Research Assistant, Agroecology - Research Affiliate Program

Important messages

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Assessment accommodation

AAFC is committed to diversity and inclusion and is proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s best diversity employers. We welcome all applicants and strongly encourage candidates to self-declare if they belong to an Employment Equity designated group (i.e. Aboriginal Peoples, Persons with Disabilities, Visible Minorities or Women).

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.

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).

Duties

- Using a database created from an exhaustive systematic literature review, conduct a meta-analysis (using response ratios as the metric of change) to characterise irrigation-caused changes in soil carbon storage; visualise output in graphical format.
- Using a historical database of air temperatures from across the Okanagan Valley, calculate key agri-climatic indices, including growing degree days, growing season lengths and chill unit accumulations. Design and create reports for selected climate monitoring stations located in the North, Central and South Okanagan regions that could be used to assist growers in making future management decisions.
- Summarise output from 1100 crop suitability model runs (22 decades x 50 climate realisations) for sweet cherry in the Okanagan Valley to facilitate a better understanding of the possible changes in crop suitability under future climates. Calculate the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles of model output by decade, suitability test and risk category, and visualise data in graphical format. Run model with new climate data where required.
- Using the Okanagan Water Demand model, assess changes in irrigation water demand for the Okanagan Valley under selected future climate scenarios and cropping systems; summarise output in table format.
- Collect stem tissue samples from selected commercial apple orchards for analysis of cold hardiness (a key determinant of crop suitability) via assessment of lethal thermal exotherms; compare treatments statistically.

Work environment

The Summerland Research and Development Centre (SuRDC) is part of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) national network of 19 research centres. AAFC provides information, research and technology, and policies and programs to achieve security of the food system, health of the environment and innovation for growth. This is a collaborative project between AAFC and the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO). Time will be divided between coursework, writing, and participation in educational activities at UBCO and research that will be conducted at SuRDC. Some research will be conducted in the laboratory and commercial orchards, but most research will be conducted in a computer lab at SuRDC. The selected student will need to be able and willing to work at UCBO and at AAFC SuRDC. The student must be willing to commute on a regular basis between the UBCO campus and the Summerland Research and Development Centre. .

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter in 500 words (maximum) "Describe the components you would include in a systematic review protocol before embarking on a meta-analysis that assessed the effects of irrigation on soil carbon storage (500 words)"

Contact information for 2 references.

A list of the courses you have taken as well as any courses that you are taking now, or that you will be taking this academic year

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

Currently enrolled in a Master’s program in Biology at the Okanagan campus of the University of British Columbia in Kelowna, BC, or will be enrolled by the date of appointment.

Degree equivalency

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge of the possible implications of climate change for agriculture in the Okanagan Valley.
Knowledge of soil carbon sequestration as a climate change mitigation tool in agriculture.
Knowledge of systematic literature review methods and meta-analyses as tools for identifying emerging patterns and developing hypotheses in ecological research.

Planning and organizing
Teamwork
Problem Solving
Adaptability
Initiative

Demonstrated ability to conduct systematic literature reviews
Demonstrated ability to manage and analyse large datasets.
Demonstrated ability to program in R and Python.
Demonstrated ability to visualize results of data analyses in graphical format and interpret analytical results.
Demonstrated ability to collect and prepare tissue samples for analysis of cold hardiness via lethal thermal exotherms.

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

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

Information on employment equity

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

Each student hired through the Research Affiliate Program (RAP) must meet the security requirements of the position as a condition of employment, and therefore will be asked by the hiring organization to complete security-relevant documents.

Possession of a valid driver’s license.
Completion of the AAFC Defensive Driving course within one month of employment.
Ability and willingness to travel to commercial orchards in the Okanagan Valley to collect samples.
Ability and willingness to work outdoors in commercial orchards during hot summer weather and cold winter weather.
Ability and willingness to work in two locations: Summerland Research and Development Centre and University of British Columbia Okanagan.

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 through www.jobs.gc.ca.

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

Candidates will be required to pay for their own travel related to assessment and successful candidates will be responsible for obtaining their own living accommodations.

Successful completion of both a RAP work assignment and your educational program may lead to a temporary or permanent federal public service position for which you meet the merit criteria and conditions of employment.

Preference

Preference will be given to Canadian citizens.

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