Laboratory Biologist / Bioinformatics Biologist

Important messages

You will be required to complete an online experience questionnaire when you apply. The information you provide in the questionnaire must be true. You must respond to all statements in all categories in order to proceed to the next steps.

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. The breadth and depth of experience may be considered during screening, assessment and/or selection of candidates.

Duties

Position A
This position will be responsible for developing monoclonal antibodies and conducting experiments for in vivo/in vitro characterization of Abs; evaluating the protective efficacy in animal models including mouse, guinea pigs and NHPs in CL4.

Position B
The candidate will be responsible for developing and refining protocols for preparation of samples for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) using the MinION and Illumina sequencing platforms from a variety of virus stocks, environmental and clinical specimens. The candidate will be required to work in Containment Level 3 and 4 laboratories and to be familiar with mammalian cell culture, virus culture and quantification by molecular and cell culture based assays. The position may include travel to Africa for research or outbreak response where NGS methodologies will be implemented for isolate characterization and epidemiological monitoring.

Position C
The candidate will be responsible for analysis of complex datasets, specifically those generated by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) using a variety of established bioinformatics software programs and optimization of NGS protocols for analysis of experimentally derived samples and clinical specimens. The candidate will need to be familiar different programming languages (such as R, Python and C#), different operating systems (such as Linux and Unix) and development of primers for targeted sequencing of viral pathogens. The candidate will also be required to work in Containment Level 3 and 4 Laboratories for the production and handling of specimens containing high risk viral pathogens and may have the opportunity to travel to Africa for research or outbreak response where NGS methodologies will be implemented for isolate characterization and epidemiological monitoring.

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

We may appoint candidates by applying one or more of the following criteria:
• Breadth, depth, type of specific asset experience;
• Matching individual experience assets or qualifications to the need of the organization;
• Level/degree of one or more competencies/qualifications.

ANTICIPATORY. The result of this selection process will be to create a pool of qualified candidates from which future permanent and/or temporary vacancies may be filled for positions within the Public Health Agency of Canada.

This BI-02 position provides an opportunity for individuals with specific high containment laboratory experience and skills to fulfill a staffing need in the Special Pathogens program for a particular grant-funded Ebola virus research initiative.

Positions to be filled: 4

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 a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with specialization in a biological science.

Note:
The courses for the specialization must be acceptable and must have been taken at a recognized post-secondary institution, but not necessarily within a degree program in the required specialization.

Degree equivalency

Required for all positions:
Experience in conducting and managing scientific research projects.
Experience in training or supervising research staff and students.
Experience in writing manuscripts for publication in peer reviewed scientific journals and presenting data at meetings/conferences.
Experience in molecular techniques of genetic analysis such as: DNA/RNA isolation, nucleic acid amplification, DNA sequencing and molecular cloning.

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

Asset Education
Graduation with a Master of Science degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with specialization in biological science or related field.
Graduation with PhD degree from a recognized post-secondary institution.

Degree equivalency

The following experience factors will be considered as essential qualifications, however they are specific to the position being staffed. Candidates who are applying to a specific position(s) will also need to meet the following essential qualifications to be screened in to the process. You will be asked to indicate which position(s) you are interested in being considered for.

Position A only:
Experience in poly/monoclonal Abs production, purification and characterization.
Experience in handling animals including: mice, guinea pigs and non-human primates.
Experience in working in CL4 laboratory environments.

Position B only:
Experience with Next generation sequencing platforms (specifically MinION and Illumina platforms), preparation of sequencing libraries and basic sequencing data analysis with the use of open-source bioinformatics tools such as Galaxy.
Experience with designing primers for targeted amplicon sequencing.
Experience with mammalian cell culture, virus culture and virus quantification by cell culture (i.e. plaque assay, TCID50) or quantitative molecular methods (qRT-PCR).
Experience working in high containment laboratory environments such as CL3 or CL4.

Position C only:
Experience with bioinformatics, analyzing complex datasets (such as Next Gen Sequencing data.)
Primer design for targeted sequencing.
Experience with different programming languages such as R, Python and C#.
Experience with different operating systems such as Linux or Unix.
Experience with carrying out statistical analysis of complex data sets.
Experience with mammalian cell culture, virus culture and quantification by cell culture (i.e. plaque assay, TCID50) or quantitative molecular methods (qRT-PCR).
Experience in working in CL4 laboratory environments.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Applicable to all positions:
Knowledge of laboratory biosafety/biosecurity regulations and procedures principles.
Knowledge of cleaning and disinfection procedures using various chemicals and detergents.
Knowledge of virological and microbiological laboratory procedures.

Demonstrating integrity & respect
Thinking things through
Working effectively with others
Showing initiative and being action-oriented

Ability to interpret laboratory results and prepare reports.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

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

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
Willing and able to work overtime.
Willing and able to travel.
Willing and able to work with animals. (Position A only)
Willing and able to work in CL-4 environment (Positions A and C only).
Willing and able to work in CL-3 or CL-4 environment (Position B only).

Conditions of employment

Secret security clearance
Medical clearance

Other information

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.

All communication throughout the entire staffing process, including email correspondence may be used in the assessment of qualifications.

Your cover letter and résumé may be used to evaluate the ability to communicate effectively in writing.

We will communicate with applicants by e-mail. It is your responsibility to verify your e-mails regularly to ensure that you do not miss out on any opportunities. Failure to respond in the prescribed timeframe will result in your application not being referred to the hiring manager. The applicant shall ensure that the e-mail address provided is valid and make sure this address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users.

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.

We may assess the essential and asset qualifications using interviews, written tests, reference or a combination of these methods.

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.

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.

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/

If you do not respond to our communications, we will interpret this as your withdrawal from the process.

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.