Job Description

Position Title: NBM Research Assistant

Position Type: Full-time, Term

Program: Northern Boreal Mountains (NBM)

Term: 18 months

Position Level: 6

Salary: $75,100 annually

Date Written/Revised: August 21, 2025

Location: Whitehorse, Yukon (Hybrid)

Reports to: Dr. Hilary Cooke, Co-Director of Northern Boreal Mountains program

Supervises (Direct supervision only): Field Staff on occasion

Start Date: October 6, 2025

Position Contact: Dr. Hilary Cooke, Co-Director of Northern Boreal Mountains program

Benefits: 4 weeks’ vacation, Paid sick and Personal emergency leave, Self-care days, Health and Dental care, Life insurance, RRSP match, DEIJA Team, Weekly Wellness sessions, Mentorship program and Annual Northern Travel Allowance.

Application Closing Date: September 12, 2025 at 6pm PST.

Position Summary

The WCS Canada Northern Boreal Mountains (NBM) program seeks a motivated candidate to support our applied research and conservation program in the Yukon and northern British Columbia. The Research Assistant will be involved in the creation of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs), and support biodiversity, climate change, and cumulative effects research. Successful candidates will have a background in wildlife conservation and/or northern ecology, and experience in geospatial analysis, data management, statistical analysis, and field-based research. This an 18-month position with the potential for an extension, pending funding.

The NBM program is set in one of WCS Canada’s key geographic areas in Yukon and northern BC. Our vision is for the landscapes and biodiversity of the region to remain intact, have high ecological integrity, and be resilient to climate change. The NBM program is committed to reconciliation and advocating for a whole-of-society approach in which biodiversity is not just protected but truly valued and mainstreamed into decision-making. We recognize that Indigenous-led conservation initiatives are key to allowing Canada and the world to meet conservation commitments, and to avoid the worst impacts of the Climate Change and Biodiversity Crises.

The core strategies of the NBM program are: supporting land use planning through collaborative partnerships and by providing and enabling technical capacity; conducting targeted research on biodiversity and threats to it (including climate change and cumulative effects); and, engaging strategically in policy development and reform by providing scientific evidence and expertise.

Position Objectives

• To work closely with First Nations in the Yukon to advance the creation of Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCA) by:
  • Developing a geospatial database using traditional and contemporary data sources to map ecologically important areas, historic and cultural sites of importance, climate resilience and connectivity, existing anthropogenic disturbance, and resource land use conflict;
  • Supporting Land Guardian programs, including environmental monitoring, and participating in community events and land-based activities.
• To advance studies of northern ecology and conservation by:
  • Conducting statistical and geospatial analysis on existing datasets;
  • Supporting field programs, including field logistics, equipment management, and data collection and management.
  • Contributing to reports, publications, and communications.

Principal Responsibilities

• Collate existing geospatial information on ecological and cultural values and traditional land use collected by local Indigenous communities. May involve digitizing from legacy paper maps.
• Collate existing geospatial information on biodiversity and biophysical features, areas of climate resilience and connectivity, and existing anthropogenic disturbance including mining to support delineation of areas for protection and stewardship. May involve processing remote sensing data to map existing anthropogenic disturbance.
• Provide logistical and technical support to field research and conservation programs, including: equipment inventory and maintenance; spatial analysis, map production, and GPS data management; deployment of remote cameras and Automated Recording Units (ARUs); download and management of camera and acoustic data; scoring and sorting camera data for large mammals (principally caribou, moose); coordination with partners, including Land Guardians.
• Conduct statistical analysis in support of avian ecology and migration research, including projects on: sandhill crane migration phenology; stopover lakes for migrating waterbirds in southeast Yukon; and cavity-nesting community dynamics in recently burned boreal forest.
• Conduct thorough and timely literature reviews to support research and conservation programs.
• Assist with the preparation of communication materials including reports, scientific publications, presentations, web content, and video and photographic media.
• Participate in regular NBM and WCS Canada staff meetings.
• Represent WCS Canada in meetings, conferences or other events, where requested.
• Support WCS Canada’s goal of transforming WCS Canada’s conservation practice through reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. For example, by ensuring that information shared with WCS Canada in confidence by Indigenous partners is secure and treated with respect that reflects its value and history.
• Contribute to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace that promotes engagement and belonging.

Required Qualifications/Skills/Experience

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent in Ecology, Conservation Biology, Environmental Sciences, Natural Resource Management, or related field.
• Proficiency using ArcGIS Pro for digitizing, mapping, and spatial analysis.
• Strong quantitative skills with experience in data management and statistical analysis of ecological data.
• Experience conducting field research.
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work in a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary work environment.
• Ability to work both independently and within a team on multiple projects concurrently.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
• Strong problem-solving skills, detail oriented, and resourceful.
• A passion for the conservation of nature and wildlife.
• Experience with, and respect for, Indigenous expertise and knowledge systems in parallel with western science as a core element of reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

Preferred Qualifications/Skills/Experience

• Knowledgeable of boreal ecology and/or northern conservation issues.
• Experience working with remote camera and acoustic data.
• Experience working with northern communities.
• Familiarity with Yukon's land claims and self-governing agreements, the Aboriginal Rights and Title of unceded First Nations, UNDRIP, FPIC, and First Nations Principles of OCAP.
  

How to apply

Please submit your CV with a cover letter explaining your qualifications related to the responsibilities listed above and your motivation to work on this project.

For questions regarding the position, please contact Hilary Cooke at [email protected] .

For questions regarding the application process, please contact [email protected] .

Application Closing Date: September 12, 2025 at 6pm PST.

WCS Canada is committed to creating an accessible and inclusive organization. We are committed to providing barrier-free and accessible employment practices. Applicants with a disability or any special needs may make a request for accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, and we will work with you to meet your needs. Such requests should be communicated to Okechukwu Ezibe ([email protected]) or by phone 437-770-2776.

Office Safety Plan Compliance

WCS Canada is committed to providing and maintaining a safe environment for our employees, contractors, and partners. As part of this unwavering commitment to safety, it is a condition of employment that Office-based WCS Canada employees be compliant with the respective Office Safety Plan, which includes being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with a COVID-19 vaccine series approved by Health Canada or the World Health Organization. This condition is subject to the requirements of applicable human rights legislation.

About WCS Canada

WCS Canada ( was established as a Canadian conservation organization in July 2004. We are committed to championing accessibility, diversity, and equal opportunity. Our mission is to save wildlife and wild places by improving our understanding of and seeking solutions to critical problems that threaten key species and large wild ecosystems throughout Canada. We implement and support comprehensive field studies that gather information on wildlife needs and then seek to resolve key conservation problems by working with a broad array of actors. WCS Canada has a track record of our science being recognized as relevant, credible and legitimate by researchers, NGOs and agencies. WCS Canada is independently registered and managed, while retaining a strong collaborative working relationship with sister Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) programs in more than 60 countries.

Diversity and inclusion are core WCS Canada values. We value the diversity of the people we employ and work with and we strive to provide an inclusive and equitable workplace in which we recognize the unique characteristics, skills and experiences of all employees. We are committed to engaging our employees in our diversity, equity and inclusion work and together we aim to create a workplace where all staff feel they belong and can grow.

WCS Canada’s programs occur on the homelands of Indigenous Peoples whose relationships various governments are described in historic (numbered) Treaties, modern land claim agreements, and negotiations around unceded lands. We recognize and support the international ecological and social commitments and responsibilities to Indigenous Peoples that Canada has signed, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Our commitment to engagement with Indigenous Peoples ranges from notification of research to the provision of scientific advice, to co-creation of research. We respect Indigenous knowledge systems and include this knowledge in our research and conservation programs where possible. We engage in land use planning and impact assessment processes that affect Indigenous Peoples, seeking ways to advance conservation as well as opportunities to sustain the livelihoods and cultures of Indigenous communities. We seek to motivate positive conservation outcomes by supporting effective governance and decision-making processes by Indigenous communities, particularly by supporting Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas.

WCS Canada is committed to contributing to the field of conservation science and the professional development of its employees. Employees are encouraged to participate in professional societies and present their research at conferences and meetings, as well as participate in relevant workshops and training opportunities. Employees are likewise encouraged to mentor graduate students, participate in relevant graduate student committees, and pursue adjunct status with universities as appropriate.

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