Postdoctoral Fellow

Duration:
Starting ASAP, 2 years (Non-Permanent)

Hours of Work: 37.5 hours per week

Number of Positions Open: 1

Apply Online by August 15, 2026
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The Postdoctoral Fellow, Wildlife Science is responsible for planning, organizing, and implementing investigative research and communication related to a defined research project in a subject of interest to the TZ Science Teams (Reproductive, Veterinary, Welfare, Nutrition, and Species Recovery Sciences). This position will assist and provide support in implementing the Strategic Plan.

The Toronto Zoo invites applications for a post-doctoral fellow interested in a dedicated research project to assist the Zoo in developing an ethical framework for Indigenous partnerships as part of the governance framework for the National Wildlife Cryobank.

The post-doctoral fellow will work closely with the Zoo’s Director of Indigenous Relations, Chief Science Officer and other staff as needed. The fellow will also be informally supported by an experienced inter-disciplinary circle of project-affiliated supervisors outside the Zoo who will provide additional intellectual/academic guidance and general research support as may be required through the post-doctoral fellowship experience.

Given the transdisciplinary and public-facing nature of this initiative, the post-doctoral fellow is expected to have exceptional research and communication skills. Their capacity to undertake planning, organizing, implementing and sharing investigative research that spans a range of disciplines, potentially including Indigenous studies, Indigenous law, Indigenous governance and co-governance arrangements; data sovereignty; applied intercultural ethics; wildlife conservation; and cryobanking will be invaluable.

Curiosity and ability to listen, learn and adjust within a fluid multidisciplinary environment will be an asset.

Expectations from this post-doctoral fellowship include in-depth research, a jurisdictional scan, exploration and development of an Indigenous engagement strategy, potential governance models including data sovereignty, access and benefit sharing principles, and considerations of intellectual property rights relating to Indigenous knowledge systems in the context of conservation cryobanking.

The research will provide key inputs into the National Wildlife Cryobank’s governance framework, which will consider the following elements:

• Foundational values and principles in establishing ethical relationships and partnerships with First Nations and Indigenous communities.
• Approaches and protocols for engaging First Nations and Indigenous communities in the National Wildlife Cryobank Project.
• Indigenous representation and integration of Indigenous knowledge systems in the cryobank’s governance framework.
• Considerations for data sovereignty of stored samples, including the application of OCAP™ principles and the CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance.
• Guidelines for Access and Benefit Sharing Agreements, in compliance with the Nagoya Protocol and any existing Indigenous-led initiatives or models.

Preference will be given to qualified First Nations, Inuit or Metis candidates or candidates with verifiable direct experience conducting Indigenous-related research and working closely and respectfully with Indigenous communities.

• Oversight of a defined research project, including grant writing, experimental design, data collection, partner communication, student training, and related tasks.
• Oversees grant/donor funding reports and ensures proper use of financial resources to carry out research investigations.
• Liaises with Indigenous communities, governments and organizations, and Wildlife Science teams as required to implement research project objectives.
• Develops and strengthens existing liaisons with Indigenous communities and organizations, academic, governmental and similar organizations as related to the research project.
• Supervises and/or oversees training of students assigned to the same project, including graduate and undergraduate students.
• Communicates results of research project to Indigenous communities,…