Doctoral or Master Research Assistant in Viral Epidemiology - 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

- Collection of samples in the field;
- Processing of samples in the laboratory;
- Data analysis;
- Manuscript writing

Work environment

The project will be carried out at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu R&D Centre located at 430 Gouin Boul., St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC, J3B 3E6. The candidate will complete his or her graduate program in co-supervision with a university professor who is a partner in the project.

The Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research and Development Centre helps the Canadian horticultural sector to remain competitive and sustainable by developing original knowledge, tools and know-how, primarily in the fields of horticultural crop protection with an approach biovigilance and precision horticulture. The center is very supportive of the departmental priority to "Develop new knowledge, foster innovation and increase the adoption and commercialization of agri-food and agro-industrial products, practices or processes."

The centre has three research sub-stations at L'Acadie, Sainte-Clotilde and at Frelighsburg (Quebec). These sites comprise a total of 245 hectares, characterized by clay and muck soils.

This job posting is the result of a research project aimed at achieving the objectives below:

1. Development of biopesticide against Botrytis: an approach using hypovirulence mycovirus and RNAi mediated gene/Cas-sgRNA system silencing– a focus on the hypersensitive immune response.
Botrytis spp are important fungal pathogens with a host range of over 200 plant species. Botrytis diseases are common in berry and fruit crops, vegetables, ornamentals, and some field crops, posing a global agricultural threat. Chemical fungicides are the main form of control, however, due to B. cinerea developing resistance to chemical controls, alternative methods are needed, namely biocontrols. Hypovirulence mycoviruses that trigger silencing of vital genes of Botrytis will be investigated as potential biocontrols.

2. Viral component of the soil microbiome: Modulation of soil microbial population through bacterial viruses activation.
The soil microbiome contains a variety of viruses that can infect and / or colonize soil nematodes, fungi and bacteria. These viruses can cause hypovirulence or hypervirulence of fungi or change the profile of soil bacteria population. Indeed, the abundance and diversity of beneficial and / or phytopathogenic bacteria that colonize the plant root are modulated by the activity of their bacteriophages. For example, bacteriophages reduce the density of Rhizobium trifolii and Streptomyces spp. of the rhizosphere that play the role of bio-fertilizer and promoter of plant growth. The objective aims to study the viral component of the microbiome of organic soils, the effect of cultural practices on the soil virome and the role soil bacteriophages on soil microbiome stability.

3. Development of bioinformatics pipeline to identify and classify virus vectors via attributes of viral genetic recombination.
For several plant viruses, the vectors (insects, fungi, nematodes, etc.) are unknown, making the rational management of the diseases caused by these viruses very difficult. Using the attributes of viral genetic recombination and classification algorithms could make it possible to identify the potential hosts (or vectors) of these viruses, such a bioinformatics tool would be a major asset for agriculture. The objective of this project is to develop a bioinformatics pipeline for the identification and classification of virus vectors via the attractions of genetic recombination.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

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)

EDUCATION
Currently enrolled/or willing to enroll in a Master’s or doctoral program in a post-secondary educational institution with a specialization in: molecular biology, virology, plant pathology, microbiology, biotechnology, genetics, or any other discipline relevant to the field of study.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE
Experience in performing experiments in the laboratory or in the field.
Experience in collecting and analyzing samples.

*In the context of student recruitment in the Federal Public Service, the experience can be acquired through the studies, work experience, or volunteer activities.

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

French essential

Information on language requirements

COMPETENCIES
Initiative
Continuous learning
Creativity and innovation
Attention to detail

ABILITIES
Ability and willingness to collect samples in the field;
Ability and willingness to process samples in the laboratory;
Ability and willingness to analyze data;
Ability and willingness to write manuscripts

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.

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.

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

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.