Job Description

With support from the National Science and Engineering Research Council Alliance Mission funds (PI: Dr. Daniel Rainham), the Health Care in a Climate Crisis: Estimating greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts of surgical procedures and hospital operations project aims to estimate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the delivery of healthcare associated with hospital operations.

We are searching for a postdoctoral researcher to join our team at Dalhousie University to lead a wide-scale organizational life cycle assessment (LCA) of Nova Scotia\'s largest hospital. The main objective is to estimate GHG emissions and environmental impacts associated with operations at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The QEII is a large teaching hospital and Level 1 Trauma Centre managed by our research partner and affiliated with Dalhousie University. We define the reporting unit as the operations of the hospital site, including all facilities on premises.

Key Responsibilities

Your role will involve close collaboration with our research partner, Nova Scotia Health (NSH), to procure the foreground data necessary for completion of an Organizational LCA, which includes (but is not limited to) energy, water use and solid waste generation, procurement data on items purchased to support healthcare service delivery, and to evaluate the impact of services that are outsourced that may also have environmental impact. These data will be used to estimate GHG emissions and associated environmental impacts and the development of the LCA will be guided by reference documents according to ISO 14040, 14044 and 14072, (11,16). Project success will depend on close collaboration with interdisciplinary team members including clinicians, health system leaders and academic researchers who will bring diverse perspectives to enhance the understanding and interpretation of research findings. It is expected that research plans and products will be shared with our health system research partners (NSH) and that findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals, contributing to the dissemination of valuable insights in the field. You will also play an integral role in the development of grant proposals, actively contributing to securing additional funding for ongoing and future research projects.
Qualifications/Requirements of Position

You must have completed a PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant field and will have proven experience in conducting LCAs. You will also have experience in database development, the use of LCA databases (e.g. ecoinvent) and statistical analysis necessary to support estimation of environmental impacts. Preferred candidates will have strong collaboration and communication skills, a track record of publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and an ability to contribute to the development of successful grant proposals.
Salary Range/Pay Rate The candidate will receive a salary of $60,000 per year for two years and may be eligible for additional funding support.
Additional Information

Dalhousie University commits to achieving inclusive excellence through continually championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The university encourages applications from Indigenous persons (especially Mi\'kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), and members of other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, and persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community. For more information, please visit .

If you require any support for the purpose of accommodation, such as technical aids or alternative arrangements, please let us know of these needs and how we can be of assistance. Dalhousie University is committed to ensuring all candidates have full, fair, and equitable participation in the hiring process. Our complete Accommodation Policy can be viewed .

Posting Detail Information

Term of appointment 2 Years, anticipated start date of May 1, 2023
Open Date
Close Date 03/31/2024
Open Until Filled No
Quick Link for Direct Access to Posting

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents * Cover Letter

• R\xc3\xa9sum\xc3\xa9 / Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• List of referees

Dalhousie University