Research Assistant – Environmental Chemistry

Duties

We require a person to work in a Toxicology laboratory on projects related to antimicrobials and hormones in environmental matrices surrounding livestock operations and assessing toxic effects of antimicrobials and hormones on in-vitro assays. Our focus is mainly on antimicrobials, hormones, and their metabolites.

Work would involve:

• Sample collection including manure, feces, manure-amended soils, compost, and waste water from livestock production environment.
• Receiving samples and maintenance of sample inventory.
• Antimicrobial and hormone extraction using accelerated solvent extractor and sonication.
• Analysis of sample extracts using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.
• Data analysis using Xcalibur software.
• Conducting H295R assay using in-vitro cell-lines.
• Visual representation of data.

Work environment

As one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, AAFC is proud to celebrate our achievement in creating a diverse, respectful, and positive workplace where all employees are valued and recognized for their unique qualities, ideas, voices and perspectives.

Intent of the process

Immediate staffing need:
- 1 full time temporary position for an 18 month duration.

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: 1

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)

Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in one of the following fields: Toxicology, Analytical Chemistry, Microbiology, Biology, Biochemistry, Agriculture or a related field.

Degree equivalency

Experience working in a toxicology, analytical chemistry or environmental chemistry laboratory.
Experience extracting organic compounds from complex environmental matrices.
Experience operating and maintaining laboratory instrumentation.
Experience conducting toxicological bioassays.

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

Experience extracting antimicrobials, steroidal hormones, brominated compounds, or other compounds for non-targeted screening from various complex environmental matrices.
Experience analyzing compounds (antimicrobials, hormones, brominated compounds) using latest technologies.
Experience operating and maintaining an analytical laboratory and analytical instruments.
Experience conducting in-vitro toxicological bioassay, fish embryo hatching and exposure studies.
Experience conducting laboratory research in a toxicology laboratory, an analytical laboratory or an environmental chemistry laboratory.
Experience with MS Office and analytical software such as Chromeleon, Xcalibur, MassLynx.
Experience creating graphs, tables and figures from data.
Experience generating draft copies of research posters.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge of laboratory methodologies, tools, theories, practices and principles.
Knowledge of laboratory methods for extraction and analyses of organic compounds.
Knowledge of laboratory methods for analyses of basic soil properties.

Adaptability
Concern for Safety
Interactive Communication
Planning and Organizing
Problem Solving
Teamwork

Ability to use scientific instruments and tools and to apply scientific techniques and methodologies in a research environment.
Ability to make observations, collect and record data accurately and interpret and analyze results.

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

Ability to implement standard operating protocols (SOPs) following good laboratory practices.

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

Valid driver’s license
Ability and willingness to work with toxic chemicals and meet the requisite biosafety and biosecurity standards.
Ability and willingness to work overtime including evenings and weekends.
Ability and willingness to work flexible hours.
Ability and willingness to control allergies, through the use of personal protective equipment and/or medication and this must not impinge upon the duties 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.