Assistant Professor in Forests, Nature and Human Health

University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship invites candidates for a tenure-stream position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor for the newly established George Richards Professorship in Forests, Nature and Human Health. The appointment will be in one of the three departments (Forest Resources Management, Forest and Conservation Sciences, Wood Science) in the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, depending on the successful candidate’s specific topical interests. The successful candidate is expected to develop an internationally recognized research program, teach at the undergraduate and graduate level, supervise graduate students, and obtain external research funding in the field of forests, nature, and human health. Opportunities for cross appointments in other relevant units (e.g. School of Population and Public Health, Department of Medicine, Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability) may be open to the successful candidate.

The Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship (https://forestry.ubc.ca/) at UBC is one of the largest and most highly ranked of its kind globally. Its multidisciplinary research programs, led by award-winning researchers, explore forests and other natural systems from a wide range of perspectives, including ecosystem functioning, applied forest resource management, conservation decision-making and policy, Indigenous knowledge, and diverse values that human societies derive from nature. The Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship is based at the Vancouver Campus of UBC, which is located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam).

Candidates must hold a PhD in a health-related or interdisciplinary field relevant to human health and the environment (e.g., medicine, public or population health, epidemiology, environmental health, planetary health, neuroscience, environmental psychology). Clinician scientists with demonstrated expertise in environmental health will also be considered. Applicants must demonstrate expertise in the links between nature and human health, as well as experience conducting health-related research involving human participants, including physiological, biological, clinical, or validated psychological outcomes, and familiarity with human research ethics processes. The Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship adopts a broad and integrative view of health, where relevant expertise may include areas such as urban greening, forest therapy, biophilic design, nature-based solutions, health co-benefits of climate action, Indigenous health, community wellbeing, life-course health, or health impacts of environmental change (e.g., heat, air quality, wildfire smoke). The successful candidate must have a track record of scholarly publications. They are expected to demonstrate strong potential for success in securing external research funding; collaborative work across disciplines, sectors, and geographic contexts; international scientific leadership through global research networks and externally funded initiatives; engagement with policymakers; and translation of research into practice. Evidence of high-quality post-secondary teaching, including course development and graduate supervision, is desirable. The successful candidate will play a key role in building and sustaining nature and health research programs within the Faculty of Forestry and with external partners.

Application Link: https://ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/ubcfacultyjobs/job/UBC-Vancouver-Campus---Vancouver-BC-Canada/Assistant-Professor-in-Forests--Nature-and-Human-Health_JR23449

The starting salary for an Assistant Professor position at UBC is: $110,000 - $135,000/year, and for an Associate Professor is $135,000-$160,000.

- Applicants should submit the following:

- Cover letter

- Curriculum Vitae

- Statement of research interests, accomplishments and vision, and their relevance to the position

- Statement of teaching philosophy, experience, and interests

- Three of the applicant’s publications representative of work in the field

* Contact information for three qualified individuals willing to serve as professional references.

* Address applications to Joerg Bohlmann, Search Committee Chair. Applications will be accepted until March 31, 2026.

* For all questions, please email Patty Renneckar at patty.renneckar@ubc.ca.

Statements on EDI are not required as part of the initial application package, but may be requested during the interview process as part of the assessment of the successful candidate.

Additional Information:

UBC’s vision is to inspire people, ideas and actions for a better world. Its institutional values of excellence, integrity, respect, academic freedom, and accountability are the driving forces behind its goals to pursue excellence in research, learning and engagement to foster global citizenship and advance a sustainable and just society across British Columbia, Canada, and the world. With campuses in Vancouver and Kelowna, in the Okanagan, UBC has over 66,000 students, over $700 million in research funding, a sophisticated and deeply engaging intellectual environment and an unrivalled quality of life.

We recognize the legitimate impact that leaves (e.g., parental leave, leave due to illness) or non-traditional career paths can have on a candidate’s record of research achievement and these leaves will be taken into careful consideration during the assessment process. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence; an open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. Candidates of any nationality are encouraged to apply; however, when candidates are otherwise equally ranked, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.

UBC is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive work environment for its employees and students, including those with disabilities. UBC welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for all candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.