Research Assistant – Animal Science

Duties

- Collection, logging, transport and processing of samples (digesta, urine, fecal material, ambient gases).
- Species identification using PCR-based analysis
- Molecular and microbiology duties include but are not limited to, PCR, growth of bacterial cultures, production of glycerol stock for long term storage, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, library preparation for metagenomics analysis
- Data entry and initial analysis; record maintenance.

Intent of the process

Immediate staffing need:1
- 1 temporary full time position for a 2 year duration.
- 1 temporary part time position for a 2 year duration (3 days per week).

A pool of qualified candidates may be established and may be used for similar permanent and temporary employment for the location indicated for this process.

In the event that an employee of the public service is qualified through this process, and there is a temporary need, he/she may be considered for acting or assignment/secondment opportunities.

Positions to be filled: 2

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

Contact information for 2 references.

You must meet all essential qualifications in order to be appointed to the position. Other qualifications may be a deciding factor in choosing the person to be appointed. Some essential and other qualifications will be assessed through your application. It is your responsibility to provide appropriate examples that illustrate how you meet each qualification. Failing to do so could result in your application being rejected.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

Successful completion of Bachelor’s degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in Biological, Microbiology, Biomolecular, Animal Science or a related agricultural program or suitable combination of education, training and experience.

Degree equivalency

Experience handling and manipulating routine animal science research experiments.
Experience operating computer programs and adapting applications to organize and edit data for statistical analyses.
Experience screening, isolating, spectating organisms related to livestock including E. coli, Campylobacter jejuni, and Enterococci.

If you possess any of the following, your application must also clearly explain how you meet it (other qualifications)

Knowledge of sampling, handling and storage procedures for samples from livestock.
Knowledge of laboratory safety procedures including working with Level 2+ pathogens associated with livestock.

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge of theories and principles of animal science and molecular biology.
Knowledge of microbial culturing, plating, cloning samples related to livestock including feces, rumen, compost.

Planning & Organizing
Adaptability
Initiative
Teamwork
Interactive Communication

Ability to operate and maintain a variety of laboratory and field equipment.

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

Experience implementing research activities.

Ability to collect and perform analyses on biological materials including fecal, rumen and compost samples.

Selection may be limited to members of the following Employment Equity groups: Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, women

Information on employment equity

Placement of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) employees affected by workforce adjustment.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

Possession of a valid driver's license.
Ability and willingness to work overtime including evenings and weekends.
Ability and willingness to work flexible hours.
Ability and willingness to handle large animals.
Ability and willingness to work in harsh environments (cold, hot, dust, and noise) with exposure to animal manure and animal body fluids (blood, urine, mucus, infections, semen and vaginal fluids).
Ability and willingness to work in a laboratory and field environments.
Ability and willingness to work under various environmental and weather conditions.
Ability and willingness to work with hazardous chemicals.
Ability and willingness to collect samples in abattoirs and barns.
Ability and willingness to control known allergies through the use of dust masks and/or medication and not impinge on tasks to be performed.

Other information

Applications submitted by email will not be accepted. You must apply on-line through www.jobs.gc.ca.

Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line are asked to contact 1-800-645-5605.

Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.

Communication for this process will be sent via email. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure accurate contact information is provided and updated as required. Candidates who apply to this selection process should include an email address that accepts email from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).

All communication relating to this process, including email correspondence, may be used in the assessment of qualifications.

Appointment decisions may be based on one or more of the following criteria:
- Matching of the individual's experience or qualifications to the strengths and weaknesses of the work team.
- Matching of the individual's experience or qualifications to the specific duties of the position being staffed.
- Depth, breadth, type of work-specific experience.
- Level/degree of one or more competencies/qualifications.

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled, diverse workforce reflective of Canadian society. As a result, it promotes employment equity and encourages candidates to indicate voluntarily on their application if they are a woman, an Aboriginal person, a person with a disability or a member of a visible minority group.

The Public Service of Canada is also committed to developing inclusive, barrier-free selection processes and work environments. If contacted in relation to a job opportunity or testing, you should advise the Public Service Commission or the departmental official in a timely fashion of the accommodation measures which must be taken to enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans and to Canadian citizens, in that order.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.