Analytical Chemist

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

Only online applications will be accepted. Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line should contact 1-800-645-5605.

The Government of Canada is committed to building a skilled workforce that is representative of Canada's diversity, which includes the recruitment of Canadian Veterans and releasing Canadian Armed Forces personnel: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/jobs/services/public-service-jobs/canadian-armed-forces-members-veterans.html.

We encourage applicants to identify any abilities, competencies, and/or experiences acquired through employment with the Canadian Armed Forces where applicable.

Work environment

At Natural Resources Canada, a Federal government job means developing leadership skills, fostering teamwork, and supporting creativity and innovation. We know it takes people from diverse pools of talent to make this happen. That is why we are looking for people like you. As an employee at Natural Resources Canada, you can enjoy diverse employment opportunities, a range of career development programs, and a learning culture that supports you to learn on an ongoing basis. We support balancing your work and private life by offering the benefits of flexible work arrangements.

Intent of the process

This process will be used to fill 1 CH-03 position on an indeterminate basis.

A pool of (fully or partially) qualified candidates may be established through this process to staff identical or similar positions at Natural Resources Canada (with various tenures (determinate period or indeterminate), various linguistic requirements (indicate the possible staffing methods (imperative and/or non-imperative), language requirements (English Essential, French Essential, English or French Essential and Bilingual) and profile(s) (BBB/BBB, CBC/CBC, CCC/CCC, etc.)), various security requirements (indicate the appropriate requirements), various conditions of employment and for various locations.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter in 2,000 words (maximum)

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

Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in a natural, physical or applied science with specialization in a field relevant to the duties of the position, to include both Chemistry and Geoscience education. The courses for the specialization must be acceptable and must have been taken at a recognized post-secondary institution, but not necessarily within a degree program in the required specialization.

Degree equivalency

• Experience synthesizing, analyzing and interpreting chemical analytical data;
• Experience in chemical method development
• Experience applying solution chemistry procedures for preparing samples for elemental analysis;
• Experience in using approved safety protocols; e.g. during wet-chemistry procedures.
• Experience preparing technical and scientific reports, Standard Operating Protocols,and QA/QC related documentation;

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

• Knowledge of biogeochemical and/or inorganic chemistry and its role in geological and/or biogeochemical research;
• Knowledge of inorganic wet-chemistry digestion protocols; including relevant methods to reduce detection limits in analytical protocols;
• Knowledge of mass spectrometry for elemental analysis;
• Knowledge of data aggregation and statistical methods/techniques including error-propagation.

• Ability to use sound judgement and coaching approaches in dealing with HR situations;
• Ability to work on multiple and multidisciplinary projects;
• Ability to model inorganic chemical reactions using chemical and/or geochemical modelling software.

• Initiative
• Team player
• Flexibility
• Conscientiousness
• Dependability
• Sound judgment

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

Graduation with an acceptable Master’s of Science degree in inorganic chemistry or geochemistry from a recognized university.

Degree equivalency

• Experience performing elemental analysis of natural environmental materials; eg. biogeochemical and/or geological materials;
• Experience in using clean laboratory techniques;
• Experience using chromatographic procedures to isolate elements of interest
• Experience in researching and generating new chemical methods;
• Experience publishing chemical or geochemical methodologies, or data and interpretations in peer-reviewed literature;
• Experience with financial and logistical operations of a laboratory.
• Experience maintaining and operating plasma-based elemental analytical instrumentation; such-as an ICP-OES or ICP-MS;

• Knowledge of conditions related to field sampling and testing
• Knowledge of organic chemistry;
• Knowledge of rock and mineral chemistry;
• Knowledge of chemical reaction modelling techniques.
• Knowledge of partial digestion procedures;

• Ability to use sound judgement and coaching approaches in dealing with HR situations;
• Ability to work on multiple and multidisciplinary projects;
• Ability to model inorganic chemical reactions using chemical and/or geochemical modelling software.

Must be able to perform laboratory bench.and fumehood-scale experimentation
Must be able to perform field-based biogeochemistry

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance - This factor is not used at the screening stage. The hiring department is responsible for the security clearance process.

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

All applications must be submitted online through the Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS).

You will be required to complete an online questionnaire when you apply. You must respond to all statements in all categories in order to proceed to the next steps. You must indicate "NO" if you do not have experience in performing a task related to a specific field.

Your resume may be used to validate the information provided in the screening questions.

NOTE: The PSRS system will time out after 60 minutes which may result in your inability to save your work or loss of data. It is recommended that you draft all responses as well as your CV/résumé in another document on your PC that can be saved (e.g. in MS Word or WordPerfect) and copy/paste into the PSRS system when completed. Natural Resources Canada is not responsible for system problems, which may result in loss or data and/or incomplete or non-submitted applications.

It is the responsibility of the candidate to clearly outline that they meet each of the criteria in the online questionnaire, which is provided during the application process. Please note that it is not enough to only state that the requirement is met or to provide a listing of past or current responsibilities. Rather the candidate must provide concrete and detailed examples that illustrate how they meet the requirement. Failure to do so could result in the application being rejected from the process. The screening board cannot make any assumptions about your experience and will not contact candidates for additional or potentially missing information.

Candidates are strongly encouraged to indicate if they meet any of the asset qualifications or the organizational needs, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed. Meeting one or many of the asset qualifications may be a deciding factor in appointing a candidate amongst the qualified candidates. Please note that one, some or all the asset qualifications could be used at any stage of the staffing process.

Candidates should be prepared to provide proof of education (copy of degree/diploma) and citizenship or permanent resident status. If you have obtained education outside Canada, you will be required to submit proof of evaluation of Canadian equivalency.

Communication for this process will be sent via email. It is the candidate’s responsibility 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).

A variety of assessment tools may be used in the assessment of candidates, such as: * written test, practical test, situational exercise, * oral interview, simulation, presentation, role-play, work samples, performance appraisals and/or * reference checks. Some assessment tools may be administered electronically, others, in-person. (* Indicates those tools that will most likely be used in this process.)

Applicants are entitled to participate in the staffing process in the official language of their choice and are required to indicate their preferred official language in their application profile.

Natural Resources Canada is committed to having a skilled and diversified workforce representative of the population it serves. In support of our strategy to achieve our employment equity goals, preference may be given to candidates who, at the time of application, indicate that they are belonging to one of the following Employment Equity groups (self-declaration): Aboriginal peoples, Women, Visible Minorities and Persons with Disabilities.

Natural Resources Canada is also committed to developing inclusive, barrier-free selection processes and work environments. If contacted in relation to a job opportunity or testing, you should advise Natural Resources Canada in a timely fashion of the accommodation measures which must be taken to enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.

Candidates from outside the public service may be required to pay for travel costs associated with this selection 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.