Join our team

Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) is a multi-partner initiative accelerating the global push for resilient and equitable clean energy solutions through local, community-based collaborations. You can learn more about us here or through our stories.

We're looking for talented, motivated and value-driven professionals to help advance our mission. See below for our current employment opportunities!

Research Assistant, Territorial Analysis of Northern BC Energy Economy

Research Assistant: Research Assistant, Territorial Analysis of Northern BC Energy-Economy

Number of Positions: 1

Location: University of Victoria

Reports to: Dr. Tamara Krawchenko (UVic)

Salary: $34.72/hour, up to a maximum of 20 hour/week for 6 months (hours can be flexible based on availability)

Deadline for Application: February 8, 2026, 11:59 PM.

Position Summary

The Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) Initiative is seeking a Graduate Research Assistant to support the Territorial Analysis of northern British Columbia’s energy economy within the “Power for People: Community Energy for Northern BC” project. The RA will work across multiple thematic areas to help integrate findings, coordinate a major report, and support academic publications and knowledge‑mobilization outputs focused on community‑driven, place‑based energy transitions. The position is ideal for a graduate student with strong quantitative research, research coordination, synthesis, and communication skills who is interested in regional development, energy systems, and just transition in rural, remote, and Indigenous contexts.

Project Context

The Power for People project examines how community energy in northern BC can advance economic well‑being, agency, and place‑based approaches to energy transitions, with workstreams spanning policy and planning, capacity development, and regional energy‑economy planning. The territorial analysis focuses on understanding how energy investments, infrastructures, institutions, and labour markets interact across northern regions, and how these dynamics shape opportunities and risks for communities participating in the energy transition. The Research Assistant will play a coordinating role, helping to align outputs across themes, synthesize evidence into a coherent territorial analysis, and translate findings into accessible products for communities, policymakers, and partners such as the Community Energy Association.

Key Responsibilities

The Research Assistant will:

Support research across all relevant thematic areas (e.g., energy‑economy mapping, policy and planning, regional energy‑economy planning, and community partnerships) by assisting with literature reviews, document analysis, and data organization.
Coordinate the preparation of the main territorial analysis report on the northern BC energy economy, including tracking contributions, managing versions, compiling sections, and ensuring consistent structure, referencing, and formatting.
Assist in the development of academic outputs (e.g., journal articles, conference presentations) by organizing materials, preparing figures and tables, drafting or editing sections, and supporting submission processes.
Contribute to knowledge‑mobilization activities, including drafting policy briefs, practitioner summaries, web content, slide decks, and other communication materials tailored to local governments, Indigenous nations, regional organizations, and community partners.
Help coordinate and document workshops, webinars, and meetings with partners by preparing background materials, recording key points and decisions, and supporting follow‑up communications.
Maintain organized project files (e.g., reference libraries, data and coding documentation, output inventories) and assist with project management tasks such as timelines and deliverable tracking.

Skills and Qualifications

Enrolment in a graduate program (e.g., public policy, economics, geography, planning, environmental studies, or a related field).
Demonstrated experience with quantitative data analysis, including working with large datasets (e.g., census, labour force, or administrative data) and conducting descriptive and comparative statistical analysis.
Proficiency with Excel and at least one additional quantitative tool (e.g., R, Stata, SPSS, or Python) for data management, analysis, and visualization.
Foundational skills in GIS (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS), including the ability to work with spatial datasets, create maps, and support spatial analysis of regional and community‑level indicators.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently while managing multiple tasks and deadlines.
Clear written and oral communication skills, including the ability to explain quantitative and spatial findings to non‑technical audiences.

Assets

Experience applying quantitative and GIS methods in projects related to energy systems, climate policy, regional development, or labour markets.
Familiarity with Canadian or British Columbia‑specific data sources (e.g., Statistics Canada, BC data catalogues) and with producing regional or community‑level indicators and maps.
Experience working in interdisciplinary teams and contributing quantitative or spatial analysis to collaborative reports, articles, or policy products.

How to Apply

Please submit your application, including a cover letter and CV to TamaraKrawchenko@UVic.ca with subject line "Research Assistant - Territorial Analysis of Northern BC Energy Economy" by 11:59PM, February 8, 2026.

Research Assistant, Labour Market/Economic Analysis of Northern BC Energy Economy

Research Assistant: Research Assistant, Labour market/economic analysis of Northern BC Energy Economy

Number of Positions: 1

Location: University of Victoria

Reports to: Dr. Jason Hicks (UVic)

Salary: $34.72/hour - 15 hour per week for four months

Deadline for Application: Sunday, February 8^th, 11:59 PM.

Position Summary

The Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) Initiative is seeking a Graduate Research Assistant to support a territorial analysis of British Columbia’s energy economy as part of the Power for People: Community Energy for Northern BC project. The RA will focus on labour market and industry analysis related to energy systems and regional development in northern British Columbia, working closely with Dr. Jason Hicks (supervisor) and the broader research team. This part‑time position is ideal for a graduate student with strong quantitative and policy analysis skills and an interest in energy transitions, regional development, and labour markets.

Project Context

The labour market analysis will form a core pillar of the territorial analysis of the northern BC energy economy by grounding the project’s mapping of energy systems in concrete evidence about jobs, skills, and industry structures across regions. By examining employment trends, occupational profiles, and sectoral linkages in energy‑related industries, this work will clarify who benefits from current and emerging energy investments and where vulnerabilities and opportunities lie for workers and communities. These insights will feed directly into the broader Power for People project by informing regional energy‑economy planning, just transition strategies, and community‑driven visions for clean energy that support local prosperity, particularly in rural, remote, and Indigenous territories.

Key Responsibilities

The Research Assistant will:

Compile, clean, and organize datasets on energy‑related industries, employment, and investment at regional and sub‑regional scales (e.g., NAICS‑based industry and labour force data).
Conduct descriptive and comparative analysis of energy‑related labour markets (e.g., employment trends, occupational structures, wages, skills demands) using statistical and spreadsheet tools.
Support the mapping of the regional energy economy, including linkages between energy activities, other sectors, and community/regional economic development.
Assist in preparing figures, tables, and short analytical memos that synthesize labour market and industry findings for internal use and for integration into project reports and presentations.
Provide general research support as needed, including data documentation, referencing, and coordination with other team members.

Skills and Qualifications

Enrolment in a graduate program (e.g., public policy, economics, geography, planning, environmental studies, or a related field).
Demonstrated skills in quantitative data handling and analysis, particularly with labour market and industry datasets (e.g., Statistics Canada, provincial data portals).
Strong proficiency with statistical software (such as R or Stata) is preferred, though candidates with strong proficiency in Excel will be considered; familiarity with data visualization tools is an asset.
Ability to interpret and communicate quantitative findings clearly in written form.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently while meeting deadlines.

How to Apply

Please submit your application, including a cover letter and CV to JasonHicks@uvic.ca with subject line "Research Assistant - Labour Market/Economic Analysis of Northern BC Energy Economy" by 11:59 PM, February 8, 2026.

Research Fellow, Regional Energy Economy Planning

Research Fellow, Regional energy economy planning

Number of Positions: 1

Location: University of Victoria or hybrid/online with Preference for candidates located in northern British Columbia.

Reports to: Dr. Tamara Krawchenko (UVic)

Annual Salary: $70,000.

Deadline for Application: February 8, 11:59 PM.

Position Summary

The Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) Initiative is seeking a research fellow to lead the regional energy‑economy planning component of the “Power for People: Community Energy for Northern BC” project. The fellow will advance comparative research and applied analysis on how regional energy planning can support community well‑being, economic development, and just energy transitions in northern British Columbia, with particular attention to rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.

Working with the project team (Dr. Tamara Krawchenko, University of Victoria, Dr. Sinead Earley, University of Northern British Columbia) and partners such as the Community Energy Association (CEA), the fellow will design and conduct research that links energy infrastructure, governance arrangements, and regional development pathways, and translate findings into practical tools for communities and policymakers. This is a two‑year, full‑time position based at the University of Victoria, with opportunities for hybrid work and travel within BC for fieldwork and workshops.

Project Context

The Power for People project focuses on community energy in northern BC, organized around themes of capacity development and policy and planning. Within this, the regional energy‑economy planning component investigates how energy systems can be planned at sub‑regional and regional scales to align with local economic priorities, support job creation and industrial diversification, and enhance social licence for energy projects.

Objectives

Develop a robust, comparative understanding of how regional and sub‑regional energy‑economy planning can support community well‑being, economic development, and just energy transitions in northern BC and similar jurisdictions.
Identify and critically assess the policy, regulatory, financial, and partnership arrangements (including municipal–First Nations collaboration) that enable or constrain effective regional energy‑economy planning.
Generate empirically grounded insights to inform practical regional energy planning tools, frameworks, and guidance for communities and practitioners.
Produce and mobilize high‑quality academic and applied outputs that advance scholarship on regional energy governance and provide accessible evidence for policymakers, regional organizations, and community partners.

Key Responsibles

The research fellow will:

Design and implement a comparative research program on regional energy‑economy planning, drawing on international and Canadian examples relevant to northern BC.
Conduct literature reviews and qualitative document analysis of regional energy plans, regional growth strategies, economic development strategies, and related policy frameworks.
Map and analyze policy, regulatory, and financial frameworks that enable or constrain regional energy planning and joint funding models (e.g., regional districts, economic trusts, provincial and federal programs).
Lead or co‑lead semi‑structured interviews and focus groups with municipal leaders, First Nations representatives, regional planners, utilities, economic development officers, and other key actors.
Analyze the landscape of regional and inter‑community energy partnerships, including opportunities and barriers for municipal–First Nations collaboration in community energy.
Co‑design and facilitate regional workshops to validate findings, co‑develop strategies, and support knowledge exchange among northern BC communities and regional districts.
Develop applied outputs such as regional energy planning toolkits, guidance notes, and briefing materials in collaboration with CEA and other partners.
Prepare academic outputs (articles, conference papers) on topics such as governance innovations, policy integration, participatory regional planning, and just transition approaches in rural, remote, and Indigenous contexts.
Support broader project coordination as needed, including data management (e.g., NVivo/Excel or similar platforms), ethics applications, and contribution to cross‑theme synthesis within ACET.

Skills and Qualifications

Experience

Doctoral degree (PhD) in public policy, planning, geography, political science, environmental studies, regional/urban studies, or a closely related field, and meets UVic Postdoc eligibility criteria or demonstrated equivalent research experience (e.g., senior researcher or experienced practitioner in regional or energy planning).
Proven experience in qualitative and comparative policy or planning research (e.g., case studies, document analysis, interviews, focus groups).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Demonstrated ability to work with policy and planning documents (e.g., growth strategies, energy plans, economic development strategies) and synthesize complex information for diverse audiences.
Strong written and oral communication skills, evidenced by academic publications, technical reports, or equivalent outputs.
Experience in collaborative, interdisciplinary projects and comfort engaging with government, community, and Indigenous partners.

Assets or Preferences

Experience with regional or sub-regional planning, regional economic development, or territorial/land use planning.
Experience working with or within regional districts, First Nations governments, or community energy organizations in Canada or comparable contexts.
Experience conducting workshops, community engagement, or deliberative processes in policy or planning contexts.

How to Apply

Please submit your application, including a cover letter and CV to contactacet@uvic.ca with subject line "Research Fellow - Community Energy Policy" by 11:59 PM, February 8, 2025.

Equity Statement

ACET and the University of Victoria are committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, inclusion and human rights in our living, learning and work environments. In pursuit of our values, we seek members who are eager to actively participate in that shared responsibility. We actively encourage applications from members of historically and systemically marginalized groups.

Read UVic's full equity statement at www.uvic.ca/equitystatement.

Accessibility Statement

If you anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application and hiring process contact uviccareers@uvic.ca. Any personal information provided will be maintained in confidence.

Territory Acknowledgement

We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Xʷsepsəm/Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples, the Musqueam people, the fourteen Yukon First Nations, Atikamekw and other Indigenous People on which ACET partner institutions stand, whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.