Admin & HR | Researcher - Indigenous Negotiations - FT

Position Title: Researcher

Team: Indigenous Negotiations (ING)

Reports to: Research Manager and Program Manager

Job Location: Victoria office, with option for hybrid working from home

Travel: Up to 10 days of travel per month may be required

Start Date: November 3, 2025

 

ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS

Firelight is an Indigenous-owned consultancy that provides research and technical support to Indigenous Nations and organizations across Turtle Island. We specialize in six core areas: Livelihoods (Indigenous Knowledge Research, Socio-Economics), Indigenous-led Assessment, Indigenous Negotiations, Mapping & GIS, Stewardship (Ecology, Planning, Implementation), and Health.

 

Majority-owned by First Nations individuals from Ebb & Flow First Nation (MB), Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in (YK), and Garden River First Nation (ON), our work is grounded in community values and guided by the principles of relationships, accountability, quality, and responsibility.

 

Since 2010, Firelight has supported over 250 clients and delivered more than 1,000 projects focused on Indigenous rights, knowledge, and self-determination. Our growing team of 100+ professionals works remotely across Canada, with offices in West Vancouver, Vancouver, Victoria, and Edmonton.

 

JOB OVERVIEW

Reporting to a Research Manager and Project Managers and based in the Victoria office, the Negotiations Researcher supports Research Managers and Research Analysts. With growing knowledge in the negotiation, evaluation, and implementation of agreements, the Negotiations Researcher works with the Indigenous Negotiations team to support the design, strategy, and execution of Indigenous Negotiations projects. The Negotiations Researcher contributes to strong, accountable client relationships.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES + DUTIES

Technical Advising

• Under the supervision of Research Managers and Research Analysts, support the understanding, negotiation, evaluation, and/or implementation of agreements between Indigenous groups and proponents or other levels of government.
• Support the application of best practices in Indigenous research methods, engagement, negotiation, and implementation, staying current in new and emerging trends in these fields.
• Support the development of reports, slide summaries, summaries, and briefings for multiple clients and external stakeholders.
• Work within multiple Indigenous governance systems, supporting governance processes through planning, accurate and timely reporting, and tracking accountabilities related to client meetings, negotiation meetings, and community engagement.

 

Project Management

• Contribute to successful proposal development, informing project scope, methodology, and/or cost estimates
• Contribute to client engagements, understanding and operating within the contractual terms, and delivering high-quality and accurate work on budget and within scope with minimum oversight
• Manage information, data, and documents following established procedures, including note-taking, tracking actions and tasks, filing, and internal communications.

 

Community Engagement

• Work with and coordinate the activities of community partners and others, including Firelight team members and external consultants, to develop, design, and implement projects
• Nurture and cultivate partner and client relationships through service excellence, knowledge transfer, and skills development
• As needed, travel to work in community to implement projects

 

QUALIFICATIONS + EXPERIENCE

• 1-3 years of recent, relevant experience working with Indigenous nations and communities is an asset
• Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree preferred, or equivalent experience, which may include community-based knowledge and lived experience.
• Fluency in spoken and written English
• Valid driver’s licence

 

WHY JOIN US?

Firelight offers compensation that is commensurate with skills and experiences. We provide a progressive and flexible work environment, along with the following benefits:

• Four-day work week (32 hours/week) with options for remote or hybrid work - Offices located in Vancouver, Victoria and Edmonton.
• Comprehensive Health, Dental and Vision Benefits
• Long Term Disability (LTD) and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
• Health Spending Account (HSA) and Wellness Spending Account (WSA)
• Parental Leave Top-up payments
• Child & Elder Care Benefit
• Paid time off and holidays
• Indigenous Cultural Leave - Time off for cultural practices
• Anniversary vacation and Winter Break

 

Please respond to our online ad with the following: (1) resume and (2) cover letter. All files should be in PDF format named using your last name as the file name.

 

The application deadline is October 6, 2025. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals will a full package (resume, cover letter) will be considered.

 

At Firelight, we are committed to developing a diverse and inclusive team and we welcome all cultures, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities. We recognize and celebrate the diversity of all peoples and actively promote development of inter-cultural competence within our team.

 

As an Indigenous-owned organization, we are particularly committed to supporting the employment of Indigenous individuals because we recognize the unique challenges and barriers faced by Indigenous people and because we feel it is necessary to reflect Indigenous perspectives and values in the work that we do. We encourage all Indigenous applicants to self-identify in their cover letter so that we consider their application accordingly, as Firelight may give preference to these applicants.

 

If any candidate requires accommodation or support to participate in the application process, please contact our HR Department via email at [email protected].

 

Working at the Firelight Group means being passionate about what we do. Be part of our amazing team, with a very exciting future.