Blockchain@UBC is a multidisciplinary research cluster based at The University of British Columbia’s Vancouver and Okanagan Campuses. We focus on blockchain technology as a central component in investigating the broader research question “How can emerging technologies be leveraged to benefit Canadians and the world?”
We engage in both research and education to advance the design, development and adoption of blockchain technologies. Our research initiatives bring academics, industry and community partners, and policy-makers together to explore pressing issues and advance the emergence of blockchain and distributed ledger technologies. Our teaching initiatives span undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels to advance the knowledge and qualifications of students and professionals interested in blockchain and distributed ledger technologies.
We are seeking a postdoctoral research fellow for a one-year appointment to begin in September or October 2024 (the precise start date can be negotiated), renewable for an additional year subject to funding, whose research focuses on the intersection of blockchain technology and supply or value chains. Specific contexts of the research of interest include critical minerals and healthcare, but other contexts are also of interest.
The researcher should have experience with and be primarily a qualitative researcher (e.g., ethnographic methods), but experience with quantitative methods of research (e.g., surveys) would also be an asset. The candidate’s research ideally would focus on making theoretical and/or applied contributions in any of the following areas:
- Different governance models for blockchain networks and their applicability to supply chains
- The dynamics of transparency and trust among supply chain participants and stakeholders, including the role of blockchain in ensuring product authenticity and preventing counterfeiting
- Mechanism design in decentralized supply/value chains
- Economic benefits and costs associated with implementing blockchain technology in supply chains
- Impact on market structures, competition, and pricing strategies
- Ethical concerns related to data privacy, surveillance, and the potential for misuse of blockchain technology
- How blockchain technology might affect employment, labor practices, and worker rights in supply/value chains
- Strategies for successful adoption and integration of blockchain in existing supply/value chain ecosystems
- Factors influencing the acceptance and adoption of blockchain technology by different stakeholders
- How organizational culture impacts the implementation and use of blockchain in supply/value chains
- How blockchain can influence behaviours and decisions within supply/value chain ecosystems
- How blockchain can promote sustainable practices and reduce environmental impact in supply/value chains
- How blockchain technology affects consumer trust and perceptions of supply chain/value transparency
- How companies can use blockchain to enhance consumer engagement and loyalty
Blockchain@UBC encourages research that integrates insights from various disciplines, including business, sociology, law, archival and information science, and environmental science, to provide a holistic understanding of blockchain in supply chains.
In addition to research, postdoctoral fellows are expected to contribute a portion of their time to teaching and service. Fellows who are appointed as sessional lecturers to prepare and teach a 3-credit course during the term (each course comprising usually thirteen classes of three hours each), would, in addition to their base salary of $60,000 plus benefits, receive an additional salary of approximately $8,000 for teaching a full 3-credit course.
The School of Information will consider applicants with a PhD in archival and information science, business, sociology, law, or other related fields.
Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. 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, Métis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
Please send an expression of interest noting your areas of research interest and experience, as well as a current CV to the attention of Dr. Victoria Lemieux at ischool.recruit@ubc.ca. Deadline for submission is August 15, 2024.