Fire Research Officer

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

Work environment

Wildfires are a natural element of Canadian forest ecosystems, but increasingly threaten communities, resources, and infrastructure across the country. The Fire Research Officer (FRO) uses interdisciplinary skills from forestry, meteorology, soil science, ecology, and other disciplines to study wildfire behaviour and impacts. Working in a team with other researchers and technicians, the FRO applies research methods, collects data in the field, undertakes data analysis and modelling, leads research projects, prepares material for peer-reviewed papers, writes technical reports, and communicates findings to external partners to inform fire management and public safety objectives. Work may include deploying, operating, or maintaining specialized measurement and sensing equipment in field and laboratory settings. The FRO position will involve spending multiple weeks in the field annually as well as liaising with external partners in a variety of settings as needed.

Intent of the process

A pool of (fully or partially qualified) candidates may be established through this process to staff identical or similar positions within Natural Resources Canada with various tenures , various language requirements (English Essential, French Essential, English or French Essential, or Bilingual), linguistic requirements (imperative and/or non-imperative) and profile(s) (BBB/BBB, CBC/CBC, CCC/CCC, etc.), various security requirements (Reliability status or Secret clearance), 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)

Graduation with a degree in forestry or wood science from a recognized post-secondary institution, or graduation with a degree in a related science from a recognized post-secondary institution combined with acceptable experience.

Degree equivalency

E1. Experience leading a forestry project team.
E2. Experience in wildfire or forestry fieldwork.
E3. Experience with a statistical programming language such as R, SAS, Matlab, Python.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

K1. Knowledge of forest or vegetation measurement, sampling and analysis methods.
K2. Knowledge of research methods within the natural sciences.
K3. Knowledge of wildfire management in Canada.

A1. Ability to collaborate with others to develop, plan and carry out effective research projects.
A2. Ability to effectively communicate orally in English.
A3. Ability to review and evaluate information, prepare technical reports, and assist with the preparation of scientific papers in English.
A4. Ability to present scientific results to a wide range of audiences

PS1. Initiative
PS2. Judgement
PS3. Effective interpersonal relations

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

ED1. Graduate degree in forest fire research from a recognized post-secondary institution, or a graduate degree in a related field from a recognized post-secondary institution.
ED2. Successful completion of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre Advanced Fire Behaviour (S-490) or Wildfire Behaviour Specialist (S-590), or equivalent.
ED3.Meets the requirements to qualify as a professional forester in British Columbia.

Degree equivalency

E5. Experience in knowledge transfer activities or engagement on wildfire, forest management, or forest meteorology.
E6. Experience working on fire behaviour, fire management, or fire operations programs or topics.
E7. Experience with GIS.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

Valid driver’s licence
Able to do field work, under adverse environmental conditions in remote areas for extended periods.
Able to work flexible hours and overtime
Health Canada medical assessment for fieldwork
Able to travel within Canada, and abroad, including travel by car and air

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 GC Jobs website. DO NOT email, fax or mail in applications, as these will NOT be accepted..

Acknowledgment of receipts of applications will not be sent; we will only contact successful applicants when the screening process has been completed.


Applicants are required to meet the Essential Qualifications. Asset Qualifications MAY be applied at any point in the assessment process. Therefore, you are strongly encouraged to answer Asset Qualifications questions in your online application. Applicants do not need to meet any/all of the Asset Qualifications for consideration, however, possessing any/all of the Asset Qualifications may increase the likelihood of being considered for an appointment.

Natural Resources Canada is committed to establishing and maintaining a representative workforce. This organizational need may be identified as part of the appointment decision. In such cases, qualified candidates who self-declare as members of a visible minority group, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities or women (in non-traditional occupations) could be considered in priority.

An interview may be sought.

A written test may be administered.

A situational exercise may/will be administered.

Reference checks may be sought.

Random selection and/or top-down selection may be used at any time during the process to identify which applicants will be further assessed.

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.

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

If you are selected for further consideration, please advise the person who will contact you of any accommodations you may require during the selection process.

Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.

Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice.
The Public Service of 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 the Public Service Commission or the departmental official 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.

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.