ESSA Technologies Ltd. (ESSA) is an employee-owned Canadian environmental consulting company with offices in British Columbia and Ontario. We envision a world where creativity, a focus on learning, and systems thinking are the foundation of solutions to environmental challenges. Our corporate mission is to “bring together people, science and analytical tools to sustain healthy ecosystems and human communities”. We achieve this mission by helping clients deal with tough, emerging problems, by applying a thorough evaluation of evidence, and by exploring innovative solutions for a more sustainable world. Learn more about us at www.essa.com.

Research Assistant
Vancouver, BC or Ottawa, ON
1-year contract with potential for permanent opportunity

ESSA Technologies Ltd. (ESSA) is an employee-owned Canadian environmental consulting company with offices in British Columbia and Ontario. We envision a world where creativity, a focus on learning, and systems thinking are the foundation of solutions to environmental challenges. Our corporate mission is to “bring together people, science and analytical tools to sustain healthy ecosystems and human communities”. We achieve this mission by helping clients deal with tough, emerging problems, by applying a thorough evaluation of evidence, and by exploring innovative solutions for a more sustainable world. Learn more about us at www.essa.com.

At ESSA, we are passionate about what we do and enjoy working with professionals who share our values and mission. ESSA’s staff are problem solvers, big-picture thinkers, evidence driven, creative, and innovative, motivated by an aspiration to become trusted advisors to our clients and make a difference in the world.

The Opportunity
We are seeking a motivated, service-oriented, resourceful, independent, and highly skilled Research Assistant to support our domestic and international teams based on a 12-month contract with an opportunity for permanent placement and room for advancement. The successful candidate will support senior staff and projects that focus on:

Research and Support
• Involving challenging projects in varying contexts across North America and internationally.
• Working on a wide range of environmental issues including adaptive management, fisheries management, aquatic and terrestrial habitat assessment and restoration, environmental impact assessment, water resources management, and climate change adaptation.
• Developing research plans to meet the tailored needs of diverse projects.
• Writing and contributing to project reports including research, information synthesis (e.g., literature review), and reference management.
• Leveraging existing scientific literature, engagement surveys, and computer tools to support research.
• Coordinating contributions and formatting of complex multi-author reports within project deadlines.
• Supporting the development of presentations of project research and outputs.
• Archiving, cataloguing, and organizing research for future use by the team.
• Using a variety of tools to support technical facilitation and participatory engagement.
• Data wrangling, data mining, and basic statistical analysis in Excel (preferably in R).
• Contributing to the development of training materials in adaptive management.
• Supporting the team to develop proposals and marketing materials.
• Support ESSA’s Project and Marketing Coordinator on circulating bid opportunities to the team for future business development.

Education/ Experience/Skills
• Master’s degree with a strong preference for degrees in the natural and applied sciences (e.g., Ecology, Biology, Resource Management, Data Science, or Geography).
• 2+ years of research experience outside of academia with private, public, or non-governmental sectors.
• Experience working on issues in natural resource management, for instance: (1) aquatic sciences (e.g., water management, fisheries management); (2) climate change impact and adaptation assessments; (3) dedicated data sciences/statistics (e.g., monitoring design, simulation modelling); and/or (4) environmental cumulative effects assessments.
• Spanish-language or French-language skills are an asset.

Abilities
• Exceptional English writing and communication skills; familiarity with scientific / technical report writing and plain-language styles.
• Highly versatile with strong time-management, organizational skills, and ability to work on multiple projects at once in a dynamic environment which sometimes requires intensive short-term effort.
• Personable, with a flexible demeanor, comfortable in small group facilitation settings.
• Strong research and data management skills including familiarity with using on-line libraries.
• Graphic design skills are an asset.
• Proactive and results oriented, with strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work with little instruction/supervision and to work effectively and collaboratively in interdisciplinary and remote teams.

Applying

We look forward to welcoming the successful candidate to our team. We offer a welcoming, inclusive workplace and commit to working with staff to help them thrive and prosper.  Our total rewards program for contract employees provides competitive compensation, medical benefits, and vacation, plus support for professional development.

Please email a cover letter and résumé to careers@essa.com by March 5 with “Research Assistant” in the subject line. We will review applications and contact selected candidates by March 12. Interviews will be conducted between March 16 and March 19. The expected start is April 5, 2021.

All applicants must be eligible to legally work in British Columbia and/or Ontario at the time of applying through the full duration of the contract.