I will be joining the University of British Columbia as the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Freshwater Ecosystem Sustainability, holding a joint appointment in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences (my physical office) and the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries. I’m heading back home to Canada!
A new website will launch next year, but in the meantime I’ll be using this page to assist with recruiting new students and post-docs to join me at UBC starting in September 2027 and beyond.
All interested students should direct their interest to my UBC email: julian.olden@ubc.ca. Do not email my UW address. Thank you.
Graduate and Postdoc Opportunities!
I am accepting new graduate students and post-docs starting in Fall 2027 to join me in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at the University of British Columbia!
Thank you for considering the Olden Research Lab for your graduate studies at the University of British Columbia. We are always on the lookout for sharp, motivated, hard-working students with a passion for the conservation of fresh waters and their inhabitants. Hopefully you’ve had a chance to peruse our research interests and read a few of our recent publications. From this, you’ll notice that our work focuses on conserving freshwater organisms, communities, and ecosystems in the face of environmental change. Not interested in saving the world from humanity’s unquenchable thirst? No worries — we just want your help. The truth is, there’s a wide range of projects to work on. By applying to join our lab, you’ll become part of a dynamic group of graduate students and postdocs working together as a cohesive unit. Quite simply, we play hard and work even harder!
Explore the openings below. Link to graduate student positions here as well. PDF
Graduate student (MSc, PhD) positions
Location: Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship, University of British Columbia, Vancouver
Available positions: 6-8 graduate students
Start date: September 2027
Application Deadline: Considering applications on a rolling basis until Jan 15, 2027 (UBC deadlines: Feb 1, 2027)
Call for Applications
The Olden Lab at the University of British Columbia (UBC – Vancouver) invites applications for graduate research positions at the MSc and PhD levels. Successful applicants will be supervised by Dr. Julian Olden (Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Freshwater Ecosystem Sustainability) in the Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at UBC.
At the Olden Lab, we advance creative, collaborative, and interdisciplinary science to address the intertwined challenges of securing water for people and nature. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the lab from the ground up — you’ll be joining the inaugural cohort of students and post-docs as we build our research program and culture together at UBC. Visit here to learn more about our research.
Roles and Responsibilities
Successful candidates will work on research that advances freshwater science, conservation and policy in Canada and beyond. Topics include those listed below as well as co-developed research of mutual interest.
- Hydropower and ecologically sustainable water management
- Climate change impacts and adaptation strategies
- Nature-based solutions to restoration
- Protection and recovery of species at risk
- Ecology and management of invasive species
- Community ecology, food-web dynamics, macroecology
- Application of biotracers, eDNA biosurveillance, and other emerging approaches to conservation
- Water security in an era of expanding AI infrastructure
- iEcology, big data, conservation technology, and machine learning
- Knowledge co-production and collaborative, community research
Graduate students will have opportunities to undertake priority research activities that directly advance the Olden Lab’s mission. Additionally, students may contribute to knowledge mobilization activities that engage directly with academic researchers, industry partners, policy practitioners, different levels of government, and Indigenous communities across British Columbia and Canada.
Essential Qualifications
We’re seeking enthusiastic students with a background in ecology, freshwater science, or a related discipline who enjoy field research, thrive on data wrangling and crunching numbers, and/or engage in collaborative science. We welcome applicants with diverse experiences and perspectives. Graduate students are expected to implement existing and/or co-develop new research projects in consultation with advisors and community partners, actively contribute to collaborative scholarship, and enjoy a dynamic environment that values working and playing hard.
Funding and Employment Environment
The guaranteed funding package for these positions is $40,000 CAD per year (PhD, 4 years with opportunity for extension) and $20,000 CAD per year (MSc, 2 years with opportunity for extension).
Graduate students will be funded by internal sources (e.g., research and teaching assistantships, scholarships) and external sources (e.g., NSERC). I encourage eligible students to apply for an NSERC Canada Graduate Research Scholarship. Explore the following”
- CGRS M – Master’s program(deadline 12/1/26)
- CGRS D – Doctoral program (deadline 10/17/26)
Read the fine print on eligibility! Most notably: If you are not a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada or protected person under subsection 95(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), you must be registered in your doctoral program of study at an eligible Canadian institution by the application deadline. Contact Julian for guidance and feedback on your proposal.
The position is on-site at UBC’s Vancouver campus, with negotiated flexibility for hybrid work arrangements.
Applications from Canadian and International students are welcome, but the appointment of non-Canadian applicants will be subject to approval by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and compliance with eligibility requirements to study in Canada. Please visit the Graduate Schoolfor more details.
How to Apply
Interested candidates are welcome to apply by e-mail to julian.olden@ubc.ca with the subject line: “Graduate student position in Olden Lab.” by no later than January 15, 2027. The application should include the following:
- a few paragraphs outlining your past experiences, key skills, and research interests
- curriculum vitae
- plans, if any, to apply for an external scholarship (e.g., NSERC)
- names and contact information for two references (to be contacted for short-listed candidates only)
- unofficial transcripts
You must provide all required materials to be considered, and generative AI is not allowed. Be human!
Students apply to the UBC Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship graduate program by February 1, 2027, but only after contacting Dr. Olden to determine whether they share research interests. Explore more information on graduate program requirements and financial support.
Postdoctoral fellow positions
Multiple positions
Stay tuned for an announcement.
