Senior Environmental Officer

Duties

• Provides professional expertise and advice to various stakeholders (e.g. boards of public and First Nations governments, Aboriginal organizations and government agencies) on environmental issues and initiatives
• Provides mentoring, guidance and education to increase capacity within First Nations communities to participate in the remediation of contaminated sites.
• Develops and maintains an in depth knowledge of all programs and projects concerning the clean up of various contaminated sites in the Yukon.
• Assesses and evaluates environmental and health impact of proposed projects according to set Federal and Territorial Guidelines. Reviews and provides feedback on consultant and lab provided reports and assessments.
• Monitors work in progress, provides technical advice including developing mitigation measures, audits for regulatory and administrative compliance. Some projects require leading and/or coordinating the hiring and oversight of contract consultants. Some require leading and/or coordinating First Nations to deliver projects either directly, through First Nations owned organizations or through First Nations procured contracts.

***The work description for this position is currently under review***

Work environment

Successful candidate will be working with the Contaminated Sites section of the Environment Directorate. They will join the team of staff with engineering and science backgrounds working toward the remediation of contaminated sites in the Yukon in conjunction with Yukon Government and Yukon First Nations.

Intent of the process

The immediate need is indeterminate in Whitehorse, Yukon. A pool of qualified candidates may be established through this process to staff identical or similar positions with various employment types and tenures (indeterminate, specified period or acting appointment, deployment, assignment, secondment) in various locations across the North.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter in 3,000 words (maximum) "The candidate’s COVER LETTER will be the primary screening tool. Candidates must clearly demonstrate in their cover letter how they meet each education and essential qualification outlined in the Statement of Merit. Preference may be given a candidate who possess one or more of the asset qualifications, so be sure to include how you meet any of these qualifications in your cover letter. Resumes will be used as a secondary source to validate the education and experience described in the cover letter. Cover letters must include subheadings for each qualification and a short paragraph outlining how, when and where the candidate obtained the experience. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION IN THE REQUESTED FORMAT MAY RESULT IN THE CANDIDATE’S APPLICATION BEING REJECTED."

Contact information for 3 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)

Education:
• Graduation with an acceptable degree from a recognized university with specialization in environmental studies/management or physical biological sciences, or another field relevant to the position.

Degree equivalency

Experience:
• Significant experience** in site / field investigations, remediation and management of contaminated sites and/or mine closure and reclamation.
• Recent experience* in collaborating and communicating with officials from the federal government, provincial or territorial government, indigenous groups, municipalities, or industry on environmental issues.
• Recent experience* providing scientific or technical advice on environmental programs or projects.
• Recent experience* in developing/reviewing specifications, terms of reference or scopes of work for working with contractors/consultants on technically and/or logistically complex undertakings.

* Recent experience is defined as the depth and breadth of experience normally associated with performance of the duties for a minimum of at least two (2) years during the last five (5) years.
** Significant experience is defined as the depth and breadth of experience normally associated with performance of the duties for a minimum of at least three (3) years during the last seven (7) years.

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

Asset Qualifications:

• Master degree or a higher degree from a recognized post-secondary institution, with acceptable specialization in physics, geology, chemistry or some other science relevant to the position.

Degree equivalency

• Experience in the project management of technically and/or logistically complex undertakings.
• Experience in the application of health and safety practices and procedures associated with the management of contaminated sites.
• Experience working, consulting and/or engaging with Indigenous clients/organizations.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge:
• Knowledge of contaminants fate and transport concepts and mechanisms.
• Knowledge of contaminated site procedures and practices, including scientific principles and techniques utilized in the management of contaminated sites.
• Knowledge of environmental laws, regulations and guidelines and their applicability to Yukon contaminated sites management.

Abilities:
• Ability to analyze scientific data and reports and make recommendations, identify needs/opportunities and develop work plans/strategies.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and projects.
• Ability to coordinate, plan, communicate and conduct work activities in a multi-stakeholder environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Personal Suitability:
• Reliability
• Effective interpersonal relationships
• Initiative
• Judgment
• Cultural sensitivity

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

Asset Qualifications:
'• Knowledge of the environmental assessment regime in the Yukon and its applicability to contaminated sites management.
• Knowledge of the mandate of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada and its implementation in the Yukon context.

Operational Requirements:
• Willingness and ability to travel (road and air) at times in adverse road and weather conditions.
• Willingness and ability to work overtime.
• Travel outside of Yukon may be required.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

Valid driver’s license.

Other information

Applicants who are entitled to a priority for appointment are encouraged to indicate this, along with their priority type, in their covering letter, résumé and/or application form.

On-line applications are strongly encouraged in order to take advantage of the many benefits of using the electronic recruitment system. Some of the benefits for applicants are as follows:
• modify your application at any time BEFORE the closing date;
• when applicable, answer screening questions highlighting the expected qualifications to the hiring manager;
• verify the status of your application and notifications, at any time; and
• obtain information through electronic notification of your assessment details and results.
Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line are asked to contact 1-800-645-5605.
If you are unable to apply online, please contact the email address indicated in the "Contact information" section below PRIOR to the Closing Date. Please provide an explanation as to why you are not applying on-line for consideration. (Note: You must state the Selection Process number in the Subject of enquiry)

For this selection process, it is our intention to communicate with candidates VIA E-MAIL and/or jobs.gc.ca site for screening and assessment purposes; this will include communication of screening results and invitations to written tests and interviews. To that end, candidates must include a valid e-mail address in their application. IT IS THE CANDIDATE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THIS ADDRESS IS FUNCTIONAL AND THAT IT ACCEPTS MESSAGES FROM UNKNOWN USERS (some e-mail systems block these types of e-mail). IT IS ALSO THE CANDIDATE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE ACCURATE CONTACT INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AND UPDATED AS REQUIRED.

Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice.

You must indicate on your application if you require a technical aid for testing or an alternative method of assessment.

FAILURE TO CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE HOW YOU MEET THE ESSENTIAL CRITERIA (Education and Experience) WILL RESULT IN THE REJECTION OF YOUR APPLICATION. APPLICANTS WILL NOT BE SOLICITED FOR INCOMPLETE OR POSSIBLE MISSING INFORMATION.

Achieving a representative workforce has been identified as an organizational need in the merit criteria, and may be applied in this appointment process.

Top-down consideration of scores at various points in the process may be used to determine the number of qualified candidates who will be considered further in the process.

Written tests will be administered, oral interviews conducted, and references contacted.

Candidates will be asked to provide proof of their education credentials and proof of citizenship at the assessment stage of this process. Proof of education must be submitted at the interview.Failure to do so may result in you not being considered further in the selection process.

All communication relating to this process, including email correspondence and telephone conversations, may be used in the assessment of qualifications. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure accurate contact information is provided and updated as required.

Candidates must meet each essential qualification to be appointed to a position, however, a person may be appointed to a position even though he/she does not meet any or all of the asset qualifications, operational requirements or organizational needs. Meeting these criteria is nonetheless desirable and may be a deciding factor for the staffing of some positions.

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.