Senior Soil and Water Technician

Important messages

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the Contact information below to request special accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Information on accommodation for persons with disabilities

Duties

The successful candidate will participate in a research team studying soil and water management in agricultural landscapes and its impact on the environment. He/she will interact with researchers, technicians and students from various AAFC research and development centres, and Universities and extension personnel from provincial governments and industry. The successful candidate will plan, coordinate, conduct field and laboratory work to collect data for research projects; in the context of agricultural landscape, assess various soil and water conservation measures in agricultural fields and their impacts on land productivity and ecosystem health; investigate the transport and delivery of sediments, nutrients, agricultural chemicals and pathogens from fields to the receiving waters. The successful candidate will be responsible for 1) running a soil and water laboratory by streamlining routine analyses of water and soil samples, ordering supplies and equipment, calibrating and maintaining equipment and software, developing, applying and updating analysis methods; 2) installing and maintaining field monitoring systems such as surface water gauging and sampling stations, weather stations and soil monitoring sites; 3) organizing research projects, leading field experiments or field data and sample collection campaigns; 4) compiling, organizing and maintaining lab analyses, field monitoring and project related databases, conducting basic statistical analysis, GIS analysis and mapping of the data and assisting in preparation of scientific reports and presentations; 5) supervising and assigning work to students and junior technicians and 6) other related activities.

Work environment

This position will report to the Senior Land Resource Specialist at the Morden Research and Development Centre. The incumbent will provide technical support for field and laboratory research to be conducted at Morden research farm and in grower fields located across Manitoba, particularly in the Red River Basin, occasionally in SK, or AB and other provinces in Canada. Travel to field sites will be required. The position could involve the supervision of a junior research technician, summer students and short-term technical and field support staff.

Intent of the process

Immediate need: To staff a full-time permanent Senior Soil and Water Technician.

Anticipatory: A pool of qualified candidates may be established and may be used to staff similar positions on a permanent full-time or part-time basis or on a temporary full-time or part-time basis for the location indicated for this process.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

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

Diploma from a recognized post-secondary institution in soil, agriculture or environment sciences, or a related field OR an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.

Degree equivalency

Recent* and relevant** experience planning and conducting soil and water related research under field and laboratory settings.
Recent* and relevant** experience in lab analyses of soil and water samples.
Recent* and relevant** experience in field experiments, monitoring and campaigns for soil and water sample collections.
Recent* and relevant** experience in statistical analysis, summarizing results and contributing to the preparation of research reports or presentations.

*Recent is defined as experience that was executed for approximately two years in the past five years.
**Relevant is defined as an experience gained at a commercial, research or institutional agricultural enterprise.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge of soil and water research related laboratory equipment and field monitoring devices.
Knowledge of experimental design.
Knowledge of soil conservation and related soil health issues.
Knowledge of non-point source pollution and related water quality issues.

Adaptability
Initiative
Teamwork
Planning and Organizing

Ability to establish and conduct field trials.
Ability to compile and analyze data and summarize results.

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

Bachelor’s, Master’s or doctoral degree in soil, agriculture or environment sciences from a recognized post-secondary institution.

Degree equivalency

Experience with programming languages for modeling and data analyses.
Experience with GIS, terrain analysis, remote sensing, and mapping
Experience in operating, calibrating, monitoring, and trouble-shooting laboratory equipment.
Experience in operating, calibrating, monitoring, and trouble-shooting field monitoring devices.
Experience in supervision.

Knowledge of agricultural production systems in Canada.
Knowledge of the hydrological cycle in agricultural landscapes.

In support of achieving a diversified workforce, consideration may be given to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the following Employment Equity groups: Aboriginal peoples, Persons with a Disability; Visible Minorities, Women.

Placement of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) employees affected by workforce adjustment.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

Valid driver's license.
Ability and willingness to work overtime.
Ability and willingness to travel and work in remote areas.
Ability and willingness to work with soils, manures, pesticides and other agrochemicals in the laboratory and field settings in variable weather condition and terrains.
Ability and willingness to work in shallow water for sediment and water sampling or monitoring data collection.
Ability and willingness to work on or around farm machinery.

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

Applications submitted by email will not be accepted. You must apply on-line through www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/jobs/services/gc-jobs.html.

Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line are asked to contact 1-800-645-5605.

Please identify the following on your application: substantive group and level; employment status; Personal Record Identifier (PRI).

Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language(s) of their choice. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language(s) in their application.

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.

Communication for this process will be sent via email. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure accurate contact information is provided and updated as required. Candidates who apply to this selection process should include an email address that accepts email from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).

All communication relating to this process, including email correspondence, may be used in the assessment of qualifications.

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.

Please note that candidates can be eliminated by the Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS) based on PSRS screening questions. Candidates may request to informally discuss their elimination at any point during the process. To do so, please contact the department at the coordinate(s) indicated on this poster.

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.