Fisheries Technician IV

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

Positions listed as 'Restigouche County' are located in Charlo, NB; Positions listed as Miramichi are located in South Esk, NB; Positions listed as 'Cape Breton - Other' are located in Margaree, NS.

Duties

The Fisheries Technician IV (Diadromous Fish Population Assessment) is a multi-faceted, field-focused position that provides the opportunity to contribute to the assessment of diadromous fish (Atlantic Salmon, Striped Bass, Gaspereau, American Eel, Rainbow Smelt and other species) populations in the Gulf Region. Positions support the delivery of a variety of diadromous fish population assessment and research activities throughout rivers flowing into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Duties include:
• Working with technicians and biologists to collect, compile and report field project data, ensuring data collection, compilation and analysis is accurate and complete;
• Undertaking recreational, commercial or subsistence fishery monitoring activities in the field including: data collection, data validation, sample collection and dissection;
• Leading and / or participating in the installation, operation and removal of nets, barrier fences and/or rotary screw traps (“smoltwheels”) in rivers,
• Leading and/or participating in electrofishing, snorkeling or sonar surveys in watercourses.
• Leading and/or participating in various wintertime fisheries monitoring activities involving traveling on and sampling through frozen rivers and lakes.
• Preparing and analyzing fish scales and otoliths to determine fish age.
• Using and maintaining databases to record and store diadromous fish population assessment information;
• Ensuring the custody, maintenance, tracking, and repair of equipment, vessels and vehicles;
• Training and working with various partner field crews to carry out biological sampling of diadromous populations for fishery monitoring and population assessment programs.
• Collecting environmental data using various equipment and established protocols; and
• Taking all reasonable and necessary precautions to ensure the safety and health of oneself and co-workers within the work environment

Intent of the process

A pool of candidates will be established and may be used to staff indeterminate (permanent), indeterminate-seasonal and/or temporary (term or casual) vacancies within the Salmon and Diadromous Fish Section of the Science Branch.

This process may be used to staff positions of various tenures within the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada for positions in Moncton, NB, Campbellton NB, Charlo NB, South Esk NB, Margaree, NS, and/or Antigonish NS.

This process is anticipatory in nature and is intended to create an pool of qualified individuals from which hiring managers may staff not only indeterminate (full year or seasonal) positions but also various determinate (Term or Casual) positions within the Gulf Region at the locations listed above. Appointments to Term or Casual positions will typically occur between the period of April and September with an anticipated duration of 12 to 16 weeks. In certain cases, operational needs may result in opportunities outside of the period identified or for shorter or longer duration. The candidate pool may also be used to staff Term or Casual positions at a lower level (e.g., EG-01).

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter in 9,999 words (maximum) "Included in your cover letter, please provide three (3) references: two primary and one alternate. For each reference identified, please provide: name, relationship to candidate, phone number and email address. Candidate references must be able to provide an assessment of your competencies as they pertain to the abilities and competencies criteria. References should be individuals who have observed your work in a professional or academic environment (preferably in either a direct or functional supervisory role) within the past five (5) years."

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

EDUCATION
Certificate/Diploma or Degree from a recognized post-secondary program with a specialization relevant to the duties of the position (e.g. fisheries, wildlife or environmental technician, degree in biology or related natural science etc.) or an acceptable combination of education, training and experience.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE
Experience conducting biological or ecological scientific fieldwork.
Experience collecting, entering and managing scientific data on computer systems.
Experience installing, operating and maintaining field equipment.
Experience operating boats and off-road vehicles.
Experience providing technical support for scientific field projects.
Experience in fieldwork in remote terrestrial areas.
Experience using software applications for preliminary data compilation, treatment and/or analyses.

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

CERTIFICATIONS
Electrofishing
Standard First Aid and CPR
Swift Water Rescue training
Wilderness and Remote First Aid
Completion of Canadian Boating Safety Training Course and possession of Pleasure Craft Operator Card and / or Small Vessel Operator Proficiency certification
WHMIS and/or other Occupational Health and Safety certifications

EXPERIENCE
Experience identifying diadromous fish species of the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Experience conducting land-based fieldwork relating to the assessment of fish populations (using dissection, nets, barrier fences, sonar, electrofishing and/or snorkeling)
Experience ensuring data quality and integrity
Experience working in areas inhabited by bears.

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

Various language requirements
Various language requirements (Unilingual and various bilingual-imperative profiles)

Information on language requirements

ABILITIES
Ability to communicate effectively orally
Ability to communicate effectively in writing
Ability to work effectively as part of a team
Ability to solve problems

PERSONAL SUITABILITY
Initiative
Reliability
Integrity
Judgment

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

KNOWLEDGE:
Knowledge of the life history and biology of Atlantic salmon, Striped Bass, Gaspereau, eels and/or rainbow smelt.
Knowledge of the methods and equipment used to assess diadromous fish populations in rivers.
Knowledge of Canadian workplace safety responsibilities

Selection may be limited to members of the following Employment Equity groups: Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, women

Information on employment equity

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Candidates who will be recruited through this process must be willing and able to:
• Travel overnight for extended periods of time.
• Work flexible hours and overtime on short notice.
• Work weekends, overtime and variable hours for continuous durations up to 8 weeks, including shift schedules, as required to meet operational needs.
• Work in harsh natural environments and / or in remote field settings.
• Operate small boats and off road vehicles (including snowmobiles).
• Operate 4x4 trucks in a variety of on and off road conditions, including towing trailers of a variety of sizes and configurations.
• Participate in periods of strenuous physical work* associated with field activities and equipment installation and maintenance.
• Attain and maintain occupational health and safety certifications to meet Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Canada Labour Code occupational health and safety standards.
• Successfully complete Swift Water Rescue Training and work in swiftwater environments.
• Successfully complete Small Vessel Training.
• Successfully complete Wilderness and Remote First Aid Certification.

*Strenuous physical work is considered to be occasionally pushing or pulling objects up to 50kg and regularly carrying, lifting, pushing, or pulling weights up to 25kg.

Conditions of employment

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Valid Class 5 driver's license (or equivalent)
Security Clearance: Reliability Status*
Health Canada Medical Clearance*

Condition(s) of Employment must be met and maintained throughout the duration of appointment.

*For candidates who do not currently possess the required clearances, Fisheries and Oceans Canada will initiate the clearance screening process in advance of appointment. Appointment is conditional on successfully meeting all identified security and medical clearance requirements.

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

PLEASE APPLY ONLINE: Please submit your application online. We request that you DO NOT email, fax or mail in hard copy documents. Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line, are asked to contact(902) 426-4698 or toll free at 1-800-645-5605.

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.

Reference checks may be sought.
An interview may be administered.
A written examination may be administered.
A practical test may be administered.
A situational exercise may be administered.

Please ensure that your Personal Record Identifier (PRI) is included in your application.

Candidates invited to an interview will be required to bring proof of their education credentials, in the form of a diploma or official transcript. 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 must meet all of the essential qualifications to be appointed to a position. A candidate may be appointed to a position even though he/she does not meet any or all of the asset qualifications or operational requirements. However, meeting these criteria is desirable and may be a deciding factor in choosing the person to be appointed.

Depending on the requirements of the position(s) being staffed from this process, for current or future vacancies, any or all of the asset qualifications, operational requirements, and organizational needs may be applied at the time of staffing. Candidates may be contacted and assessed against these criteria at any time during this process.

Please note that the information provided may be considered in the assessment of any of the essential or asset qualifications, including the ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Please note that candidates can be eliminated by the Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS) based on PSRS screening questions.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your email and contact information are
maintained with the hiring board AND in your Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS) account. As all of the communication for this process will be conducted via the email address provided in your application AND via your PSRS account, it is your responsibility to ensure that you check for messages regularly and to ensure that your email address accepts messages from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email or filter them to a junk mail folder). Failure to respond to key messages may result in your being eliminated from this process.

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.