Research Scientist, Forest Fire

Important messages

Persons residing abroad may also apply .

Duties

Fire plays an important role in most forest ecosystems in Canada. As a natural part of the landscape, fire has helped to maintain a healthy and diverse ecosystem. From a socioeconomic perspective fire can, however, have negative or undesirable effects on public health and safety, property, and natural resources. Working with a multidisciplinary team of scientists, technicians, and analysts as well as with fire managers in different areas of the country, you will carry out research on regional, national and international issues important to the management of fires and the forest in Canada, finding ways to effectively balance positive ecological aspects of fire with negative social and economic impacts.

The successful candidate will develop a forest fire research program in fire danger, fire behaviour and/or fire effects aspects, depending upon their expertise.

Work environment

The Great Lakes Forestry Centre is an internationally-leading forest science research centre specializing in forest disturbances, ecology, and productivity issues. A vibrant group of scientific researchers, policy analysts and administrative staff work to maintain a creative and stimulating work environment. The research centre is located in the Great Lakes region with easy access to field study opportunities in boreal and Great Lakes-St Lawrence forests.

Intent of the process

A pool of (fully or partially qualified) candidates may be established through this process to staff identical or similar positions within Natural Resources Canada with various tenures (determinate period or permanent), various language requirements (English Essential, French Essential, English or French Essential, or Bilingual), linguistic requirements (imperative and/or non-imperative) and profile(s) (BBB/BBB, CBC/CBC, CCC/CCC, etc.), various security requirements (Reliability status or Secret clearance), various conditions of employment and for various locations.

Positions to be filled: 2

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)

Graduation with an acceptable doctoral degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in a field of the natural or physical sciences.

Productivity/Recognition:
Productivity or Recognition refers to achievement in the form of authorship and editorship of published manuscripts, books, papers, or other communications resulting from research, experimental development, or tasking associated with operational equipment and problems.

Degree equivalency

Experience in designing or leading research studies;
Experience in conducting studies directly applicable to forest fire behaviour or effects, in the field, laboratory or by modeling;
Experience writing scientific papers.

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

Experience in developing successful research funding proposals;
Experience in communicating and applying research results to applied end-user tools or products;
Experience supervising professional and/or technical staff;
Experience with spatial data analysis;
Experience modelling the physical characteristics of the forest environment and fire spread within it;
Experience working or collaborating with operational fire management agencies;
Experience with risk assessment;
Experience in scientific programming;
Experience in remote sensing of active fire, smoke, or fire effects.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge of the management of forest fires in Canada;
Knowledge of fire activity and its impact on Canadian forests;
Knowledge of the physical fire environment (e.g., the processes that influence how wildfires initiate, spread, extinguish and as a result impact the forest);
Knowledge of models and methods for the characterization of the wildland fire environment (including the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System) and how such systems and information are used in wildfire decision-making.

Ability to prepare research proposals;
Ability to communicate effectively orally;
Ability to communicate effectively in writing;
Ability to prepare and give presentations.

Leadership;
Vision and strategic thinking;
Effective interpersonal relationships;
Adaptability/Flexibility.

Conditions of employment:
Reliability Status (Security Clearance);
National and International travel is required;
Field work is required;
Valid driver’s license.

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

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.

Other information

A covering letter in 2,000 words (maximum) "VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants must clearly demonstrate IN THEIR COVER LETTER how they meet the education and experience factors listed in the ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS. Applicants must use the education/experience factors as a header and then write one or two paragraphs for each demonstrating how they meet each of them with concrete examples. 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 the experience described in the cover letter. FAILURE TO CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE IN YOUR COVER LETTER HOW YOU MEET THE ESSENTIAL SCREENING CRITERIA (Education and Experience) WILL RESULT IN THE REJECTION OF YOUR APPLICATION. APPLICANTS WILL NOT BE SOLICITED FOR INCOMPLETE OR POSSIBLE MISSING INFORMATION.

The client organization will accept applications on-line only. All job applications must therefore be submitted through the Public Service Resourcing System. To submit an application on-line, please select the button “Apply Online” below.

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

For this selection process, it is our intention to communicate with candidates via email for assessment purposes. This will include invitations to written tests and interviews. To that end, candidates must include a valid email 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 email systems block these types of email). It is also the candidate’s responsibility to ensure accurate information is provided and updated as required.

Candidates must meet the essential qualifications to be appointed to a position.

Candidates may be required to meet the asset qualifications or the organizational needs, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed.

Natural Resources Canada is committed to establishing and maintaining a representative workforce. This organizational need may be identified as part of the appointment decision. In such cases, qualified candidates who self-declare as members of a visible minority group, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities or women (in non-traditional occupations) could be considered in priority.

An interview will be sought.

A written test may be administered.

A situational exercise may be administered.

Reference checks will be sought.

Random selection and/or top-down selection may be used at any time during the process to identify which applicants will be further assessed.

Candidates should be prepared to provide proof of education (copy of degree/diploma) and citizenship or permanent resident status. If you have obtained education outside Canada, you will be required to submit proof of evaluation of Canadian equivalency.

Candidates from outside the public service may be required to pay for travel and relocation costs associated with this selection process.

If you are selected for further consideration, please advise the person who will contact you of any accommodations you may require during the selection process.

Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.

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

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.