Research Scientist – Post Harvest Phenomics/Metabolomics

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).

Preference may be given to the following employment equity groups: Aboriginal peoples and Women.

Duties

The position requires scientific innovation and leadership in the area of Fruit Postharvest Biochemistry/Metabolomics. The successful candidate will be part of a multidisciplinary team of scientists at Summerland Research and Development Centre (RDC) working on Apple and Sweet Cherry Quality and Germplasm Development.

The incumbent will have access to state-of-the-art laboratories and research field sites, will be involved in postharvest science at Summerland RDC, and will have the opportunity to collaborate with stakeholders in academia and industry. Research Scientists have access to competitive core and external funding opportunities, and are supported by technical and administrative staff. Research Scientists are encouraged to seek university affiliation and co-supervise graduate students.

Work environment

Research at the Centre is focused on building resilient and profitable horticultural production systems. The relatively mild climate in southern BC allows the production of high-value tender fruit crops (tree fruits, grapes, berries) that cannot be grown in most regions of the country. The Centre is in an ecologically sensitive location and surrounded by urban development. The unique setting and limited water supply inspires researchers at the Centre to focus on sustainable crop production practices to help preserve and enhance the resilience of such sensitive environments within and across Canada. For more information on the Summerland Research and Development Centre, please visit: http://https://profils-profiles.science.gc.ca/en/research-centre/summerland-research-and-development-centre.

Intent of the process

The immediate need is to staff 1 permanent position in Summerland, BC. A pool of qualified candidates may be established through this process and may be used to staff identical or similar SE-RES positions within Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada with various tenures, various linguistic requirements or profiles, various security requirements, various conditions of employment and for various locations.

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 program from a recognized post-secondary institution in fruit postharvest physiology or biochemistry, plant metabolomics or plant physiology or another scientific field related to the duties of the position.

Applications will be accepted from candidates enrolled in their final year, but who have not yet completed a Ph.D. program. Completion of the Ph.D. thesis must occur before the date of appointment.

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:
Recognized achievement in the form of authorship and editorship of published or unpublished reports, books, papers, peer-reviewed scientific journals, or other communications resulting from:
a) Research, experimental development, or tasking associated with operational equipment and problems; OR
b) Operational research and scientific analysis; OR
c) Planning, analysis and evaluation of Canadian and foreign programs in research and development; OR
d) Developmental work leading to the issue of patents, copyrights, or the creation of improved varieties, functions, or designs, and/or recognition by the professional community of the research environment.
Experience with analytical tools used in biochemical or metabolomic analysis of plant tissues.
Experience analyzing and interpreting plant physiological, biochemical or phenomic data.
Experience conducting scientific research in plant biochemistry, metabolomics, physiology or phenomics.

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

EXPERIENCE:
Experience writing research grant applications.
Experience working on a multi-disciplinary science team.
Experience managing multi-year projects with associated human resource, budgetary, and planning functions.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

KNOWLEDGE:
Knowledge of tree fruit physiology/biochemistry/metabolomics relating to postharvest responses or performance of the fruit in storage.
Knowledge of postharvest technologies in maintaining tree fruit quality.

COMPETENCIES:
Adaptability
Teamwork
Initiative

ABILITIES:
Ability to communicate complex scientific subject matter.
Ability to interact with sector stakeholders to garner support and research direction.

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

Valid driver’s license.
Ability and willingness to travel.
Ability and willingness to work flexible hours including evenings and weekends.
Ability and willingness to control allergies, through the use of personal protective equipment and/or medication without impinging on the duties to be performed.

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.

Depending on the number of applicants, volume management strategies such as random selection, top-down approach and/or establishing cut-off scores to determine who will continue in the staffing process, may be used for the purpose of managing applications. Please note that although you may attain the established pass mark on any of the assessments used in this staffing process, management may decide to use a higher cut off score.

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.

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.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/jobs/services/gc-jobs.html.

Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line are asked to contact the email referenced below under "Contact Information".

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).

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.