All positions currently open at UBC SCARP will appear here until they are filled or expired.
GAA positions (click to expand each)
GAA position: Jessica Barudin, on Children of the Taku Society
- Instructor & Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Barudin
- Term appointment start: September 2026
- Term appointment end: April 2027
- Number of Positions: 1
- Hours of Work: 100 approx.
- Hourly Rate: $30 + 4% benefits
Position Summary
A community-university partnership between the Children of the Taku Society (COTTS) and the University of British Columbia is seeking a graduate student to provide research and project support for the Lingít Wellness & Capacity Planning: A Community-Led Model for Revitalization project.
The project aims to strengthen Lingít language revitalization by integrating culturally grounded wellness and capacity-building approaches into organizational practices and language programming. The project will support the development of a community-led model of holistic capacity building that includes wellness policies, evaluation tools, facilitator resources, and a Capacity & Wellness Plan.
The Graduate Academic Assistant will work under the supervision of Dr. Jessica Barudin and in collaboration with COTTS. The position will support research, documentation, evaluation, and preparation of community-approved project materials. The project is community-led, with COTTS guiding project priorities, cultural protocols, data governance, and approval of project outputs.
Position Assignment
The position will involve working collaboratively under the supervision of Dr. Jessica Barudin and in partnership with Children of the Taku Society on the following tasks:
- Conducting literature and background research related to Indigenous language revitalization, wellness, capacity building, and culturally grounded and trauma-informed approaches;
- Supporting preparation of research ethics materials and project documentation;
- Supporting documentation of community sharing circles, project meetings, workshops, and virtual check-ins;
- Organizing and synthesizing project notes, resources, and partner-approved materials;
- Assisting with the development and refinement of wellness self-assessments, reflection prompts, indicators, facilitation guides, and related project tools;
- Supporting qualitative analysis and synthesis of project findings; supporting reporting, and preparation of a knowledge brief;
- Supporting knowledge mobilization and community- and academic-facing project outputs as required; and
- Providing general research and project coordination support throughout the project.
These activities reflect the approved CUES role for graduate research support, including documentation, evaluation, analysis, toolkit development, and reporting.
Required Qualifications
- Enrolled in a graduate program related to planning, Indigenous studies, education, health, language revitalization, community development, or a related field;
- Experience or demonstrated interest in Indigenous community planning and/or Indigenous language revitalization;
- Familiarity with Indigenous research methodologies and community-based or participatory research;
- Experience with qualitative research, evaluation, or community-engaged research;
- Familiarity with culturally grounded, trauma-informed, land-based, or wellness approaches;
- Experience preparing reports, toolkits, knowledge-mobilization materials, or other accessible research products;
- Experience with reference-management software such as Zotero; and
- Interest in Indigenous language planning, wellness, organizational capacity building, and community-led research.
Location
The position will be based at UBC Vancouver with hybrid/remote work. Most research and documentation activities can be completed remotely, with participation in virtual project meetings with COTTS as required.
How to Apply
Please send a CV and brief cover letter outlining your relevant experience and interest in the project to:
Dr. Jessica Barudin
Assistant Professor School of Community and Regional Planning
University of British Columbia
Jessica.barudin@ubc.ca
Application deadline: September 19, 2026 or until filled.
GAA position: Jessica Barudin, on First Nations Coastal Language Revitalization and Land-Relationship Planning
- Project: First Nations Coastal Language Revitalization and Land-Relationship Planning
- Instructor & Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Barudin
- Term appointment start: September 2026
- Term appointment end: April 2027
- Number of Positions: 1
- Hours of Work: 260 approx. (approximately 10 hours/week)
- Hourly Rate: $30 + 4% benefits
Position summary
The project is seeking a graduate student to support a community-engaged research study exploring connections between Indigenous language revitalization and land-relationship planning in First Nations communities on the Northwest Coast.
The research will examine how language revitalization can be better integrated into community planning, land stewardship, governance, education, cultural programming, and related Nation-building processes. The project will involve collaboration with First Nations communities and organizations, with an initial geographic focus that Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw (Kwak̓wala-speaking peoples), Haíɫzaqv (Heiltsuk), ’Wuìk̓inux̌v (Wuikinuxv/Oweekeno), Nuu-chah-nulth (nuučaan̓uł-speaking peoples), and Haisla (x̄á’islak̓ala / x̄enáksialak̓ala-speaking) communities.
The Graduate Academic Assistant will work under the supervision of Dr. Jessica Barudin and contribute to qualitative research, document and policy analysis, community engagement, collaborative analysis, and development of practical community-facing research outputs.
Position Assignment
The position may include:
- Conducting literature, document, and policy reviews related to Indigenous language revitalization, land-relationship planning, community planning, governance, and stewardship;
- Reviewing community plans, language plans, land-use and stewardship plans, and related policy documents;
- Supporting development of qualitative research instruments and interview protocols;
- Assisting with interview recruitment, scheduling, documentation, and transcription management;
- Supporting qualitative data coding and analysis; Organizing and managing research materials using qualitative analysis software such as Atlas.ti;
- Supporting community-based research meetings, workshops, or learning circles;
- Assisting with collaborative analysis and synthesis of research findings;
- Contributing to community-facing profiles, toolkits, policy recommendations, and other knowledge-mobilization materials; and
- Supporting scholarly and community-facing research outputs as appropriate.
Required Qualifications
- Registered in a graduate program at UBC Vancouver;
- Strong qualitative research, writing, and organizational skills;
- Experience conducting literature, document, or policy reviews;
- Strong written and verbal communication skills;
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively;
- Demonstrated ability to work respectfully in community-engaged research environments.
Preferred Qualifications
- PhD student preferred; Indigenous graduate students are encouraged to apply;
- Background in Indigenous community planning, Indigenous studies, language revitalization, geography, education, planning, or a related field;
- Experience or interest in Indigenous language revitalization; and/or Experience working with Indigenous Nations, organizations, or community-based research projects;
- Familiarity with Indigenous research methodologies or participatory research approaches;
- Experience with qualitative interviewing and coding;
- Knowledge or interest in Indigenous land-use, stewardship, land-relationship, or community planning; and
- Interest in knowledge mobilization and collaborative research.
Location
UBC Vancouver/Hybrid
The position will be based through the School of Community and Regional Planning at UBC Vancouver. Much of the work may be completed remotely, with participation in virtual research meetings and community-engaged activities as required.
How to Apply
Please send a CV and brief cover letter outlining your research experience and interest in the project to:
Dr. Jessica Barudin
Assistant Professor School of Community and Regional Planning
University of British Columbia
Jessica.barudin@ubc.ca
Application deadline: September 19, 2026 or until filled.
GAA position: Jessica Barudin, on course planning and curriculum refinement
Graduate Academic Assistant
- Instructor & Supervisor: Dr. Jessica Barudin
- Term Appointment Start: September 21, 2026
- Term Appointment End: December 21, 2026
- Number of Positions: 1
- Hours of Work: 100 hours (Approximately 7–8 hours per week)
- Hourly Rate: $30/hour + 4% benefits
- Location: UBC Vancouver / Hybrid
Position Summary
A Graduate Academic Assistant is sought to support course planning and curriculum refinement for undergraduate courses in Indigenous planning and Indigenous health and wellness. The main courses supported will be PLAN 321: Indigeneity and the City and PLAN 422: Indigenous Health Planning.
The GAA will work with Dr. Jessica Barudin to update and organize course materials, improve assignments and grading tools, prepare Canvas course sites, and develop teaching resources to enhance clarity and consistency for students and teaching assistants.
Position Assignment
The GAA may assist with:
● Updating course syllabi, schedules, lecture notes/slides, readings, films, podcasts, and learning resources;
● Reviewing reading lists and identifying materials that can be updated, shortened, or better organized;
● Updating and organizing Canvas modules, lecture slides, assignment details, due dates, and course resources;
● Revising assignment instructions for clarity and consistency; Updating grading rubrics and refining grading rubric
● Developing simple grading guides and feedback templates for teaching assistants;
● Preparing guest speaker invitation, confirmation, biography, and thank-you templates;
● Organizing guest speaker information and proposed course dates;
● Co-developing discussion questions based on learning resources, small-group activities, and case-study exercises;
● Reviewing course materials for consistency, formatting, and accessibility; and
● Organizing course files and reusable teaching materials for future terms.
Required Qualifications
● Registered in a graduate program at UBC Vancouver;
● Strong writing, editing, and organizational skills;
● Strong attention to detail;
● Ability to work independently and meet deadlines;
● Experience organizing digital materials and documents; and
● Ability to work respectfully with Indigenous-focused course content.
Preferred Qualifications
● Background in planning, Indigenous studies, education, health, or a related field;
● Experience as a TA, GAA, or in curriculum support;
● Familiarity with Canvas;
● Experience developing assignments or grading rubrics;
● Familiarity with Indigenous planning or Indigenous health topics; and
● Interest in curriculum development and teaching.
How to Apply
Please send a CV and brief cover letter outlining relevant experience and interest in the position to:
Dr. Jessica Barudin
Assistant Professor
School of Community and Regional Planning
University of British Columbia
Jessica.barudin@ubc.ca
Application Deadline: Applications accepted until Monday, September 14, 2026 or until position is filled.
About UBC's and SCARP's hiring practices
Institutional Context
The University of British Columbia and the School of Community and Regional Planning acknowledges the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam people) on whose traditional, ancestral and unceded territory the University resides.
The University of British Columbia consistently ranks among the 40 best universities globally, and among the top 20 public universities in the world. Vancouver has a dynamic planning environment and is frequently rated as one of the world’s most desirable places to live. Times Higher Education (THE) ranks UBC number one in the world for taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, and is ranked first in Canada for making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
SCARP is internationally recognized for the excellence of its research and teaching. The School undertakes teaching and research across the sub-fields of planning, in line with being a professionally accredited planning program.
UBC Hiring Policies
At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students, and is essential to fostering an outstanding work environment. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
About student positions
The University offers different types of student service appointments and are intended to assist properly qualified graduate students meet the cost of their studies, as well as to assist the University in meeting its educational and research objectives. Such appointments may involve part-time duties in research and other academic activities, or other academic activities and these positions are subject to availability of funds:
- Graduate Research Assistants (GRA) – non-union and funded by research grants - considered a form of Fellowship
- Graduate Academic Assistant (GAA) – student employment, non-union and hourly
- Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA) – student employment, CUPE 2278, union – GTA I and GTA II