"Leveraging wireless soil monitoring technology to support green asset management and maintenance"

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carleton University (located in Ottawa, Canada) is accepting applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in Leveraging wireless soil monitoring technology to support green asset management and maintenance. The preferred start date is May 2026 but fall and winter 2026 start dates will also be considered, with a duration of 12 months, with the possibility of renewal. The postdoctoral fellow will conduct research related to the use of IoT devices for green asset monitoring and maintenance.

Research Project Overview

The postdoctoral fellow will investigate how to best use multi-parameter data (soil moisture, humidity, temperature and colour) to monitor growing conditions and develop business intelligence (warnings, alerts, automatic control of remote assets) related to plant health. This work will be completed in collaboration with Ginkgo Sustainability and SoiLiNQ. As a PDF you will have the opportunity to:

• Develop sensor calibration and installation practices for natural and manufactured soils
• Investigate the impact soil moisture has on stormwater retention and evapotranspiration rates,
• Investigate ecological responses, including plant performance characteristics and microbiome diversity, to growing conditions,
• Test prediction models for ET losses, stormwater retention and hospitable growth conditions associated with invasive species, and/or disease.

Research Project Supervisor and Principal Investigator

Prof. Drake in a Canada Research Chair Tier II – Stormwater and Low Impact Development. She has distinguished herself as one of Canada’s leading experts in stormwater management, low-impact development (LID) and green infrastructure.

Salary

The postdoctoral fellow will be offered a salary of $70,000 per annum, with the ability to opt into an extended health and dental benefits plan.

Position Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent of this position will, under the direction of Dr. Drake, be responsible for leading the research activities of the project, including but not limited to the following core responsibilities:

• Develop sensor calibration and installation practices for natural and manufactured soils
• Investigate the impact soil moisture has on stormwater retention and evapotranspiration rates,
• Investigate ecological responses, including plant performance characteristics and microbiome diversity, to growing conditions,
• Test prediction models for ET losses, stormwater retention and hospitable growth conditions associated with invasive species, and/or disease.
• Collaborate with stakeholders from academia, industry, and federal governments.
• Publish findings in high-impact peer-reviewed journals and present at national and international conferences.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students involved in the project.
• Support funding proposals and the development of knowledge mobilization materials.

Job Requirements

• A doctoral degree in Engineering (Civil, Environmental, Water Resources) or a related science field (Ecology, Soil Science, Biology).
• Experience working with environmental sensors (e.g. capacitance soil moisture sensors, IoT devices), lab-based research and/or data analysis software (e.g., R, Python, MATLAB).
• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Valuable Skills & Experience

• Preferences will be given to candidates with strong quantitative skills and a proven publication record in one or more of the following areas: green roofs, low-impact development,
• Hands-on experience completing field research studies and experience working with environmental monitoring equipment, soil analysis methods and equipment, environmental data sensors and loggers (e.g., SoiLiNQ, Raspberry Pi, IoT devices)

How to Apply

Candidates interested in applying for this fellowship opportunity are invited to submit their cover letter and resume/CV to Jennifer Drake at jennifer.drake@carleton.ca. Contact information for a minimum of 2 references. References will only be contacted in case of short-listing.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.