EC-04 Inventory: Analyst / Researcher / Epidemiologist / Bio-statistician

Important messages

// What is an inventory? //
 
When you apply to this selection process, you are not applying for a specific job, but to an inventory to fill upcoming employment opportunities at the EC-04 group and level within the Public Health Agency of Canada. Applicants who apply to an inventory process may be referred for one or more opportunities if they meet the needs of the position identified for staffing. Management can decide to access 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 May 25, 2018.
 
 
// 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:
       • provide your resume (no cover letter needed)
       • answer a questionnaire online
 
When you apply you will be asked a series of screening questions based on the education and experience criteria below. When answering the screening questions, please provide:
       - Concrete and detailed examples to demonstrate how you meet the qualifications;
       - Where, when and how the experience was acquired.

We can’t make any assumptions about your experience. Simply saying you have the required qualifications or listing your current duties is not enough. We’ll only use your résumé as a secondary source of information. The depth and breadth of experience of an applicant may be considered as part of screening or selection of a candidate, which is why it is recommended you quantify your experience. The screening questions are the primary source of information the screening board may use and your resume may only be used as a secondary source to verify information.

We will only accept on-line applications received via the Public Service Jobs site. Apart from general inquiries, further documentation and applications emailed to the poster contact will not be accepted. You will only be asked for further documentation if you are contacted for further assessment. If you have a disability or are residing in a location that is preventing you from applying on-line you are asked to contact 1-800-645-5605.

More information about maintaining your application, screening & assessment can be found at the bottom of this advertisement.
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Duties

This inventory will be used to staff multiple positions with varying duties. Below, we provide a glimpse into the different roles, listing some key activities you can expect in each position.

// Policy Analyst //
       1. Develops specific area of expertise and advances knowledge of domestic and international economic, socio-economic, legal, policy and/or accountability issues, conditions and trends, and of related federal/health policies and regulations.
       2. Monitors and analyses economic, socio-economic, legal and policy issues; analyses trends and forecast indicators; identifies strategic issues and determines policy implications; analyses the effect of policy proposals on projects and initiatives; and formulates proposals for policy modifications for review by senior professionals.

// Epidemiologist / Bio-Statistician //
       1. Conducts epidemiological and/or biostatistical research and studies through data monitoring and analysis.
       2. Contributes to data gathering and the maintenance of subject-specific and national databases. Develops databases.
        3. Follows protocols to collate, manipulate and validate subject-specific and program related data.

// Economic & Socio-Economic Analyst/Researcher //
       1. Conducts economic, socio-economic or statistical research and analysis as well as economic, social and policy research on health and/or environment health issues to provide support and recommendations on programs and policy development, analytical or research projects.
       2. Gathers information from a variety of sources; participates as a member of project teams engaged in the conduct of economic, statistical, cost-benefits, and/or trend analysis; establishes and maintains work files; and develops and maintains databases.

Work environment

The Public Health Agency of Canada is part of the Health Portfolio of the Government of Canada, committed to help protect the health and safety of all Canadians. Its activities focus on preventing chronic diseases, like cancer and heart disease, preventing injuries and responding to public health emergencies and infectious disease outbreaks.
The Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Branch is composed of program centres, laboratory, and corporate services:
1) Centre for Communicable Diseases and Infection Control
2) Centre for Food-Borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
3) Centre for Immunization and Respiratory Infectious Diseases
4) National Microbiology Laboratory
5) Office of the Chief Science Officer

You can learn more about the Public Health Agency of Canada by visiting: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health.html
https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante-publique.html

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Intent of the process

This inventory will be used to staff immediate and future EC-04 vacant positions of various linguistic profiles, conditions of employment, geographic locations, security requirements and various tenures (permanent, specified term, acting, deployment, assignment, term, secondment) within the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Therefore, all applicants seeking this type of position and/or group and level are encouraged to apply, including those already at the EC-04 group and level.

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.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

// Education //

       *Education 1:
       ● Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with acceptable specialization
            in economics, sociology or statistics.

       Note: Candidates must always have a degree. The courses for the specialization must be acceptable and may have been taken at a recognized post-secondary institution, but not necessarily within a degree program in the required specialization. The specialization may also be obtained through an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.

                                                                                               - OR -

       *Education 2:
       ● Successful completion of two years of a post-secondary program with acceptable specialization
            in social science, statistics, library/archival work or a law-related field.


* Education 1 pertains to positions that are primarily involved in the application of a comprehensive knowledge of Economics, Sociology or Statistics to the conduct of economic, socio-economic and sociological research, studies, forecasts and surveys; the research, analysis and evaluation of the economic or sociological effects of departmental or interdepartmental projects, programs and policies; the development, application, analysis and evaluation of statistical and survey methods and systems; and the development, analysis and interpretation of qualitative and quantitative information and socio-economic policies.

* Education 2 pertains to positions that are primarily involved in the conduct of surveys, studies and projects in the social sciences; the identification, description and organization of archival, library, museum and gallery materials; the editing of legislation or the provision of advice on legal problems in specific fields.

* Additional specialization(s) in field(s) relevant to the position being staffed may be required depending on the position.

 

Degree equivalency

 
// Experience (applicable to all positions) //

       ● Experience in conducting research and analysis in relation to issues, policies, strategies or programs.
       ● Experience in preparing, briefing notes, reports, memoranda, studies, methodologies,
            or presentations in a professional setting.

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

// Asset Education (depending on the position) //

       ● Graduate degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with acceptable specialization
            in epidemiology, public health, economics, sociology, statistics or another similar field.

Degree equivalency

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Since this inventory will be used to staff various positions, the position needs may vary from one position to another. 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. If you meet any of the following experience criteria, please clearly indicate it in your application and describe the dates, duration, and breadth to which you meet it as this may result in you being referred to more opportunities.

// Essential or Asset Experience (depending on position) //
       01. Experience working in the area of sexual health and/or prevention and control of sexually transmitted
            and blood-borne infections (e.g., hepatitis C and HIV)
       02. Experience working in a community based-setting
       03. Experience conducting knowledge translation and/or capacity building initiatives
       04. Experience in the development of knowledge or awareness products (e.g., infographics, fact sheets, web content)
       05. Experience using software to manage health related data (i.e. SAS, SPSS, EXCEL)
       06. Experience performing analysis of quantitative data
       07. Experience working in infectious diseases or in communicable disease control
       08. Experience working with national stakeholder committees
       09. Experience working with provincial, territorial, or local governments or health authorities
       10. Experience with data management including extracting data from databases
            and preparing queries, datasets and reports
       11. Experience in formulating proposals for policy modifications for review for senior/executive management

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

Various language requirements
        ● English Essential, French Essential, Bilingual Imperative - various levels

Information on language requirements

// Knowledge (applicable to all positions) //

       ● Knowledge of the vision, mandate, organization, programs, policies, and strategic direction of
            the Public Health Agency of Canada and its branches.
       ● Knowledge of current and emerging issues and trends in public health.

 
// Competencies (applicable to all positions) //
       ● 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)

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Since this inventory will be used to staff various positions, the position needs may vary from one position to another. Candidates MAY also be required to meet ONE OR MORE of the following knowledge or competency factors, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed. The following criteria may be applied / assessed at a later date:

// Essential or Asset Knowledge (depending on position) //

       01. Knowledge of statistical principles, methods, and techniques to analyze data.
       02. Knowledge of database software commonly used in managing health-related data.
       03. Knowledge of the principles and practices of public health surveillance.
       04. Knowledge of data management principles and practices.
       05. Knowledge of relevant legislation, regulations, policies, or procedures pertaining to the position.

// Essential or Asset Competencies (depending on position) //

       01. Data/Information Collection and Analysis
       02. Knowledge Transfer and Exchange
       03. Surveillance

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// Organizational Needs (depending on position) //

       ● 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).

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// Operationals Requirements (depending on position) //

       ● 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)

 

NOTE:
▪ 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.

Conditions of employment

       ● Secret or Reliability security clearance (depending on the position)
       ● Medical clearance (depending on the position)
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Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the targeted groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

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// Information about Applying to Inventories //

■ The inventory will be updated every 120 days. You will receive periodic system-generated e-mails advising that your application will expire in a certain number of days, and asking you to log in to your GC Jobs account to resubmit your application. It is important that you monitor your e-mail and resubmit your application when prompted, or your application will be removed from the inventory. This ensures that the information that is provided to hiring managers is current and up-to-date, as well as ensuring that the candidates in the inventory are still interested in employment. You can click on the link in the e-mail to access your account, and you will have a message informing you that your application is set to expire. Click on “Update My Inventory Status” to resubmit your application.



// Are you ready to apply? //

■ To apply for any position, you need to first create a profile in the Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS), which should only take about 10 minutes. Then, after ensuring you meet the position requirements, scroll to the bottom of the poster and click on "Apply online."

■ Work your way through the list of requirements, completing each section and saving as you go. Before submitting your application, please ensure that there are green check marks on every single category before submitting your application.

■ If there are any red Xs on the categories, please click into that category and ensure that everything has been filled out. Screening questions have been built into the application process and occasionally an applicant may miss a field on the Screening Questions page. Please thoroughly review to ensure that you have responded to each question, including all the "Yes / No " questions.

■ PSRS will automatically disconnect candidates without warning after 60 minutes if there is no activity. You need to save or move to a new screen to maintain your connection. Typing information without saving does not prevent you from being disconnected. Applicants may find it helpful to first use a word processing software to complete their responses using concrete and detailed examples, then copy and paste the responses into PSRS afterwards.

■ If you have further questions on how to apply or experience technical difficulties with your application, please visit the following website: http://www.cfp-psc.gc.ca/contact-jobs/index-eng.php

■ We will only accept on-line applications received via the Public Service Jobs site. Persons with disabilities or residing in locations that prevent them from applying on-line are asked to contact 1-800-645-5605.



// Updating your Application //

■ You can choose to update your application when you resubmit it to the inventory, or anytime that something changes that will impact your application. For example, if you gain more experience in an area that is related to the qualifications outlined in the inventory, it would be beneficial to update your application to reflect this. Since hiring managers screen applications based on the information you provided in the screening questions, it is recommended that you include experience gained after you initially submitted your application to ensure they have all of the relevant information. This also applies to changes in your education level, locations or positions you are interested in, or any of the answers you provided to the screening questions.

To update your information you need to log into your GC Jobs account and retrieve your application. Your application will revert to In Progress, and allow you to make the necessary changes. You must resubmit your application to have it included in the inventory. If you do not wish to remain in the inventory you can delete your application at this stage.



// Screening //

■ Screening criteria is established to determine which candidates will qualify for further consideration and assessment. During the screening stage, the screening board will review your application to determine if you meet the essential education and essential experiences. However, some managers may opt to use asset education and asset experiences as well. This is why it is essential to provide concrete examples when answering the experience questionnaire section in your application.

■ If you are a candidate that has been “screened-in,” this means that you may undergo further assessment to determine if you meet the other essential and/or asset criteria (i.e. knowledge, abilities, competencies, etc.).



// Assessment //

■ Managers can use a combination of assessment methods they deem relevant. Some common assessment methods are written exams, interviews, and reference checks. However, managers have the flexibility to use role-play, simulations, and performance / talent management considerations as part of their assessment.

■ When candidates are invited to the assessment stage, they will be notified of the qualifications being assessed and the assessment method (interview, written take home test, etc.). To help you prepare for assessment, you should think about examples that will best highlight how you meet the qualifications being assessed. During the assessment, use the “STAR” method to best explain your example. STAR stands for the following:

       ▪ Situation: Think of a situation in which you are/were involved.
       ▪ Task: Describe the tasks involved in the situation.
       ▪ Action: Specify what actions you took to achieve your results.
       ▪ Results: What results followed due to your actions? List them and describe each one briefly.

■ Each board will have specific criteria to assess and each pull from the inventory may be treated separately, therefore if you are referred for more than one opportunity you may be re-assessed on the same criteria.

■ 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.

■ In assessing candidates, assessment boards may use a variety of tools and methods including, but not limited to, reviews of past performance and accomplishments, written tests, interviews, simulations, PSC tests, reference checks, board member knowledge etc. In addition, all information obtained throughout the selection process, from the time of application to close of process, may be used to evaluate the candidates.

■ 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.

■ 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.

■ 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 organizational need of restructuring/budgetary constraints

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

■ Proof of education will be required. 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.
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// Important Notes //

▪ Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent.

▪ 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). It is also the candidate's responsibility to ensure accurate information is provided and updated as required.

▪ 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.

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

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

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.