Master's Student - Food Web Ecology In Arctic Coastal Ecosystems - Research Affiliate Program

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

The candidate will be required to be registered as an MSc student in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo under the supervision of Dr. Heidi Swanson (Ph.D.). The candidate will conduct lab and field work out of the University of Waterloo under the joint supervision of Dr. Kevin Hedges (Ph. D.) (Fisheries and Oceans Canada) and Dr. Heidi Swanson.

When submitting an application to this selection process, you will be prompted to answer screening questions concerning the essential education and experience qualifications. When answering these questions, please provide detailed, concrete examples that clearly demonstrate how you meet the requirement. Failure to clearly substantiate how you meet the screening criteria may result in the rejection of your application. Candidates will not be solicited for incomplete or possible missing information.

Duties

Collaborate with wider collaborative team to collect coastal organisms from several sites in Nunavut.
Process and analyze samples for stable isotope analysis
Interact with community members in Nunavut by answering questions, addressing concerns, and presenting results on an annual basis.
Present main study results at the end of the two-year period at one International conference.
Collaborate and interact with other researchers.
Analyze and interpret data, and publish results in government reports and peer-reviewed journals.

Work environment

The Arctic Aquatic Research Division of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Central & Arctic Region, is based at the Freshwater Institute in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Division provides information and advice to support the management of Arctic fisheries resources, their habitat and Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and on the Yukon North Slope. Successful management and conservation of these resources depends on acquiring, interpreting and sharing biological information, the processes affecting them and the ecosystem of which they are part.

In this project, the focus will be on the food web structure of coastal marine environments, which are critical to the livelihoods and well-being of northern communities, and which are senstiive to many stressors, including climate change and invasive species. We will be focusing our work on understanding the impacts of ocean warming and acidification on coastal ecosystem structure and organism health. As a team, we are proposing to test for impacts at the genomic, phenotypic, population, and community levels to provide a mechanistic representation of the processes at play; this particular project will focus on the community level.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

Contact information for 2 references.

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

Possess a Bachelor's in Biology, Environmental Sciences or Resource Management from a recognized post-secondary institution.

Currently enrolled or willing to enroll in a Master of Science program at the University of Waterloo within the Department of Biology. (Starting classes in May or September 2020 semester)

Degree equivalency

Experience with laboratory techniques.

Experience collecting, tabulating, analyzing and reporting scientific data.

Experience in communicating research findings in writing and verbally.

Experience working with research teams and with non-scientists.


*In the context of student recruitment in the federal public service, experience can be acquired through studies, work experience or volunteer activities.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge of ecology, biology, or physiology of common marine organisms.

Ability to communicate orally in English
Ability to communicate in writing in English

Initiative
Adaptability
Organized
Independent
Critical thinking

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance - Note: Each student hired through the Research Affiliate Program (RAP) must meet the security requirements of the position as a condition of employment. Therefore, the student will be asked by the hiring organization to complete security-related documents.

Valid Health Canada medical
Travel and work from remote areas for up to a month
Work on evenings and weekends on occasion

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

Interviews may be conducted in Winnipeg, MB or remotely by telephone. Candidates from outside the Federal Public Service will be required to pay for their own travel expenses.

Reference checks may be sought.

An alternative format (such as Braille) of this notice and Statement of Merit Criteria are available upon request.

Candidates invited to attend an interview will be required to bring proof of their education credentials, in the form of a diploma or official transcript (original documents only).

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/indexe.stm.

Candidates will be communicated with via e-mail. In your application, please include the e-mail address that you wish to use for communication purposes throughout this recruitment initiative. It is your responsibility to verify your e-mail account on a regular basis.

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

Please apply online.

Preference

Preference will be given to Canadian citizens.

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