Research Student, Ringed Seal Ecology - Research Affiliate Program - Research Affiliate Program

Important messages

When submitting an application to this selection process, you will be prompted to answer screening questions concerning the essential education and experience qualifications and, if applicable, other (non-essential) qualifications. When answering these questions, please provide detailed, concrete examples that clearly demonstrate how you meet the requirement. Failure to clearly substantiate how you meet the screening criteria may result in the rejection of your application. Candidates will not be solicited for incomplete or possible missing information.

Duties

Challenges of the position include collecting and synthesizing indicator and monitoring data from a variety of sources, and harmonizing them into both DFO reports and peer review publications. These publications require a standardized peer review process that must be followed.

Work environment

The Arctic Aquatic Research Division of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is based at the Freshwater Institute in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Division provides information and advice to support the management of Arctic fisheries resources, their habitat and Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and on the Yukon North Slope. Successful management and conservation of these resources depends on acquiring, interpreting and sharing biological information, the processes affecting them and the ecosystem of which they are part.

The responsibilities of this position are to acquire and synthesize ringed seal data from Hudson Bay. The goal is to better understand changes in seal foraging behaviour in relation to changes in sea ice and environment. Understanding variation in ringed seal diet and how it relates to environmental changes are key to providing management and conservation advice. Collection and analysis of community tissue collections and laboratory-derived biomarkers of diet trends of seals in Hudson Bay will provide an understanding of how climate warming is affecting Arctic marine mammals in the Canada.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A list of the courses you have taken as well as any courses that you are taking now, or that you will be taking this academic year.

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)

Enrolment in a PhD program as a full time student in an accredited institution for the duration of the position in the field of Biology.

Note: Applied research must be a requirement of graduation

Maintaining your student status is a condition of employment. Once you have defended your thesis you are no longer eligible for the program.


Possess a Bachelor's (or equivalent) in Biology, Environmental Sciences or Physical Geography.

Degree equivalency

Experience collecting, tabulating, analyzing and reporting scientific data.
Experience in writing and communicating research findings.
Experience working with research teams and community members.
Experience working with marine conservation or management.

NOTE: In the context of student recruitment in the federal public service, experience can be acquired through studies, work experience or volunteer activities.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge of ecology, biology, marine management.

Ability to collect and synthesize information in accordance with appropriate analytical approaches (e.g. statistical techniques, spatial modelling).

Initiative
Teamwork
Interactive communication
Adaptability
Organized
Independent

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

May be asked to travel to remote locations for field work, which may involve weekends and evening work.

May be required to fly in small aircraft and travel by small boats within the ocean.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance - Each student hired through the Research Affiliate Program (RAP) must meet the security requirements of the position as a condition of employment. Therefore, the student will be asked by the hiring organization to complete security-related documents.

Other information

Interviews may be conducted in Winnipeg, MB or remotely by telephone. Candidates from outside the Federal Public Service will be required to pay for their own travel expenses.

Reference checks may be sought.

An alternative format (such as Braille) of this notice and Statement of Merit Criteria are available upon request.

Candidates invited to attend an interview will be required to bring proof of their education credentials, in the form of a diploma or official transcript (original documents only).

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/indexe.stm.

Candidates will be communicated with via e-mail. In your application, please include the e-mail address that you wish to use for communication purposes throughout this recruitment initiative. It is your responsibility to verify your e-mail account on a regular basis.

Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line, are asked to contact us toll free at 1-800-645-5605 and press '0' for assistance.

Please apply online.

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 Canadian citizens.

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.