Graduate Research Assistant (PhD student) - 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

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

Including, but not limited to: raising the diversity panel in green house and in field, DNA extraction, whole-genome genotyping, phenotyping of morphological, FHB resistance and physiological traits, bioinformatics and statistical analysis of sequencing and field performance data using python and R, writing manuscripts for peer- reviewed publications, and presenting the research findings at national/ international conferences.

Work environment

The site of work is Lethbridge Research and Development Centre in Alberta, equipped with state of the art instruments, growth cabinets and other infrastructure including computational biology and bioinformatics. Work will be done in the sustainable cereal genomics laboratory. The lab is a supportive team environment, with a research scientist, technicians and graduate students where work will be carried out independently following working alone policies of the AAFC, in collaborative teams, and common space in the building will be shared between research groups. AAFC also provides excellent learning opportunities including regular trainings and invited seminars for the career success of the graduate students.

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 eligible to be accepted in a PhD program in one of the following field: plant breeding, plant genetics, plant pathology, plant bioinformatics or plant computational biology from the University of Lethbridge (or) University of Alberta (or) University of Manitoba.

Degree equivalency

Experience:
Experience* in Phenotyping of yield, agronomic, disease resistance and physiological traits in crops
Experience* DNA and RNA isolation
Experience* in growing plants in field, green house and growth cabinets.
Experience* in proficiency in statistical software ‘R’ for data collection, management and analysis or proficiency in analysis including ‘Python’ for bioinformatics analysis

*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)

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge:
Knowledge of fundamentals of crop genomics and breeding
Knowledge of principles of quantitative genetics
Knowledge of field experimental designs
Knowledge of plant pathology

Competencies:
Teamwork
Planning and organization
Interactive communication
Critical thinking

Abilities:
Ability to grow plants in growth cabinet
Ability to do DNA extraction
Ability to do phenotyping of disease resistance
Ability to do phenotyping of physiological traits
Ability to do programming in ‘R’ or in ‘python’
Ability to do statistical analysis of data under the guidance of supervisors
Ability to write manuscripts under the guidance of supervisors

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 - 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.

Conditions of Employment:
Ability to work during evenings
Ability to work during weekends during crossing season and field season.

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 the email referenced below under “Contact Information”.

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.