Ph.D. studentship: fire in the Pacific Northwest

PhD studentship in modeling in modeling Indigenous fire management of the woodlands, savannas, and grasslands of northwestern North America

Position summary

The Ph.D. student will lead research on the development and application of a computer simulation model of human use of fire in pre-European time. The study domain covers the Pacific Northwest from Northern California to British Columbia and from the Pacific to the Great Plains. Tasks will include improvements to model capabilities, data assembly and management, analysis, experimental design, and analysis and visualization of model output. The work will be desk-based but may include field trips to locations in the study region.

This PhD studentship is supported by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) through the Discovery Grants, and involves collaboration with researchers at Parks Canada and at Universities in Canada and the United States. As part of this research program, the Department of Earth, Energy, and Environment at the University of Calgary is seeking a motivated and skilled Ph.D. candidate to join our multidisciplinary research team ideally in the first half of 2026.

Research Focus

While the ecosystems of western North America co-evolved with wildfire and many plant communities are well adapted to burning, climate change is both lengthening the fire season and leading to larger and more intense wildfires when they do occur. In the low-elevation woodlands, savannas, and grasslands of the Pacific Northwest, these detrimental wildfires have a direct impact on people, the landscapes they rely on for natural, recreational, and cultural resources, on carbon storage in plants and soil, and on plant and animal biodiversity. It is increasingly recognized that the establishment and maintenance of these dry transitional ecosystems was influenced by human use of fire. Over the Holocene, Indigenous peoples used fire as a tool for improving their foraging opportunities and mobility, and ecosystems that we consider representative of natural vegetation might not exist without human intervention. Simultaneously, Indigenous fire use may have improved the resilience of ecosystems in the face of climate change and variability.

In the past several centuries however, most Indigenous fire management was abandoned with the arrival of European settlers. With the economically and ecologically devastating fires of the past few years, there is renewed interest in promoting the resumption of traditional forms of fire landscape management. The purpose of the proposed research program is to use earth system modeling to understand how Indigenous fire management may be used to conserve and restore the low-elevation woodlands, savannas, and grasslands of the Pacific Northwest in the context of future climate change. To achieve this goal, we will improve and apply a novel vegetation-fire model and confront this with contemporary observations and paleoenvironmental reconstructions. We will study the history of these ecosystems and create scenarios for the future. We will ask:

• How were the low-elevation woodlands, savannas, and grasslands of the Pacific Northwest established in the first half of the Holocene, and what role could Indigenous people have played in their formation?
• How could Indigenous fire management have promoted the resilience of these ecosystems during subsequent periods of climate variability and change?
• What role can Indigenous fire management play in the conservation of these valuable ecosystems in the future in the context of future climate change and goals to preserve and sequester carbon in terrestrial ecosystems?

Minimum qualifications

• Commitment to learning computer simulation and programming in a high-level language (R, Python, C, Fortran, etc.).

• Strong quantitative and data analysis skills.

• Fluency in English listening, reading, and writing.

Preferred qualifications

• A Master of Science in a STEM field or significant research experience leading to authorship on a publication.

• Coursework in ecology, climate science, global change biology, geography and related fields.

• Skills in scientific computer programming and GIS.

• Demonstrated experience of research work both independently and in a team.

Location and start date

This position requires full-time, in-person presence at the University of Calgary main campus, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Secondments with project partners elsewhere in Canada and the U.S. may be part of the work.

The starting date for this position can be as early as 1 March 2026 and will be subject to arrangement with the selected candidate.

Funding and support

This position includes a minimum annual stipend of CAD $34,500 that may be augmented with scholarships, and additional support for travel, conferences, and other research expenses. Support is for a period of 3 years, contingent on satisfactory progress and funding.

How to apply

Applicants should submit the following materials as a single PDF file at this link:

• A one-page statement describing your research interests and experience, and career goals.

• A short CV that includes a list of your relevant research skills and background.

• Scans of your university transcript(s).

• Scans of your IELTS (Academic), TOEFL, or equivalent language test results, if English is not your mother tongue.

Assessment criteria and other qualifications

Consideration will be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant’s experience and skills complement and strengthen ongoing research within the research group, and how they stand to contribute to its future development.

Review of applications will commence on 15 January 2026 and continue until the position is filled.

Please note that due to the high number of applications received only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.