Calling all Technicians (Laboratory Technicians, and Laboratory Liaison Technical Officers)

Important messages

When you apply to this selection process, you are not applying for a specific job, but to an inventory for future vacancies. As positions become available, applicants who meet the qualifications may be contacted for further assessment.

How can you apply?

We want to attract top talent. Therefore we are focusing on your competencies not your knowledge. We are also taking a simplified approach for you to apply to this process. To apply for this process, you:

• don’t need to provide a cover letter (just a résumé);

• answer screening questions online.

You will be required to complete an online experience questionnaire when you apply. The information you provide in the questionnaire must be true. When answering the screening questions you must provide concrete and detailed examples to clearly demonstrate how you meet the qualification. We can’t make any assumptions about your experience. Simply saying you have the required qualifications or listing your current duties is not enough. Instead, provide concrete and detailed examples that clearly explain where, when, and how you gained the experience. We’ll only use your résumé as a secondary source of information. If you don’t clearly demonstrate you have the required experience, we won’t ask for additional information and you may be screened out. The breadth and depth of experience may be considered during screening, assessment and/or selection of candidates.

This is an inventory of potential candidates to fill upcoming employment opportunities at the EG-04 level within the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory at various sites across Canada based on anticipated needs. Management can decide to pull applications at any point so please ensure you submit your application as soon as possible.

The first pull of candidate applications could happen as early as 2017-10-02.

The inventory will be updated every 120 days. You will receive a notice in your applicant account 10 days before the end of your active period to determine whether or not you wish to keep being considered for an additional 120 days.

All job applications must be submitted ONLY ONLINE through the Public Service Resourcing System. Persons with disabilities who cannot apply online are asked to contact 1¬-800-¬645-¬5605.

Work environment

The Public Health Agency of Canada's National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) provides scientific expertise and laboratory capacity for infectious disease monitoring, detection, investigation and outbreak response to support national and international public health action. NML strives to be the employer of choice for Canadian and international scientific and non-scientific staff. Our employees contribute leadership, ingenuity, expertise and innovation to safeguard the health of Canadians and the global community.

Intent of the process

A complement of seven (7) permanent Laboratory Technicians will be staffed initially in Winnipeg, MB to provide flexible, adaptable surge capacity in support of national outbreak response activities, and to bolster overall NML operational capacity for laboratory reference service, surveillance and research priorities during inter-outbreak periods.

This inventory will also be used for future staffing of Laboratory Liaison Technical Officer (LLTO) positions of various tenures at multiple locations, initially expected to include the staffing of 2 specified term positions in Winnipeg, MB and Edmonton, AB. LLTO positions provide inter-jurisdictional, site-based liaison and technical support to strengthen laboratory capacity for national reference testing, surveillance, outbreak preparedness and response activities at provincial sites across Canada.

The intent of this advertisement is to create and maintain an inventory of Laboratory Technicians to fill vacant EG-04 positions within the National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada. This inventory may be used to staff positions at this group and level with various linguistic profiles, conditions of employment, geographic locations, security requirements and various tenures (indeterminate, specified term, acting, deployment, assignment, term, secondment) within the Public Health Agency of Canada. Therefore, all employees seeking this type of position and/or group and level are encouraged to apply, including those already at EG-04 level.

Depending on the needs, candidates may be randomly selected from the inventory for assessment purposes.

All federal organizations listed in Schedules I, IV and V of the Financial Administration Act (FAA) may use this selection process to appoint a candidate to its organization in a similar position.

We may appoint candidates by applying one or more of the following criteria:
• Depth, breadth, type of work-specific experience;
• Matching of the individual's experience or qualifications to the strengths and weaknesses of the work team.
• Matching individual experience assets or qualifications to the need of the organization;
• Level/degree of one or more competencies/qualifications.

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)

Essential Education:
Successful completion of an undergraduate degree or diploma program from a recognized post-secondary institution, with a specialization in Biochemistry, Immunology, Microbiology, Virology, Parasitology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Biology, or another field relevant to the position being staffed.

AND/OR

Current active registration with the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science (CSMLS) as a general Medical Laboratory Technologist (MLT) and current active provincial MLT registration in the province in which the position is located, or pending registration while awaiting the Medical Laboratory Sciences National Exam results. Documentation of equivalent standing within the relevant jurisdiction will be considered.

OR

An acceptable combination of education, training, and experience with a specialization in biological science.

* Note: Proof of education may be requested if you are considered for a position.

Candidates with foreign credentials must provide proof of Canadian equivalency. Consult the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials for further information at http://www.cicic.ca/

Degree equivalency

Essential Experience:
Experience in basic microbiological techniques.
Experience in basic molecular biology techniques.
Experience working within a scientific laboratory setting.

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

Various language requirements

Information on language requirements

Demonstrating Integrity and Respect
Thinking things through
Working effectively with others
Showing initiative and being action-oriented
*Communication (Oral and Written)

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

Asset Education:
Graduation with a Master of Science or other relevant graduate level degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with an acceptable specialization.

Degree equivalency

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:
1. Experience in immunology, bacteriology, serology, molecular biology, virology, parasitology or bioinformatics analysis
2. Experience in cell / tissue culture techniques.
3. Experience performing routine diagnostic testing assays (e.g. serological or molecular methods).
4. Experience in the operation, maintenance and application of specialized instrumentation
5. Experience in isolation and propagation of infectious agents.
6. Experience in cloning.
7. Experience working in a CL3 containment environment.
8. Experience in field-collection and working with arthropods and rodents.
9. Experience with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS).
10. Experience using Galaxy Project (https://galaxyproject.org/) and other open-source bioinformatics software.
11. Experience working within the context of a quality management system (e.g. ISO, CAP).
12. Experience in the collation, review and analysis of data and results generated from lab testing.
13. Experience in analyzing whole genome sequence data.
14. Experience working in the host province (for LLTO positions
only).

1. Knowledge of laboratory safety regulations and procedures.
2. Knowledge of microbiology (virology, bacteriology, mycology, parasitology) and cell biology.
3. Knowledge of general molecular biology techniques.
4. Knowledge of molecular technologies including Sanger sequencing and Next Generation Sequencing (e.g. Miseq, Illumina platform) and basic bioinformatics analysis tools.

1. Data Collection and Analysis
2. Knowledge Transfer and Exchange
3. Emergency Preparedness Response
4. Information Processing
5. Surveillance
6. Biomedical Investigation and Intervention

If you don’t meet the criteria above, we still encourage you to apply – some positions will not require them. However, if you do meet the criteria, please provide concrete and detailed examples on the online questionnaire.

ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS:

Selection for appointment may take into consideration employees who have been or will be impacted by organizational restructuring. Appointments may be made based on the department's commitment to employment continuity of indeterminate employees and no involuntary job loss.
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).

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Willingness and ability to travel as required (depending on the position)
Willingness and ability to work overtime and/or weekends as required (depending on the position)
Willingness and ability to assist, mobilize, or deploy to fulfill operational requirements including outbreak and emergency laboratory responses (depending on the position)
Willingness and ability to relocate to a position in another location or province (for LLTO positions only)

Conditions of employment

Secret or Reliability security clearance (depending on the position)
Medical Clearance

Other information

You may be assessed using a variety of tools (e.g., online tests, written examinations, interviews, simulations, presentations, reference checks, etc.).

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

Depending on the number of applicants, needs and/or plans, volume management strategies such as, but not limited to, top-down approach, cut-off scores, asset selection, random selection and/or assessment may be used for the purpose of managing applications/candidates and/or determining which candidates will continue in the staffing process. Should a volume management strategy be used, communication regarding the application of the strategy will be provided to those candidates who are impacted.

If you are a current federal government employee, please identify clearly your substantive group and level and your employment status on your resume and/or application form. Also, please ensure your Personal Record Identifier (PRI) is included in your application.

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.

Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent.

All information obtained throughout the selection process, from the time of application to close of process, may be used to evaluate the candidates.

Candidates will be contacted by email and it is imperative that you provide a current email address that accepts e-mail from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email). Candidates are strongly encouraged to check their email on a regular basis. It is your entire responsibility to inform us at all times of any changes regarding your contact information.

Based on the hiring division’s needs, additional essential qualifications, asset qualifications, organizational needs, operational requirements and/or conditions of employment may be identified and applied during the assessment and/or selection of candidates.

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

Other sources of information (such as performance agreements, work samples, board member knowledge, etc.) may be used to assess the criteria identified on the Statement of Merit Criteria.

Proof of citizenship will be requested if you are considered for a position.

Proof of education may be requested if you are considered for a position. Candidates with foreign credentials must provide proof of Canadian equivalency. Consult the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials for further information at http://www.cicic.ca/

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.