Laboratory Technician (Amendment to the Closing Date)

Update: Amendment to the Closing Date

Important messages

ONLY APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED ON-LINE USING THE 'APPLY ON-LINE' BUTTON ABOVE WILL BE CONSIDERED.

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

Candidates will be asked, as per the application process, to answer screening questions for each essential and asset criteria (education and experience). Candidates will have to provide specific examples, for each screening question demonstrating how they have acquired the education and experience criteria. Please note that it is not sufficient to only state that the qualification is met or to provide a listing of current or past responsibilities. Resumes will be used as a secondary source to validate your answers to the screening questions. Failure to clearly demonstrate in your answers how you meet the screening criteria (education and experience) may result in the rejection of your application.

Note: A cover letter will not be required as the screening questions will be used for screening purposes.

Duties

The Harvest Sample Program is an annual analysis of producer commodities grown throughout Canada. The work will be focused on specific quality parameters important to both Wheat producers, industry, and product manufacturers (ie: bakers).

-Performing ELISA based assays using pipettes and microplate readers which will require preparing and setting-up equipment in laboratory settings.
-Performing FN tests using specialized equipment and maintaining said equipment in a clean and working order.
-Collecting/compiling, preparing, verifying, data from experiments using prescribed standards and procedures.
-Accurately entering data into spreadsheets.
-Observing health and safety guidelines, processes and procedures in work activities and the work site.

Intent of the process

This process will be used to staff a maximum of six (6) term positions for a maximum period of 6 months to work on a Harvest Sample Project involving wet chemistry. Successful candidates will be working in the Wheat Enzymes, Asian Products and Analytical Services unit of the Grain Research Laboratory.

A pool of qualified candidates will be established and may be used for similar specified period employment, acting appointments, assignments, secondments or deployments.

Positions to be filled: 6

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

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)

Education:
Graduation with a degree or diploma from a recognized post-secondary institution with specialization in chemistry OR biochemistry OR food science OR related sciences.

Experience:
-Recent* experience with analytical and instrumental techniques for quantification of grain/plant/food constituents
-Recent* experience in the use of micropipettes
-Recent* experience in the operation and maintenance of laboratory equipment for evaluating the composition and physical characteristics of cereal grains and/or grain products
-Recent* experience with gathering, summarizing and interpreting analytical results using appropriate computer programs

*Recent experience is defined as the depth and breadth of experience normally associated with having worked contiguously in a laboratory during the past two years.
*Recent is defined as experience obtained within the last two years; extensive: for at least one year.

Degree equivalency

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

Candidates may also be required to meet one OR more of the following experience factors, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed (essential or asset criteria):

Experience
-Experience in operating modern laboratory instruments
-Experience in evaluating the quality of cereal grains, oilseeds, and pulses
-Experience in applying statistical methods for evaluating analytical results
-Experience with Perten 3100 grinder
-Experience utilizing methods to extract and quantitate mycotoxins in grains, feedstuffs and foods
-Experience with ELISA based assays/techniques
-Experience in performing Falling Number analysis
-Experience with microplate readers

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge:
-Basic knowledge of the theories and principles of chemistry OR biochemistry.
-Knowledge of the principles of analytical techniques including the operation of basic laboratory equipment.
-Knowledge of the methods required to record, analyze, and interpret data using appropriate computer software
-Knowledge of basic chemical composition of grains and/or oilseeds
-Knowledge of laboratory safety practices.
-Knowledge of elementary statistics

Abilities and Skills:
-Ability to perform standard laboratory procedures related to the analysis of grain and feedstuffs.
-Ability to calibrate, maintain and troubleshoot analytical instruments and laboratory equipment.
-Ability to schedule and coordinate analytical testing; share resources

Competencies:
-Effective Interactive Communication
-Adaptability
-Being a Team Player
-Analytical thinking
-Initiative

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

Work overtime as required.
Work with and be exposed to hazardous chemicals and equipment.
Wear appropriate protective clothing and/or equipment.
Maintain standing and/or sitting positions for extended periods of time.
Work in an environment where there is continual exposure to grain and flour dust (known allergies must be controlled through the use of personal protective equipment and/or medication, and must not impinge upon the work to be performed).
Move and/or lift items (up to 20 kg.).
Adhere to laboratory safety standards and procedures.
Work in cold rooms for limited periods in order to retrieve samples.

Note: Candidates must meet all of the Conditions of Employment at the time of appointment and must continue to meet these during the period of appointment.

Other information

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). Candidates are strongly encouraged to check their email on a regular basis.

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.

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.

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

Candidates from outside the federal public service may be required to pay for their own travel.

Receipt of applications will not be sent; only candidates successful in the screening process will be contacted. Depending on the requirements of the position being staffed from this process, for current or future vacancies, any or all of the asset qualifications, operational requirements, and organizational needs may be applied at the time of screening.

In order to manage the number of applications in the selection process, management may use top- down consideration of scores at various steps in the process, to determine the number of candidates who will be further considered in the process.

Candidates invited to an interview will be required to bring proof of their education credentials, in the form of a diploma or official transcript (original documents only).

As the screening board cannot make assumptions about your experience, it is important that you clearly demonstrate to what degree you meet the above experience elements giving detailed examples of each element. Candidates will not be solicited for incomplete or (possibly) missing information. Failure to do so may result in your application being rejected.

In support of achieving a diversified workforce, consideration may be given to candidates self- identifying as belonging to one of the following employment equity groups: aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, visible minorities and women.

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.