Job Title: MSc. Position in Fish Physiology

Location: Vancouver, BC

Job Type: Graduate Student

Description: MSc. Position in Fish Physiology at University of British Columbia (UBC)
(Start date of May 1st 2027)
We are looking for a highly motivated Masters student to work at the interface of basic and applied science in a new project funded by the Peter Wall Legacy Awards Program entitled:
“Smell Steers the Salmon: Bringing Pacific Salmon Home in BC Using Cutting-Edge Olfactory Analysis”.
The project: Pacific salmon populations are in precipitous decline, which may in part be caused by degradation of spawning and early rearing habitats in streams. One factor that may impact the success of salmon is the contamination of freshwater streams, which may affect salmon at two critical phases for salmon return migrations: (1) when juvenile salmon detect chemical stimuli in their environment and form a chemical memory in a process called imprinting, and (2) when adult salmon use olfaction, guided by their imprinted chemical memories, as a critical sense to return to their natal streams to spawn.
The goals of this project are to identify factors that impair imprinting and olfaction in hatchery and wild salmon populations by measuring olfactory acuity in response to hatchery practices (e.g., high CO2) and road runoff chemicals from urbanization (e.g., road salt) that are suspected to negatively impact olfaction. By directly measuring the impact of these factors on the salmon’s sense of smell, we will advise best practices at hatcheries to maximize imprinting and inform environmental protection efforts for wild salmon.
The opportunity: We expect to hire one Masters student to be based at UBC. They will conduct research on contaminant impacts on hatchery salmon smolts and wild spawning salmon, and will be supervised by one or more of the project team leaders: Drs. Chris Wood, Trish Schulte, Ben Matthews, Andrea Frommel, and Colin Brauner. The successful student will have the opportunity to conduct both lab and fieldwork and will gain experience in a variety of tools and techniques relevant to conservation physiology and toxicology. They will be part of a large and diverse interdisciplinary team that will provide the opportunity for networking and development of communication skills with government, NGOs such as volunteer Streamkeeper groups, and other stakeholders. The student will also participate in stream monitoring and outreach activities.
Qualifications: Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications for graduate admission to the Department of Zoology at UBC. Successful applicants will have excellent practical and communication skills and an interest in community engagement, as they will be working closely with volunteer Streamkeeper groups in the Vancouver area and with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
To apply: We will perform an initial screening of applicants prior to an official application to the graduate school. To be considered, please send a statement of interest, a curriculum vitae listing two possible referees, and an academic transcript to Dr. Ian Bouyoucos (ian.bouyoucos@zoology.ubc.ca) using the subject heading “UBC MSc – Fish Physiology”. Only submissions received before Friday, December 4th will be considered.
The selected applicant will then be invited to formally apply for admission to the Zoology program at UBC. An application fee will be required at that time.
We are looking to build a supportive and inclusive team, and we encourage applications from students of all backgrounds. We especially welcome applications from members of under-represented groups including women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. Preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, although non-citizens are also encouraged to apply.

Application Email Address: ian.bouyoucos@zoology.ubc.ca

Company Name: University of British Columbia

Application Close Date: December 04, 2026