Veterinary Epidemiologist

Important messages

Candidates must clearly demonstrate in THEIR SCREENING QUESTION RESPONSES and resume, how they meet the essential qualifications related to the required education and experience. Please note that you must provide concrete examples which illustrate how you meet each education and experience qualification, including the date range (in MONTHS and YEARS) that demonstrate where and when these qualifications were acquired. Candidates will not be solicited for incomplete or possible missing information. Failure to provide the above information may result in your application being rejected from the process.

Proof of Canadian citizenship and educational credentials must be available upon request.

Work environment

The Canadian Field Epidemiology Program (CFEP) is now recruiting! If you are a skilled and experienced professional looking for a chance to be embedded at the front lines of public health - this opportunity is for you. When disease outbreaks or other threats emerge, CFEP Field Epidemiologists are on the scene to support the public health response across Canada.

In addition to providing training to field epidemiologists, CFEP provides an indispensable service to Canadians by building a dynamic and well-trained public health workforce that efficiently and effectively identifies and responds to routine and emergent public health issues across Canada. While learning to apply epidemiology to solve public health problems through this 2-year, on-the-job training and service program, CFEP field epidemiologists develop the skills required to be the disease detectives that are ready to respond to infectious and noninfectious disease outbreaks, strengthen surveillance and help public health organizations enhance their own disease prevention and health promotion programs.

Come join the CFEP!

Intent of the process

Although the immediate intent of this poster is to fill the position(s) for a specified period, applicants should be aware that a pool of partially qualified candidates will be established and this selection process may be used to staff similar positions at this group and level with various language requirements and security requirements, conditions of employment, various locations as well as various tenures (acting, assignment/secondment, deployment, term and/or indeterminate). As a result of the potential and possible use of the selection process and subsequent pool by hiring managers, we encourage all employees seeking this type of position/workstream and/or group and level to apply.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

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:
Degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with an acceptable specialisation in Epidemiology or Public Health*. The specialization may be obtained through an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.

AND

Graduation from a recognized school of Veterinary Medicine, defined as: graduation from a veterinary school accredited or approved by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA); or graduation from another veterinary school and holding a Certificate of Qualification granted by the National Examining Board of the CVMA.


NOTES REGARDING EDUCATION:
* For the acceptable specialisation, candidates must have successfully completed two semesters of graduate-level epidemiological methods and one semester of graduate level biostatistics.

Occupational Certification:
Eligibility for membership in a Canadian veterinary medical association, defined as:
• current members of a Canadian veterinary medical association with a license recognized by the provincial/territorial licensing body; or
• non-member of Canadian veterinary medical associations and holding a Certificate of Qualification granted by the AVMA Council on Education.

This means possession of or eligibility for an unconditional general license that constitutes acceptable evidence of occupational competence and that is granted by an organization legally established by federal, provincial or territorial law as a certifying or licensing body.

Eligibility means that you have met all academic and occupational requirements with respect to degrees, examinations etc., without having to have obtained or maintained actual registration, certification or membership.

Eligibility for an unconditional general license as a Veterinarian also includes the mandatory requirement of successful completion of licensing examination of the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (NAVLE).

A copy of your degree, as well as proof of successful completion of the NAVLE examinations, is required. In circumstances where you do not have proof of completion of the NAVLE examinations, PHAC will require certification from the appropriate provincial licensing body that you are eligible for licensing by the association.

If you were formerly appointed to the VM Group, then retired or resigned, and were rehired, and have previously been deemed to meet the occupational certification requirement, you are still deemed to meet this minimum requirement when rehired (grandparent-protected).

Experience:

Minimum of 24 cumulative months* of recent public health or epidemiology experience**


Notes regarding Experience:
* 24 cumulative months is defined as having the depth and breadth of experience normally associated with full time performance of the duties over the cumulative time period identified.

** Recent public health or epidemiology experience is defined as experience in the past 5 years and may include public health program development, implementation, evaluation or promotion, and/or the collection, analysis or interpretation of primary or secondary health data. The experience can be obtained through graduate program public health or veterinary public health rotations and/or employment in an academic program, a clinical setting or a public health organization or agency at the local, provincial, territorial or federal level of government. Experience with non-governmental organizations will only be considered where the mandate of the organization includes the implementation, evaluation or promotion of public health programs or the collection or analysis of health surveillance data for public health purposes. Experience gained through a graduate degree program practica or volunteer work is not acceptable.

Degree equivalency

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

Various language requirements
Bilingual Imperative CCC/CCC
Bilingual Imperative BBB/BBB
English Essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge:
Knowledge of the Canadian public health system including key local, provincial/territorial, and national partners and their roles and responsibilities
Knowledge of public health concepts, including, but not limited to: inequities in health, the determinants of health, health promotion and disease prevention, and surveillance
Knowledge of analytic study design and implementation
Knowledge of surveillance and its application in public health

Ability:
Ability to apply basic principles and methods of epidemiology
Ability to analyse synthesize, and interpret public health information
Ability to clean, manipulate, analyse and summarize health data using statistical software
Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
Ability to work under pressure
Ability to communicate effectively orally
Ability to communicate effectively in writing

Personal Suitability:
Effective interpersonal skills
Initiative
Judgement

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

Organizational Needs
The Public Health Agency of Canada is committed to Employment Equity. In order to ensure a diversified workforce, preference may be given to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one or more of the following Employment Equity groups: aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minority groups provided the candidate meets all essential qualifications listed on the job opportunity notice and any applicable asset qualification(s).

Degree equivalency

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance - Reliability security status
Willingness and ability to relocate to another geographic location within Canada for the duration of the program
Willingness and ability to travel within Canada on short notice
Willingness and ability to be mobilised domestically (government travel) to provide epidemiological assistance during public health events, as well as to travel on short notice for long periods of time

Other information

A written examination may be administered.

An interview may be administered.

Reference checks may be sought.

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.

Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent.

For existing public service employees, include your substantive group and level, your Personal Record Identifier (PRI) and your employment status on your resume and/or application form.

An assignment/secondment or an acting appointment is a temporary resourcing option. The approval of your substantive supervisor may/will be required before an offer can be made.

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.

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.