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Mining companies and their investors face a range of business risks stemming from water issues, while mining projects can pose risks on water systems in ways that affect surrounding communities and the environment. This research develops new tools and frameworks to improve water management and ultimately reduce water-related risks from the perspective of mining companies. The work will include the advancement of water risk assessment tools for the mining sector, development of new approaches for water balance and climate modelling, and an examination of response options for mitigating local-level water risks. At two case study sites, alternative response options will be analyzed through a unique combination of multi-criteria decision analysis and hydro-economic analysis. The work will also investigate approaches for improving the resilience of mine water systems to future climate variability.
The three-year research project is being completed through the Mitacs Accelerate program in partnership with a major global mining company. The project is led and supervised by Dr. Nadja Kunz (Assistant Professor; Canada Research Chair in Mine Water Management and Stewardship) and Dr. John Steen (Associate Professor) from The University of British Columbia. The project also involves two PhD students and one MASc student.
We are currently recruiting a Postdoctoral fellow (yearly appointments, renewable for up to 2.5 years in total) who will be responsible for the following tasks:
- Literature review to investigate how climate resilience has been defined and conceptualized in other sectors outside of mining (e.g. hydropower, nuclear, urban water);
- Assess the vulnerability of Vale’s Canadian operations to future climate extremes;
- Refine water-balance models for two case study sites, in collaboration with a graduate student
- Assess the local level vulnerability of these two case study sites to climate variability;
- Investigate opportunities and practical strategies for improving water system design to enhance climate resilience;
- Support graduate students in research relating to Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Hydro-economic analysis;
- Provide mentorship and guidance to graduate students working on the project;
- Support project management with the industry partner; and
- Undertake field-work to the case study operations as required.
This posting is for the UBC Vancouver campus in British Columbia, Canada.
Please refer to reference number NC-55065 during correspondence about this position. Please visit the researcher profile of the supervisor for this position to learn more about their research.
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.
About UBC
The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world. Since 1915, UBC’s entrepreneurial spirit has embraced innovation and challenged the status quo. UBC encourages its students, staff and faculty to challenge convention, lead discovery and explore new ways of learning. At UBC, bold thinking is given a place to develop into ideas that can change the world.
Postdoctoral Fellows at UBC Vancouver
UBC is home to over 900 postdocs spanning all faculties and units across two campuses and a variety of affiliated hospitals, research centres, and sites, providing unparalleled opportunities to learn, discover and contribute in one’s own way. UBC’s Postdoctoral Fellows Office (PDFO) is committed to supporting the lives and career aspirations of our Postdocs, with the goal of enriching their experience at UBC and preparing them for the future. In addition to providing support and advocacy for all postdocs, the PDFO is dedicated to providing professional development opportunities that foster the development of soft skills needed in today’s professional environments, helping them secure future careers in their chosen fields.
About UBC’s Faculty of Applied Science
The Faculty of Applied Science comprises a unique constellation of disciplines – including the Schools of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Community and Regional Planning and Nursing, as well as all engineering activities at both the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. Our work and the professional disciplines we represent span the entire human-centred built environment and innovation at all scales – from nanoscale electronic devices that power communications to the design of entire cities.
There has never been a more urgent time for our professions – as planners, architects, nurses and engineers – to come together to build upon our existing strengths and ambitions to ensure a thriving society, to make real impact locally and globally.
With a community of over 300 full-time faculty members and more than 8,600 students across our undergraduate and graduate programs, we shape the leaders and professions that shape the world.
About Vancouver
Vancouver is a dynamic, cosmopolitan and progressive city, consistently ranked as one of the top cities to live in the world. Canada’s third largest city has it all: sea, parks, mountains, beaches, and four seasons per year, including beautiful summers and mild, wet winters with snow in the mountains. It’s the perfect backdrop to your academic research.
