Call for Applications
Professor Tarun Khanna invites applications from highly qualified candidates for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow position. As part of their fellowship, the individual would contribute to a multi-year research project on community energy in British Columbia. We seek applicants with training in a relevant social science or humanities discipline, and a commitment to multidisciplinary and collaborative research.
About the project
This project seeks to enable community-led, sustainable, and resilient electricity in British Columbia by designing, evaluating, and piloting community virtual power plants (cVPPs) that integrate rooftop solar, storage, and demand-side assets with the provincial grid.
Objectives: (1) Identify social, policy and regulatory barriers and enablers for cVPP adoption across diverse BC communities (including low-income, vulnerable, and Indigenous groups); (2) develop a technically feasible BC Hydro–to–cVPP coordination framework that preserves reliability and resilience; (3) quantify economic viability and equitable pricing models for energy and ancillary services provided by cVPPs; and (4) train interdisciplinary researchers to support community energy transitions.
Research approach: This collaborative project will explore the social/policy, technical, and economic dimensions of cVPPs in BC. We will run stakeholder consultations, deliberative workshops with potential pilot communities, surveys, and comparative policy review to capture needs and equity concerns, build an operational model of BC’s transmission system, design distributed optimization and coordination algorithms for BC Hydro–cVPP interaction and evaluate grid performance through simulated case studies, and analyze service offerings and pricing via case studies and apply social-welfare optimization to assess impacts on prices and grid economics.
Novelty & expected significance: The project uniquely addresses cVPP design within a regulated, publicly owned utility context—distinct from much existing work in competitive markets—by embedding community values and equity into technical and pricing architectures. Expected outcomes include a validated BC Hydro–cVPP interface, equitable pricing mechanisms, policy recommendations, and community-tested models that can be adapted to other regulated jurisdictions nationally and internationally. Results will reduce reliance on large, centralized builds, strengthen local energy security, and advance inclusive pathways to net-zero electricity while producing peer-reviewed science and policy guidance for scalable, community-centred energy transitions.
Postdoctoral fellowship research and responsibilities
The postdoctoral fellow will work with Dr. Khanna, a graduate student and other team members to advance the social/policy dimensions of this work
- Carry out stakeholder consultations and literature reviews that will help inform technical and economic approaches and collaborate with those team members
- Design strategy for engagement with pilot communities in BC, decided in consultation with our partner organizations
- Design and lead stakeholder workshops and conduct surveys following an analytical-deliberative framework
- Review policies in BC, Canada, select U.S. states, and the EU, regarding community energy programs proposing suitable adaptations for BC
- Opportunity to mentor graduate student and research associates
- Any other tasks that may be relevant for successful completion of the project
In addition to contributing to collaborative research and knowledge mobilization, the fellow will also be given the opportunity to develop their own independent research agenda.
Qualifications and experience
Suitable candidates will hold a doctoral degree, completed within the last five years, in a relevant social science or humanities discipline such as communication, political science, psychology, public policy, engineering, applied science, etc. and with a background in sustainability, climate change, or energy studies. Experience in community engagement and/or qualitative methods (workshop design, interview and survey, focus groups, document analysis, policy analysis) is required. Following skills would be an asset: Problem-solving skills on complex issues; Clear communication tailored to the audience; Project design and coordination; Intuitive, skillful group facilitation; Grant writing, project management, and financial management; Event coordination.
Salary, benefits and employment conditions
The salary range for this position is $60,000 to $75,000 CAD per year plus benefits depending on the qualifications and experience of the chosen candidates. The Postdoctoral Fellow will be appointed up to a one-year period, with possibility of extension. The position is full-time (40 hours per week) and based on-site at the Vancouver campus of UBC but with flexibility to work remotely as required. Would likely involve travel to communities in BC for engagement.
The Postdoctoral Fellow will have significant independence in undertaking priority research, training and knowledge mobilization activities that directly influence the project’s objectives. There will be opportunities to contribute to knowledge mobilization activities that engage directly with scientists, different levels of government in BC, energy policy practitioners, and diverse communities across Canada.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit an application by e-mail to tarun.khanna@ubc.ca by 5 p.m. on September 30, 2025. Please include “Postdoctoral Fellow Application – [Your Name]” in the subject line. The application should include a single PDF titled “Postdoctoral Fellow Application – [Your Name]” including the following:
- Cover letter:
- explaining why you are suited for this position;
- describing your relevant disciplinary and subject matter expertise;
- explaining your relevant experience and skills that would advance the project goals;
- providing names and contact information for two references (to be contacted for short-listed candidates only);
- proposing a tentative date for when you could begin the fellowship.
- Curriculum vitae
- URL links (if available online) or pdfs of two recent publications where you substantively contributed.
Review of applications will commence on October 1, 2025, and will continue until the position is filled.
Employment equity
UBC is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.
UBC welcomes and encourages applications from persons with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for all candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. The University committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and equitable work environment for all members of its workforce, and in particular, for its employees with disabilities. An inclusive work environment for employees with disabilities presumes an environment where differences are accepted, recognized, and integrated into current structures, planning, and decision-making modes. For contact information regarding UBC’s accommodation and access policies and resources, please visit the Centre for Accessibility.
There is no citizenship requirement, but appointment of non-Canadian applicants will be subject to approval by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requirements to be eligible for employment in Canada as a postdoctoral fellow.
