Department: Politics and Public Administration
Position supervisor: Dr. Carolyn Johns
Contract length: 1 year with the possibility of renewal pending funding
Hours of work per week: 36.25
Position type: Postdoctoral Fellow
Rate of pay: $70,000 per annum
About Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)
At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. Integral to this path is the placement of equity, diversity and inclusion as fundamental to our institutional culture. Our current academic plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.
Toronto Metropolitan University welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada, we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+. Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
As an employer, we are working towards a people first culture and are proud to have been selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and a Greater Toronto’s Top Employer for 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. To learn more about our work environment, colleagues, leaders, students and innovative educational environment, visit www.torontomu.ca, check out @TorontoMet and @ECItorontomet on Twitter, and visit our LinkedIn company page.
About the program
Geoffrey F. Bruce was a diplomat and Canadian federal public service leader who believed deeply in the imperative of Canadian leadership and multilateral cooperation as national priorities to protect the environment and ensure the sustainability of Canada’s freshwater resources. Geoffrey Bruce left an important legacy through his career. He led the Canadian Delegation to the UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in 1972, was instrumental in efforts to establish Stockholm program on the environment, was the Canadian Representative to the UN Environment Agency and played a central role in the establishment of the Brundtland Commission (Our Common Future) in 1983. He held several diplomatic positions related to the environment and transboundary freshwater resources.
In honour of her late husband’s career, commitment, and legacy related to the environment and water resources in Canada and on the international stage, Erika v.C. Bruce established the Bruce Fellowship in Canadian Freshwater Policy at Toronto Metropolitan University. Since 2017, 18 Bruce Fellows have received funding support for their Masters and PhD research projects on a wide range of topics related to freshwater policy in Canada. The establishment of the inaugural Bruce Post-doctoral Fellowship in Environment and Water Policy 2022 was another generous commitment by Erika Bruce to focus on open water data and water policy. Bruce Fellows are already having ‘ripple effects’ as Canada’s next generation of water policy leaders and practitioners in positions at the federal, provincial and municipal levels and in non-government organizations working on environment and freshwater policy.
Dr. Carolyn Johns has been leading the Bruce Fellowships since 2017. She is one of Canada’s leading water policy scholars and has several research projects focused on water governance, policy analysis, policy implementation and innovation. She serves on the International Joint Commission’s Water Quality Board, is a Senior Fellow at Massey College, and the lead social science researcher on the Global Centre for Climate Change and Transboundary Waters.
The 2026 Bruce Postdoctoral Fellow in Canadian Water Politics and Policy builds on the foundations of the Bruce Fellowships and is also supported by the Faculty of Arts and the Office of the Provost to recognize the investments and commitment of Dr. Erika Bruce related to establishing TMU as Canada’s leading institution on water politics and policy over the next ten years.
The opportunity
The Bruce Postdoctoral Fellowship in Canadian Water Politics and Policy is a one-year position with an annual salary of $70,000. The position will start in Spring 2026 for a period of one year and includes the possibility of a one-year renewal and extension based on available funding and a performance review. The position requires engagement in research projects, initiatives and events in person and using online technology. The candidate must be able to work in Toronto, Canada.
The Bruce Postdoctoral Fellowship is a unique position in Canada established to attract a leading-edge researcher to conduct applied research and generate innovative ideas and recommendations related to Canadian water politics and policy. The Postdoctoral Fellowship is an exciting opportunity for an emerging scholar who wants to engage in applied research contributions at the interface of scholarship on water politics, political economy, foreign policy, Canada-US relations, public policy and public administration.
The ideal Bruce Postdoctoral Fellow should aspire to be one of Canada’s next generation policy leaders and scholars. The candidate should have solid academic foundations related to water politics and policy; be committed to leading-edge scholarly and policy contributions through national, intergovernmental and inter-institutional initiatives, scholarly and policy publications and submissions; and make contributions to public forums, media coverage and social media commentary related to water politics and policy in Canada. The ideal Bruce Postdoctoral Fellow is someone who values high-quality scholarly research and a career that focuses on next generation water politics and freshwater issues facing Canada in the coming decades. The Bruce Postdoctoral Fellowship also provides a unique opportunity to mentor Bruce Fellows, be engaged in a diverse range of future-oriented, applied research projects and partnerships, and apply for additional research and project funding from a variety of sources.
This postdoctoral fellowship prioritizes candidates with backgrounds in political science, political economy, law, foreign policy, diplomacy, and geopolitical dimensions of Canadian freshwater politics and policy.
Other examples of eligible areas of research include (but are not limited to):
- political economy of water
- geopolitics of water
- water sovereignty, international relations and diplomacy
- water and political institutions and agreements
- politics of freshwater protection and sustainability
- transboundary water politics and governance
- climate change and water politics
- Indigenous leadership and engagement in water politics and governance
- water, food, energy nexus challenges
- water innovation and sustainable industrial/commercial/agricultural water use
- water data, technology and security
- freshwater as a political, economic, social, cultural and strategic national resource. 

The successful candidate will engage in a research agenda focused on the geopolitical, political economy and national priorities related to Canadian water politics. Research will focus on Canadian freshwater in the global political context; sovereignty, diplomacy, international agreements and intergovernmental relations related to Canada’s freshwater. The successful candidate will work with Dr. Carolyn Johns on research projects, publications, communications and other initiatives to further develop the Bruce Fellowships. The candidate will also have the opportunity to play a leadership role in organizing the Bruce Fellowships national conference on freshwater politics and policy in Canada in 2027 at Toronto Metropolitan University, celebrating 10 years of the Bruce Fellowships.
Toronto Metropolitan University is located in the heart of Canada’s largest city. With its unique applied history and its distinctly urban campus on the shores of Lake Ontario in the Great Lakes region, TMU features a culture that’s innovative and features several interdisciplinary graduate programs related to environmental sustainability and water policy and related interdisciplinary research institutes such as the Urban Water Research Centre.
Qualifications
Candidates must have successfully completed their doctoral dissertation (PhD) since 2023 or have a scheduled doctoral defense date confirmed in writing by their supervisor.
- PhD in related field completed since 2023
- Extensive knowledge of political systems, political institutions, water politics, economics, international relations and public policy backed by a solid academic background, research, publication and communications track record.
- Passion for applied research projects, and policy-oriented work at the nexus of environment and water; complex environment and water politics challenges; water law, policy and regulation; political economy, geopolitics, international trends and relations related to freshwater
- Proven research expertise and methodological skills including research design, quantitative and qualitative data analysis; law, policy and regulatory analysis.
- Related experience working on environment, water politics, water policy and/or policy communications considered assets.
- Demonstrated experience and success in managing and executing applied research projects
- Self-starter able to prioritize and function both independently and collaboratively; able to work as part of a political science and multidisciplinary research team.
- Prior mentorship experience with research collaborators and graduate and/or undergraduate students considered an asset
Students from political science, political economy, international relations, public policy or law are encouraged to apply. Applications from other social science disciplines will also be considered including: economics, environmental studies, geography, business, and interdisciplinary studies provided they have strong foundations in Canadian environmental policy.
How to apply
Interested applicants can submit an application to Dr. Carolyn Johns, cjohns@torontomu.ca by March 15, 2026. Application package should include: 

- CV/résumé
- copies of academic transcripts
- 2-page statement of qualifications, description of proposed water politics and applied policy research interests and alignment with goals of the Bruce Postdoctoral Fellowship
- 2 letters of reference including contact information for referees.
Applications will be reviewed starting February 15, 2026 and accepted until the position is filled.
The candidate will work under the supervision of Professor Carolyn Johns and be affiliated with the Bruce Fellowships Program, the Faculty of Arts, the Department of Politics and Public Administration, the Urban Water Research Centre and other research centres and graduate programs at TMU. If you have any questions about TMU or the position, please contact Professor Johns.
We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Toronto Metropolitan University’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
- We encourage all First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples or Indigenous peoples of North America, to self-identify in their applications. If you are an Indigenous applicant and require support during the recruitment process, please reach out to James McKay, Indigenous HR Lead at james13@torontomu.ca.
- Toronto Metropolitan University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and aims to ensure that independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity are embedded in all aspects of the university culture.
- We will provide an accessible experience for applicants, students, employees, and members of the Toronto Metropolitan University community. We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the recruitment process. If you have restrictions that need to be accommodated to fully participate in any phase of the recruitment process,please reach out to Human Resources:
- Current employees can contact HR by logging into AskHR to submit a request.
- External candidates who do not have TMU login credentials can contact HR by visiting torontomu.ca/human-resources/askhr/.
- All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.
