Research Scientist – Immunology of HIV, STBBI and Related Comorbidities

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PLEASE ENSURE YOU READ ALL POSTER NOTES THOROUGHLY AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION THAT WILL BE REQUIRED IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS. FAILURE TO READ THE NOTES AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS COULD RESULT IN YOUR APPLICATION MISSING CRITICAL INFORMATION PROVIDING FOR INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION FOR THE ASSESSMENT BOARD TO COMPLETE YOUR ASSESSMENT RESULTING IN YOUR ELIMINATION FROM THE PROCESS.

*All Research Scientist (RES) appointments are incumbent based. Therefore, the level of the position is determined by the qualifications/accomplishments of the successful candidate as determined by a committee.

*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/.

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.

Screening questions have been built into the application process, 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. Candidates will not be solicited for incomplete or missing information.

When you apply to this selection process, you are not applying for a specific job, but to an inventory for future vacancies. As positions become available, applicants who meet the qualifications may be contacted for further assessment.

Duties

The successful candidate will engage in studies designing, implementing and analyzing immunological factors important for resistance and susceptibility to HIV, STBBI and related comorbidity infection. The successful candidate will work with a diverse team of research scientists, biologists and clinicians from across Canada and globally. The candidate will develop external collaborative partnerships with academia and other government departments and agencies.

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

The immediate need is to staff one (1) English Essential Indeterminate position, with a Secret Security Clearance.

A pool of qualified candidates will be created and this pool may be used to staff immediate and future vacant positions within the National Microbiology Laboratory with:

* various tenures,
* various language requirements and linguistic profiles,
* various geographic locations,
* various security requirements and/or
* various conditions of employment.

We are seeking research scientists with a wide variety of expertise and experience to provide the National HIV and Retrovirology Laboratories with cutting-edge science across the breadth of its activities in the area of HIV, STBBI and related comorbidity Immunology. Particular emphasis is placed on research to support the efforts of the Division in meeting its mandated activities in the Federal Initiative on HIV/AIDS, new objectives outlined in the Government of Canada’s five-year action plan on Sexually Transmitted Blood-Borne Infections (STBBI), and the NML’s Innovative Diagnostic Program (IDP) to provide innovative approaches in reaching the undiagnosed.

The specific expertise sought will contribute to attaining the following goals:

Goal #1: Expand the knowledge base of HIV/AIDS in the international scientific community by defining immune mechanisms involved in HIV disease progression.

Goal #2: Provide a better understanding of immunology factors involved in susceptibility and resistance to HIV, STBBI and related comorbidity infections.

Goal #3: Develop novel approaches for understanding HIV/STBBI and related comorbidity coinfection and defining factors that impact HIV disease progression.

Goal #4: Develop/validate and lead efforts to support innovative technologies for HIV, STBBI and related comorbidity diagnostics.

Goal #5: Expand HIV, STBBI and related comorbidity diagnostic capacities in remote underserved Canadian communities.

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 an acceptable doctoral degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in a field of the Biomedical sciences with a specialization in microbiology or immunology.

Degree equivalency

Experience:
- Experience in providing specialized scientific, technical expertise or recommendations.
- Experience in leading, organizing and delivery of HIV-related scientific projects in a laboratory setting.
- Experience in basic microbiological, immunological and molecular biological techniques.
- Experience in communicating scientific findings (publications, presentations).

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

Various language requirements
English Essential
French Essential
Bilingual Imperative (BBB/BBB, CBC/CBC, CCC)

Information on language requirements

Competencies:
Demonstrating integrity and respect: Exhibit personal and professional behaviours that reflect the values of respect for democracy, respect for people, integrity, stewardship and excellence, as defined in the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector. Conducting work activities in a manner that reflects a commitment to client service excellence.

Thinking things through: Seeking relevant information from various sources and analyzing the information in order to formulate a view or opinion and exercise sound judgement. Planning and adjusting one’s work based on a thorough understanding of the priorities and own work objectives.

Showing initiative and being action-oriented: Anticipating and dealing with problems and issues in a persistent manner, seizing opportunities that arise and going beyond what is expected.

Collaboration and Partnerships: Demonstrating effective interpersonal skills and working cooperatively and effectively with others to achieve common goals. Seeking and building strategic alliances and collaborative arrangements through partnerships to advance the objectives and achieve the common goals.

Innovation: Innovation is the development of modified or novel approaches, theories, concepts, ideas or solutions.

Productivity: Productivity is the generation of relevant outputs/contributions being produced by the researcher, in accordance with the rate consistent with the specialty or type of work. In this context, outputs may include: peer-reviewed publications, scientific products, science advice, research proposals, internal scientific reports, datasets, patents, technology transfers, reviews, books and chapters, expert panels; involvement in advisory committees, policy development, collaborative research and development projects, public outreach, peer-reviewed journals. These outputs may be individual or team contributions.

Impact: Impact is the consequence of the research and new knowledge on the advancement of the specialty. Science-based policies, regulations, services and technology transfers are some examples of ways target results can be achieved and impact demonstrated.

Knowledge:
- Knowledge of trends, emerging issues and concerns relating to minimizing risks of human illnesses arising from the interface between humans, animals and the environment.
- Knowledge of HIV virology, immunology

Abilities:
- Ability to communicate effectively orally
- Ability to communicate effectively in writing
- Ability to collect data information and perform an analysis
- Ability to transfer and exchange knowledge

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

Asset Experience:
- Experience in leading, managing and delivery of mandated scientific programs.
- Experience being an expert representative for national or international conferences, symposia, seminars or workshops.
- Experience in training scientific personnel.
- Experience in consulting, engaging and liaising with scientific collaborators (nationally and or internationally).
- Demonstrated research experience in HIV and STBBI related areas

Asset Knowledge:
- Knowledge of PHAC’s mandate, surveillance and outbreak response systems.

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 of the four designated Employment Equity groups provided the candidate meets all essential qualifications listed on the job poster and any applicable asset qualification(s): Indigenous Peoples, Persons with a Disability, Visible Minorities, and Women.

Operational Requirements:
- Willingness and ability to occasionally work overtime.
- Willingness and ability to travel in the region and nationally.
- Other operational requirements may also apply, depending on the position being staffed.

Conditions of employment

Conditions of Employment:
- Secret Status Security Clearance
- Medical clearance (depending on the position)

NOTE: Candidates must meet and maintain the above conditions of employment throughout their employment.

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

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.

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

Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent; we will contact candidates when the screening process is completed.

Candidates must provide, as part of their application, proof that they meet the Educational Certification requirements. Failure to do so may result in being screened out. Candidates will be requested to provide copies of their education credentials throughout their process.

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/.

Candidates may be assessed using one or more of the following tools: standardized tests, written exam, interview, simulation exercise and reference check.

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. As English is essential for the position, the applicant’s ability to communicate scientific information related to the position orally and in writing in English may be tested as part of the selection process.

Candidates may be required to meet the asset qualifications, the operational requirements or the organizational needs, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed.

The hiring Department will only accept on-line applications. All job applications must therefore be submitted through the Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS).

To submit an application on-line, please click on the button "Apply Now" below.

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

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 Indigenous 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 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.