Biologist II

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 specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Assessment accommodation

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

The successful candidate will work in the Pathogen Biology Unit in Guelph ON and work on developing and implementing in silico methods for molecular typing and characterization of food- and water-borne enteric pathogens. The incumbent will participate in developing bioinformatics tools and pipelines that are robust, high-throughput, rapid, and cost-effective alternatives to traditional methods while ensuring epidemiological relevance.

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

This process will be initially used to staff one indeterminate position within the Division of Enteric Diseases in Guelph, Ontario.

The selection process may be used to staff similar positions at these groups and levels with various linguistic profiles and security requirements, conditions of employment for various future permanent and/or temporary vacancies within the Public Health Agency of Canada National Microbiology Laboratory sites across Canada.

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)

Education:
Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with specialization in a biological science (e.g.: Bachelor of Science Degree specializing in a field relating to microbiology, bioinformatics, foodborne diseases, or microbial genomics).

Degree equivalency

Experience:
1. Experience in basic microbiological, immunological or molecular biological techniques.
2. Experience in the characterization of bacterial pathogens.
3. Experience in project management including data analysis.

Knowledge:
1. Knowledge of theories, principles and procedures of microbiology, immunology and molecular biology.
2. Knowledge of the theories, principles and techniques of genomics and bioinformatics.
3. Knowledge of the assembly, annotation, and analysis of bacterial genomes.
4. Knowledge of laboratory safety regulations and procedures.

Competencies:
1. Demonstrating integrity and respect
2. Thinking things through
3. Working effectively with others
4. Showing initiative and being action-oriented

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

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

Education:
• Graduation with an MSc or PhD from a recognized post-secondary institution with a specialization in a field relevant to the duties of the position(s).

Degree equivalency

Experience:
1. Experience working in the area of comparative genomics, computational biology and/or population genetics.
2. Experience in the analysis of molecular and genomic subtyping results.
3. Experience in statistical methods.
4. Experience in developing internet-based client: server applications and programming interfaces for the analysis of genomic information.
5. Experience with bioinformatics methods and databases, and using open-source bioinformatics software (installation and usage).
6. Experience in the development and optimization of molecular diagnostics assays.
7. Experience in implementing and managing laboratory-based quality management systems.
8. Experience managing or maintaining database software in a biological laboratory setting.

Knowledge:
1. Knowledge of Structured Query Language (SQL), bash, and at least two of the programming languages (e.g. Perl, Python, Java, R) used in the development of bioinformatics software.
2. Knowledge of PHAC’s mandate and policies.
3. Knowledge of the current principles, techniques and procedures used in epidemiology and surveillance of infectious diseases.
4. Knowledge of UNIX or LINUX operating systems.

COMPETENCIES:
1. Leadership
2. Information Processing
3. Knowledge Transfer and Exchange

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Willingness and ability to occasionally work overtime.
Willing and able to provide assistance with outbreak and emergency laboratory response situations, which may require working overtime and/or weekends.
Willing and able to travel across Canada in order to participate in meetings, training and potential outbreak and emergency response.

Conditions of employment

Reliability / secret security clearance depending on the position’s requirements.
Medical clearance may be required.
Candidates must meet and maintain the above condition(s) of employment throughout their employment.

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).

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 designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

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.

ASSESSMENT

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

COMMUNICATION

Candidates must include a valid email address in their application. It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure that this address is functional and that it accepts messages 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.

OTHER INFORMATION

If you have further questions on how to apply or experience technical difficulties with your application, please visit the following website: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-servicecommission/jobs/services/public-service-jobs/contact-us.html.

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.

An assignment/secondment or an acting appointment is a temporary resourcing option. The approval of your substantive supervisor may be required before an offer can be made.

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

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.

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, with the exception of a job located in Nunavut, where Nunavut Inuit will be appointed first.

Information on the preference to veterans

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