Biologist – Food Web

The International Institute for Sustainable Development Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) was formed to create new ways of bridging applied science with on-the-ground sustainability policy solutions. IISD-ELA maintains its head office in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and operates a globally unique facility in Northwest Ontario, where whole-ecosystem experiments and long-term monitoring are conducted to understand potential impacts and solutions for a wide range of environmental stressors to the world’s freshwater resources. We encourage candidates to visit our website (https://www.iisd.org/ela/) to find out more about our organization.

Scientific operations at the IISD-ELA research station are coordinated by biologists, who are responsible for supervising research assistants, collecting and processing samples, analyzing data, and assisting with the preparation and publication of results. They may also assist with the management of external research funds. Typically, biologists hold an M.Sc. degree or have a significant amount of relevant work experience. We seek a motivated and enthusiastic person with documented experience in field limnology to support research and monitoring activities related to the algae and invertebrate ecology programs at IISD-ELA.

Specifics

We seek an enthusiastic and experienced individual to coordinate, manage, and operate the field and analytical components of the Plankton Ecology Group’s (PEG) research and monitoring programs at the IISD-ELA research station. The PEG primarily works within the larger IISD-ELA team and with external researchers to support large-scale research projects and monitoring activities through our expertise on lower trophic levels of freshwater food webs. The Biologist will also contribute to a variety of activities for the broader IISD-ELA team, including providing support for field and analytical activities, outreach and education, and communications.

Under the direction of one or more research scientists, the successful candidate will coordinate and manage the day-to-day field and analytical activities of the PEG at the IISD-ELA research station. Program activities will include the management of human and financial resources, scientific equipment, and the collection, quality assurance/control, maintenance, and analysis of scientific data. A significant portion of the Biologist – Food Web’s duties will occur at our research station, which is located in northwestern Ontario. The incumbent should be comfortable living and working in a remote research facility for extended periods (mid-April through October); operating trucks, all-terrain vehicles, small boats, and snowmobiles; and work well in a team environment. During the remainder of the year, the Biologist – Food Web will primarily work from the head office in Winnipeg, or a hybrid environment between the head office and home, undertaking a variety of activities, including data analysis and management, coordinating sample analyses with external contractors, supervising and undertaking laboratory research, ordering and maintaining equipment/supplies, and managing research budgets. The Biologist – Food Web will also make occasional trips to the IISD-ELA research facility in the offseason (November–April) to assist with winter surveys or other research activities.

The applicant should have an M.Sc. degree and/or significant work experience undertaking monitoring and/or research within freshwater environments and managing human and financial resources (i.e., project management). The applicant should also have specific experience using a variety of limnological equipment and field sampling methods for algae and invertebrates, including the use of zooplankton nets, sediment cores, multi-parameter sondes, temperature loggers, dissolved oxygen loggers, and meteorological stations. Experience with laboratory methods for algae and zooplankton physiology and ecology is also highly desired and may include preparation and preservation of algae and invertebrate samples; zooplankton or zoobenthos identification/enumeration; preparation of chemical reagents; undertaking experiments on algal and/or invertebrate physiology; and use of laboratory instrumentation (e.g., filtration apparatus, weigh scales, fluorometers, gas chromatographs, etc.). Experience using modern programming and statistical packages and repositories—including R, R Markdown, Tidyverse, and GitHub—is also highly desired.

Key responsibilities include:

• Organize and lead field and analytical programs for IISD-ELA’s PEG at the remote IISD-ELA research station in Northwestern Ontario.

• Manage research budgets and supervise seasonal research assistants.

• Support IISD-ELA research scientists, external collaborators and highly qualified personnel (e.g., undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows).

• Operate and maintain laboratory and field equipment.

• Analyze and manage data and metadata for inclusion in databases, data repositories, and scientific outputs.

• Assist other IISD-ELA team members with various tasks, including facility operations, operation of the IISD-ELA analytical laboratory, and communication with the public and donors.

Detailed responsibilities include:

Program Management

• Plan and organize annual field research program in collaboration with other members of the PEG and IISD-ELA teams.
• Lead the hiring, supervision, and training of research assistants for field and laboratory positions within the PEG.
• Organize, purchase, and maintain scientific equipment for use in the laboratory and field.
• Manage professional service contracts for algal and invertebrate identification and enumeration and other contracts as required.
• Undertake data management, including data quality assurance/control, data entry, and maintenance of databases.
• Manage program budgets.

Field and Laboratory Activities

• Spend up to 7 months per year (excluding weekends) at the IISD-ELA facility actively engaging in field research activities (primarily May to November, occasional excursions in winter).
• Operate various field vehicles and watercraft (all-terrain vehicles, trucks, vans, small motorized boats, canoes, and snowmobiles).
• Provide training and assistance for highly qualified personnel (i.e., undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows) in field and laboratory analytical techniques.
• Maintain zooplankton stations and sampling equipment, preserve and prepare samples for shipping and taxonomic analysis, undertake sampling and enumeration of Mysis and Bythotrephes samples.
• Collect and process sediment samples using coring equipment.
• Calibrate, deploy, and maintain field equipment and associated data from a variety of field equipment, including multi-parameter sonde, temperature loggers, and dissolved oxygen loggers.
• Undertake and/or supervise laboratory and field experiments/assays for algal and invertebrate physiology/ecology using gas chromatography, fluorometry, and other methods.

Data Analysis and Management

• Organize and undertake the collection and preservation of detailed data and metadata from field and laboratory experiments and monitoring programs, including development and maintenance of internal databases for the PEG team, use of external databases, and collection and recording of detailed field and laboratory data and notes.
• Organize the retrieval, quality assurance/control, and curation of data from field and laboratory activities and in situ instrumentation associated with the PEG program.
• Use the programming and statistical software R, R Markdown, Tidyverse, and GitHub to generate, store, and share data and data analysis products with the PEG team and internal and external collaborators.
• Work with the IISD-ELA Data Scientist to ensure the long-term curation of data and metadata associated with the PEG.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• A degree and post-graduate (M.Sc.) university degree and/or equivalent experience in a discipline related to freshwater ecology.
• Experience managing field research projects in freshwater ecology, including project planning, hiring and supervision of research assistants, and data management.
• Experience and/or comfort working in a team environment and residing and working at a remote field station for extended periods of time.
• Experience operating watercraft and field vehicles, including small boats and motors, light trucks, all-terrain vehicles, and snowmobiles.
• Experience operating and maintaining a variety of limnological sampling and laboratory equipment.
• Excellent analytical, research, and writing skills in English.
• Thorough knowledge of software including Microsoft Word and Excel, R, R Markdown, Tidyverse, and GitHub.
• Flexibility and adaptability to lead and coordinate a dynamic program where weather and unforeseen conditions challenge work schedules.
• A strong commitment to the ideals, values, and mission of the IISD Experimental Lakes Area.

Location: IISD Experimental Lakes Area Research Station (May­–October), Winnipeg (offseason: November–April) with occasional trips to the research station during the offseason.

Salary: CAD 52,373 to 73,240 (commensurate with experience)

Employment Type: Full-time position, 1-year contract with possibility of indefinite renewal

Start Date: ASAP

Closing Date: February 27 or until filled.

The candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will be closed on February 27 or once filled.

Candidates must submit a cover letter (two-page maximum) outlining their interest in the role and why they are suitable. They may be required to provide references and a piece of written work on request.

Application Procedure

All submissions must be in English. Accommodations for job applicants with disabilities are available on request.

Candidates must hold appropriate work authorization for Canada.

Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR.

Please include the following:

• A CV (no longer than two pages)
• A cover letter (one page)
• IISD Voluntary Self-Identification Questionnaire (optional)

Resumes will be kept on file for 1 year.

IISD has implemented a COVID-19 vaccination policy that requires employees who are required or choose to be at an office or participate in in-person team events or in-person meetings/events to be fully vaccinated. Anyone unable to be fully vaccinated, either because of a sincerely held religious belief or a medical condition or a disability that prevents them from being fully vaccinated, can request a reasonable accommodation.

IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, to correct the conditions of social injustice and disadvantage in employment around the world, we encourage candidates from historically marginalized groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and those who identify themselves as 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply for this position. Preference will be given to the equity-deserving groups during the hiring process. We offer reasonable accommodations in our recruitment process and seek applicants' advice on how best to accommodate their needs. Please self-identify and answer our employment equity questionnaire on our applicant tracking system when you apply.