Research Scientist Position at NRCM

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

Duties

The National Reference Centre for Mycobacteriology (NRCM) within the National Microbiology Laboratory located in Winnipeg, Manitoba is seeking a Research Scientist who demonstrates scientific innovation and leadership in the field of immunology and mycobacteriology. The successful candidate will work with an integrated team of national and international researchers to understand and control federally regulated human tuberculosis disease.

The Research Scientist will participate in planning, organizing, and coordinating multiple projects in a multidisciplinary setting, requiring collaboration with other scientific teams. They will be expected to seek and effectively manage funding (internal and external) and collaborators to support the research program and achieve desired outcomes.

This role will be responsible for developing technologies to diagnose and prevent tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases. These technologies include immunological, bacteriological and molecular biology tests and procedures to detect, identify, and characterize causative agents. The Research Scientist will generate hypotheses with other professionals and conduct independent studies to test these hypotheses in order to develop diagnostic methods. They will assist in training staff, students, and other partners in the procedures or methods used or methods under development in the laboratory. The role also entails providing scientists, managers, collaborators and other professionals with information to facilitate decision-making in terms of regulations. Lastly, the Research Scientist will be expected to analyze and evaluate data, draft reports, publish scientific articles in peer reviewed journals, and present conclusions to the scientific and non-scientific community.

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 initially be used to fill 1 position on a permanent basis. The result of this selection process will be to create a pool of qualified candidates from which future permanent and/or temporary vacancies at the Public Health Agency of Canada may be filled.

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)

You will be required to complete an online experience screening questionnaire when you apply. The information you provide in the questionnaire must be true. When answering the screening questions you must provide concrete and detailed examples to clearly demonstrate how you meet each 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. If you don’t clearly demonstrate you have the required experience, we won’t ask for additional information and you may be screened out. The breadth and depth of experience may be considered during screening, assessment and/or selection of candidates.

ESSENTIAL EDUCATION
Graduation with an acceptable doctoral* degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in the field of bacteriology, immunology, or another relevant field, with a minimum of 2 years post-doctoral studies.

* Note: For this process, acceptable doctoral degrees are limited to PhD only and exclude DVM and MD.

Degree equivalency

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE
EE1: Recent* and significant** experience in study designing, planning, managing and delivering scientific research in immunology related to tuberculosis or mycobacterial disease.
EE2: Experience in applying omics concepts and tools (e.g. whole genome sequencing, transcriptomics, or proteomics)
EE3: Experience in using bioinformatic databases and professional statistical software for detection of biomarkers, diagnosis or vaccine development.
EE4: Significant** experience in writing and editing scientific publications in international peer-reviewed journals or other publications.

*Recent experience is defined as at least two (2) years of experience within the past five (5) years.
**Significant experience refers to an acceptable combination of depth, breadth, and complexity of tasks which indicates that the applicant has personally engaged in and carried out the work over an extended period of time.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE
EK1: Knowledge of methodologies for developing immunologically-based tests as it relates to diagnosis and epidemiology of bacterial diseases.
EK2: Knowledge of methodologies for developing cellular biology experiments
EK3: Knowledge of pathogenic mycobacteria as it relates to development of immunological tests and vaccines.
EK4: ***Significant knowledge of laboratory procedures used to conduct and perform immunological research
EK5: Knowledge of scientific information and trends relating to research and diagnostics of tuberculosis and other mycobacterial diseases.
EK6: Knowledge of procedures used for cultural isolation and identification of mycobacteria.

***Significant knowledge refers to an acceptable combination of depth, breadth, and complexity of tasks which indicates that the applicant has personally engaged in and carried out the work over an extended period of time.

ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES
EC1: Working effectively with others
EC2: Thinking Things Through
EC4: Showing initiative and being action-oriented
EC5: Leadership
EC6: Demonstrating integrity and respect
EC7: Communication
EC8: Collaboration and Partnerships
EC9: Data Information Collection and Analysis

ESSENTIAL ABILITIES
EA1: Ability to write**** different scientific documents (including but not limited to: research proposals, manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals, presentations to subject matter experts, etc.)
EA2: Ability to develop research proposals for submission to funding sources.
EA3: Ability to deliver scientific presentations to an array of audiences (i.e. audiences with diverse languages and diverse scientific backgrounds).

****A random selection of one (1) or more of the candidates’ publications may be used to assess this ability.

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

ASSET EXPERIENCE
AE1: Experience in research on Tuberculosis and Immunology.
AE2: Experience in the application of molecular biology techniques (e.g. cloning, gene silencing, whole genome sequencing, metagenomics, PCR, genotyping and recombinant antigen production) to research or diagnose mycobacterial pathogens in animals or humans.
AE3: Experience working in a Containment Level 3 laboratory.
AE4: Experience in analysing and selecting antigens, biomarkers or virulence factors for immunological tests, including quality assurance of finished products.
AE5: Experience in applying genomics or proteomics concepts for detection of biomarkers or host-pathogen interaction characterization.
AE4: Experience in immunological and intracellular procedures for cell line or animal model infections with pathogenic bacteria infecting humans or animals.

ASSET KNOWLEDGE:
AK4: Knowledge of the different options relating to the epidemiology, control, treatment and prevention of transmitted tuberculosis disease.

ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS:

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
Willingness and ability to work in containment level 3 laboratory
Willingness and ability to travel as required
Willingness and ability to work overtime and/or weekends as required
Willingness and ability to assist, mobilize, or deploy to fulfill operational requirements including outbreak and emergency laboratory responses

Conditions of employment

Medical clearance
Secret Security clearance

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

Applications submitted by email will not be accepted. You must apply on-line. To submit an application on-line, please click on the button "Apply online" below. Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line are asked to contact 1-800-645-5605.

All communication received from candidates throughout the staffing process may be used to assess qualifications on the Statement of Merit Criteria.

Salary ranges:
SE-RES-01 - $55,870 - $75,710
SE-RES-02 - $69,372 - $107,034
SE-RES-03 - $87,671 - $118,813
SE-RES-04 - $104,993 - $131,882
SE-RES-05 - $114,962 - $144,413

Please note: SE-RES staffing is considered “incumbent based staffing”. Therefore, the level of the successful candidate will not be determined until the advertised process is complete and a successful candidate is chosen.

Candidates should be prepared to provide proof of citizenship.

Candidates should be prepared to provide proof of education (copy of degree/diploma). If you have obtained education outside Canada, you will be required to submit proof of evaluation of Canadian equivalency.

A Written Exercise, Interview and Reference Checks may be conducted.

Candidates must meet the essential qualifications to be appointed to a position. Asset qualifications could be used at the screening stage. Please ensure that your responses to the screening questions and your resume clearly indicates how you meet these qualifications.

For this selection process, it is our intention to communicate with candidates via email for screening and assessment purposes. This will include communication of screening results and invitations to written tests and interviews. To that end, 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.

For the purpose of this staffing process, only candidates selected for further assessment will be contacted.

The primary assessment location will be in Winnipeg, MB. Candidates from outside the federal public service who are invited to written exams and/or interviews may be responsible for travel and accommodation expenses.

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.

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.