Agricultural Water Quality Research Technician

Update: Please note that the selection process has been amended to extend the closing date to January 15, 2020 - 23:59, Pacific Time.

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

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).

Duties

The successful candidate will participate in a research team studying water and soil in the context of agricultural landscapes. The incumbent will plan, coordinate, and conduct field and laboratory work to collect data for research projects; assess diversified Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) and their impacts on water quality (particularly nutrient leaching), crop productivity and soil health at various scales; investigate the transport and delivery of nutrient and other agricultural chemicals from agricultural fields to receiving waters. He/she will interact with researchers, technicians and students from various AAFC research and development centres, and universities and extension personnel from provincial governments, industry and NGOs. The position will be based at the AAFC Charlottetown Research and Development Centre. The specific duties include the following:

• Routine sample preparation and analyses of water, soil and plant tissue samples, sourcing supplies and equipment, maintaining equipment, and developing analysis methods;
• Installing and maintaining field monitoring systems, including but not limited to, surface water gauging and sampling stations (including ISCO samplers), tile-drain monitoring stations, lysimeters, groundwater piezometers, pressure transducers, weather stations and soil temperature and moisture stations;
• Organizing data and sample collection (soil, water and plant tissue) for research projects and field experiments;
• Compiling, organizing and maintaining laboratory analysis results, field monitoring and project related databases, conducting basic statistical analysis, GIS analysis and mapping of the data and assisting in preparation of scientific reports and manuscripts;

Work environment

As one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, AAFC is proud to celebrate our achievement in creating a diverse, respectful, and positive workplace where all employees are valued and recognized for their unique qualities, ideas, voices and perspectives.

Intent of the process

The intent of the process is to staff the described position on a permanent full-time basis.

In addition, a pool of qualified candidates will be established and may be used by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to staff similar positions with various tenures.

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)

A degree or diploma from a recognized post-secondary institution in geoscience, soil science, agricultural or environmental sciences or in another relevant discipline.

IF YOU HAVE FOREIGN CREDENTIALS, please follow the link below for information on how to obtain a degree equivalency. You must obtain an equivalency, at your own expense, in order to be considered for appointment into the public service.

Degree equivalency

Experience in planning and conducting water quality research under field and laboratory settings.

Experience in surface water, groundwater or soil water monitoring, instrumentation and sampling.

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

Master’s or doctoral degree in soil, geoscience, agriculture, environment sciences or in another relevant discipline from a recognized post-secondary institution

Degree equivalency

Experience in operating, calibrating, and trouble-shooting field monitoring devices such as but not limited to data loggers, ISCO automated samplers, and climate monitoring devices.

Experience in using GIS and mapping.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge of nutrient cycling and water cycling in agricultural landscapes.

Knowledge of laboratory methods for analyses of basic soil, plant tissue and water quality parameters.

Knowledge of laboratory equipment and field monitoring devices related to water and soil research.

• Interactive Communication.
• Adaptability.
• Initiative.
• Teamwork.

Ability to compile and analyze data and summarize results.

Ability to keep and maintain accurate, detailed and well organized records.

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

Knowledge of non-point source pollutions and related soil, water and air quality issues.

Knowledge of subsurface flow and mass transport.

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

Information on employment equity

In support of achieving a diversified workforce, consideration may be given to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the following employment equity groups: aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, visible minorities and women.

Placement of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) employees affected by Work Force Adjustment.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

• Valid driver's license.
• Ability and willingness to work overtime.
• Ability and willingness to travel and work in remote areas.
• Ability and willingness to work with soils, manures, pesticides and other agrochemicals in the laboratory and field settings.
• Ability and willingness to work in variable weather and outdoor conditions (e.g. freezing, wet, bugs, and sloping terrains) continuously for over five hours.
• Ability and willingness to work in shallow water for sampling or monitoring.
• Ability and willingness to work on or around farm machinery.
• Ability and willingness to lift materials up to 15 kg.
• Ability and willingness to do repetitive tasks.

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

ASSESSEMENT INFORMATION

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. Some essential and other qualifications will be assessed through your application. It is your responsibility to provide appropriate examples that illustrate how you meet each qualification. Failing to do so could result in your application being rejected.

Various assessment tools may be used, such as, standardized tests, interviews, references, board member knowledge, etc.

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

A random and/or top down selection of candidates may be used in the determination of those to be given further consideration in the assessment process.

A test may be administered.

An interview may be administered.

Reference checks may be sought.

You must provide proof of your education credentials.

Asset qualifications may be used in the determination of those to be given further consideration in the assessment process.

APPLICATION & CORRESPONDENCE INFORMATION

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.

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).

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

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.

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.