Position Type: Graduate Academic Assistant, part-time (10-12 hours/week), $29/hour, January – September, up to 400 hours, with the likely possibility of an extension (e.g., another 300-400 hours over Sept 2025 – May 2026).
Department: Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry in collaboration with the School of Community and Regional Planning
Location: University of British Columbia, Vancouver Campus
Reports To: Dr. Melissa McHale and Dr. James Connolly, Project Leads
Position Description
The Project Coordinator will support the development of a proposal for a Sustainable Cities Certificate, an interdisciplinary program designed to equip UBC students across programs and majors with competencies in urban sustainability. This role will involve coordinating project activities, conducting research, organizing and leading interviews and meetings with diverse teams, and analyzing curriculum and classes at UBC and beyond. This coordinator will manage the project, be responsible for creating a final presentation and report, and ensure timely progress toward the program’s objectives.
Key Responsibilities
1) Project Management & Coordination
- Coordinate the program’s timeline and milestones, ensuring all project phases align with the planned schedule.
- Organize and manage regular meetings with the project team, advisory committee, and stakeholders, including note-taking and action tracking.
- Develop project reports, updates, and presentations for stakeholders and UBC leadership.
2) Research & Analysis
- Conduct literature reviews and benchmark analyses of urban sustainability programs at peer institutions.
- Collaborate with the project team to review UBC’s urban-related programs, courses, and learning objectives.
- Summarize findings on competencies, program synergies, and gaps, preparing recommendations for program development.
3) Community Engagement
- Serve as the primary liaison between the project team, advisory committee, UBC faculty, and relevant departments.
- Coordinate consultations with academic departments to integrate feedback on program parameters and course lists.
- Manage community engagement activities and assist in communications with external experts on urban sustainability.
4) Curriculum Development Support
- Collaborate with faculty members to draft and refine proposed curriculum components based on research findings.
- Facilitate the development of program materials, including course lists and certificate requirements.
- Assist in preparing and submitting materials for program approval and accreditation.
Qualifications
- Education: Minimum Requirement – Master’s degree in Urban Studies / Planning, Urban Forestry, Sustainability Studies, Sustainability Education or a related field. Status as a PhD candidate in a relevant field is an additional asset. Post-docs are also encouraged to apply (the position, the title, hours, salary, etc. would have to be slightly modified to support a postdoc).
- Experience: Experience in project coordination, curriculum development, or sustainability programs.
- Skills:
- Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage complex, interdisciplinary projects.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience in stakeholder engagement.
- Analytical skills for curriculum research, data synthesis, and program assessment.
- Proficiency in project management software and Microsoft Office Suite.
This role offers the opportunity to contribute to an innovative new program proposal that will impact urban sustainability education at UBC and beyond. The ideal candidate will be a proactive, interdisciplinary thinker who values sustainability and the integration of academic knowledge with practical solutions for urban challenges.
How to Apply for this Project Coordinator Position
- Email Dr. Melissa McHale (melissa.mchale@ubc.ca)
- In the body of the email, please include a brief letter of interest.
- Attach your most recent CV to the email.
- Ensure you write “Sustainable Cities Certificate // Project Coordinator” in the subject line of this email. If you do not use that subject line, your email may be lost and not considered.
Hiring Process: We will start looking at applications (received via email) on December 13, 2024. We will keep receiving applications until the position is filled as we are looking to hire a skilled and motivated student ASAP.