Opportunities
Prospective grad students
We are recruiting a MSc student for 2026-2027. See ad below:
MSc. Position at Carleton University & the University of Ottawa: Measuring Lepidopteran Diversity at Urban Tree Planting Sites
Project Overview: Urban biodiversity and conservation are an important aspect of addressing the global biodiversity crisis. Over the past 5 years, the number of urban tree planting programs have accelerated, with the goal of supporting biodiversity conservation. However, our understanding of how urban tree plantings impact biodiversity, human health, and ecosystem services is not well understood.
We are seeking a MSc. student to join a team of scientists at Carleton University and the University of Ottawa to study the impacts of urban tree planting on Lepidopterans and birds in Ottawa, Ontario. Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) contribute to ecosystem function and are an important food source for birds. As indicator species, butterflies and moths can reflect environmental health and may be used to evaluate the outcomes of habitat interventions. Working with a team of graduate students and research scientists, the student will measure the diversity of Lepidoptera and bird predation across tree planting sites in the city. The results of this research will contribute to an understanding of how urban tree plantings benefit birds and Lepidoptera and support a long-term monitoring effort exploring associations between tree plantings, biodiversity, and human health in cities. The position start date is September 2026. The student will be co-supervised by Dr. Rachel Buxton and Dr. Heather Kharouba. The candidate will receive two years of funding for this position through a Research Assistantship.
Essential Skills & Qualifications: BSc. degree in Biology, Conservation Science, Data Science, Geography, Applied Statistics, or a related field; Completion of an Honour’s thesis (or equivalent level research project); Strong research, leadership, and communication skills; Enthusiasm and kindness; Experience managing and analyzing biological data; Valid Driver’s License. The candidate must be a Canadian citizen.
Desirable Skills & Qualifications: Comfortability with the R coding language; Experience with insect identification; Experience conducting biological field research.
Accommodations & Accessibility: Should you require a copy of this posting in an alternate format, please contact us as soon as possible and we would be happy to get one to you in a timely manner. We believe in the importance of supporting on the job success for the incumbent and are pleased to discuss and/or provide specific tools, resources, or other requirements for day-to-day work requirements, as needed.
Application Details: Applicants should send the following to Christopher Dennison (ChristopherDennison@cmail.carleton.ca) with Rachel Buxton (Rachel.Buxton@carleton.ca) and Heather Kharouba (Heather.Kharouba@uottawa.ca) CC’d by January 16th, 2026, with the subject line: MSc. Urban Tree Planting and Lepidoptera:
1) Letter of interest summarizing your experience
2) Curriculum vitae or resume
3) Contact information for 3 references
4) University transcripts (unofficial transcripts are sufficient).
About Our Research Team
Rachel is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Environmental Science and Department of Biology at Carleton University. She leads a team that aims to generate knowledge to support and mobilize equitable conservation solutions. Her main research interests include urban bird conservation, soundscapes, ecological restoration, and the link between human health and biodiversity. She works with groups of practitioners, decision-makers, Indigenous Peoples, and stakeholders to ensure her research is applicable for mobilizing effective conservation solutions. In drawing from her experiences as a research scientist, mom, life-long learner, teacher, mentor, and community member, she is committed to making a difference for biodiversity conservation and environmental justice.
Dr. Heather Kharouba
Heather is an Associate Professor at the Department of Biology at the University of Ottawa. Her research group studies species’ responses to global change and the conservation of ecosystems in a dynamic world. They primarily work on plants and insects in grassland ecosystems. Her research team integrates field surveys and experiments, data synthesis, and modeling to understand the factors that structure species’ distributions, phenologies (the timing of life history events) and interactions.
