader scientific community.
• Engage in reproducible research practices (i.e., GitHub) to facilitate open access and use of ABMI data and data products.
• Developing and reporting quality control procedures for ABMI data, analyses and modeling.

Qualifications
 

• Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Ecology or a related natural resource management field; Master’s degree (MSc) or PhD in Avian Ecology or a related discipline is preferred.
• A minimum of 3 years of working experience in the field of resource management.
• Strong knowledge of avian ecology, including experience in modeling avian species' response to human disturbances.
• Demonstrated proficiency in empirical statistical modelling with environmental data; a proven record of analyzing complex sample designs and multivariate ecological data is highly preferred.
• Advanced programming skills in R (including knowledge of GitHub) and experience with large datasets across a broad diversity of taxa.
• Experience with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the analysis of geospatial data products.
• Experience conducting research or management within boreal ecosystems is an asset.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with a proven ability to work effectively within, and preferably lead, multidisciplinary research teams.
• Strong demonstrated analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Experience collaborating with diverse partners for monitoring and research initiatives.
• Project management experience is highly desirable.

Application Instructions

Click "Apply Now" to submit your cover letter and resume

About Us
 

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all FirstPeoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is a community of knowledge seekers, change makers and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to over 14,000 faculty and staff, more than 40,000 students and a growing community of 300,000 alumni worldwide.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross-section of people - from our students and community members, to our renowned researchers and innovators, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger and more just. Learn more.

At the University of Alberta, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates. If you require accommodations to participate in the interview process, please let us know at the time of booking your interview and we will make every effort to accommodate your needs.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.

All University employees have a responsibility to foster a workplace that prioritizes safety in all its forms—physical, cultural, and psychological. This is achieved by promoting a safe environment, adhering to all safety laws, policies and procedures, completing all required safety training, identifying hazards and implementing controls, reporting incidents, and contributing to a culture of belonging and respect, while endeavoring to ensure that all colleagues feel valued and safe to express their thoughts, perspectives and concerns.

The University of Alberta is committed to creating a university community where everyone feels valued, barriers to success are removed, and thriving connections are fostered. We welcome applications from all qualified persons. We encourage women, First Nations, Métis and Inuit persons, members of visible minority groups, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity and expression, and all those who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas and the University to apply.

L’Université de l’Alberta s’engage à créer une communauté universitaire où chaque personne se sent valorisée, où les obstacles à la réussite sont éliminés et où des connexions enrichissantes peuvent se développer. Nous accueillons les demandes de toutes les personnes qualifiées. Nous encourageons les femmes; Premières nations, Métis et Inuits; membres des groupes minoritaires visibles; personnes handicapées; personnes de toute orientation sexuelle ou identité et expression de genre; et toutes les personnes qui peuvent contribuer à la diversification des idées et à l'université à postuler.