Water Quality Engineer

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

Health Canada is committed to increasing representation of Black employees and other racialized groups, Indigenous People, women and persons with disabilities. Health Canada would like its workforce to be reflective of the population it serves. Therefore, we encourage candidates to indicate voluntarily on their application if they are a member of one of these groups.

Give yourself the best chance to succeed! As the objective of this process is to assess qualifications needed for the position(s) to be staffed, let us know if you have a functional limitation/ disability, which may affect your performance. For example, contact us if you need assistance in completing and submitting your application. Should you then proceed to the next assessment stage, such as an exam or interview, we will send you an e-mail with additional information on the assessment format so that you can determine if you may require an accommodation (such as a different test format, an adaptive technology, or additional time). Assessment accommodations are designed to remove the obstacles without altering the criteria being assessed so candidates with functional limitations can fully demonstrate their abilities.

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Health Canada welcomes applications from Veterans. We recognize your contribution to Canadians and would like to offer you the opportunity to continue your career in an environment where multi-talented employees with diverse skills are appreciated and supported.

WORK FROM WHERE YOU ARE
Telework may be a possibility for some positions.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME
Health Canada and the Public Health Agency are dedicated to building an inclusive workforce that comprises individuals who have an array of identities, abilities, background, culture, skills, perspectives, and experiences that are representative of Canada’s current and evolving population. We are passionate about fostering a workplace where all people feel welcome, can reach their full potential, and contribute their unique perspectives and experience to the success of the team.

BRING YOUR WHOLE SELF TO WORK
We encourage all qualified candidates to apply, regardless of race, colour, religion, sex (including gender identity and/or expression), national origin, sexual orientation, civil union or relationship status, disability, age, parental status, military service, or other status protected under federal law.

***VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: It is the responsibility of the candidate to clearly outline that they meet each of the screening criteria (i.e., Education and Experience Qualifications, both Essential and Assets) by RESPONDING TO THE SCREENING QUESTIONS IN THE ONLINE APPLICATION. Please note that it is not sufficient to only state that the requirement is met or to provide a listing of current responsibilities, rather, the candidate must provide concrete examples that illustrate how they meet the requirement. Lack of EXAMPLES and DETAILS may result in your application being rejected, as the Assessment Board will have insufficient information to determine whether or not you meet the qualifications. Resumes may be used as a secondary source to validate the qualifications described; comments such as "refer to my attached resume" will not be accepted and may result in your application being rejected.

Duties

- Conducts technical and engineering reviews including public health considerations. Conducts evaluations and assessments of contaminants found in drinking water supplies.
- Develops or revises guidelines and standards related to the above.
- Provides engineering and technical guidance, expertise and advice.
- Acts as a departmental observer/representative in national and international working groups.
- Written and oral presentations.

Work environment

The Safe Environments Directorate's (SED) programs contribute to many significant environmental initiatives across the federal government including: climate change, water quality, air quality, environmental assessment, contaminated sites, chemicals management and more. SED is the largest directorate in Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch (HECSB) and has approximately 370 employees.

Intent of the process

Although the immediate intent of this advertisement is to staff one (1) position indeterminately, applicants should be aware that a pool of qualified candidates (fully assessed or partially assessed) may be established and may be used to staff similar positions within Health Canada. As a result of the potential use of the selection process and subsequent pool by hiring managers, we encourage all employees seeking this type of opportunity to apply.

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:
ED1: Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in civil engineering, environmental engineering or some other engineering specialty relevant to the duties of the position.

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:
EEX1. Significant* experience in evaluating water treatment technology to assess their appropriateness with respect to removal/control of contaminants found in drinking water.
EEX2. Significant* experience in evaluating water quality data to be able to identify a potential human health risk and recommend a control measure or a solution for the situation.
EEX3. Experience in scientific literature review and analysis
EEX4. Experience providing technical guidance to colleagues, clients or stakeholders.
EEX5. Experience working with teams.

Significant* experience is defined as having the depth and breadth of experience that would normally be acquired over a minimum period of two (2) years.

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

Asset Education:
AED1. Graduation with a Masters or Doctoral degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in a natural, physical, applied science or engineering with specialization in a field relevant to the duties of the position, such as chemical, civil, environmental, geological or water resources engineering, microbiology, chemistry, biology.

Degree equivalency

Asset Experience:
AEX1. Experience leading or representing an organization on national or international committees.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge:
EK1. Knowledge of the principles and practices of drinking water treatment processes, water supply and distribution, and water quality monitoring.
EK2. Knowledge of criteria for analysis of contaminants found in drinking water.
EK3. Knowledge of the theories and practices used in risk management of (chemical or microbial) contaminants found in drinking water.
EK4. Knowledge of the theories and practices used in interpreting scientific literature and data.

Abilities:
EA1. Ability to obtain, analyse and evaluate scientific information and data associated with drinking water treatment processes and water quality monitoring.
EA2. Ability to provide advice and guidance on drinking water quality, treatment and monitoring.
EA3. Ability to review scientific and drinking water treatment (engineering) information and develop recommendations for treatment guidelines.
EA4. Ability to communicate scientific information to a non-scientific audience orally.
EA5. Ability to communicate scientific information to a non-scientific audience in writing.
EA6. Ability to work simultaneously on multiple assignments and meet changing priorities.
EA7. Ability to work with multi-disciplinary teams.

Personal Suitabilities:
EPS1. Demonstrating integrity and respect, including respect for diversity
EPS2. Initiative
EPS3. Judgement
EPS4. Attention to detail
EPS5. Effective interpersonal relationships

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

Asset Knowledge:
AK1. Knowledge of Health Canada and roles and responsibilities in Canada for drinking water.
AK2. Knowledge of standards relating to drinking water materials.

Organizational Need:
In support of achieving a diversified workforce, consideration may be given to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the following Employment Equity groups: Aboriginal peoples, Persons with disabilities, Members of visible minorities, and Women.

Operational Requirements:
Ability and willingness to travel.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance - N.B.: Candidates must meet and maintain the above condition of employment throughout their employment.

All employees of the core public administration are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and attest to their vaccination status unless accommodated based on a medical contraindication, religion, or another prohibited ground for discrimination as defined under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

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

As per the Policy on COVID-19 Vaccination for the Core Public Administration Including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, federal public servants in the Core Public Administration and members of the RCMP must attest to their vaccination status. The requirement for employees to be fully vaccinated applies whether they are teleworking, working remotely or working on-site. This is a condition of employment and it applies to indeterminate (permanent), determinate (temporary), casual, and student hiring. Should you reach the point in the selection process where it is necessary to verify terms and conditions of employment then the hiring manager or a human resources representative will contact you in order to complete an attestation.

Please note that depending on the number of applicants and current and future needs and, we may apply asset criteria and/or a ranking order (top/down approach) to determine who will proceed at any stage of the of the process.

Various methods of assessment may be administered (written exam, interview, references, etc.).

Candidates must meet the essential qualifications to be appointed to a position.

Proof of citizenship or Permanent Residence will be required.

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.

Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent; we will contact candidates when the screening process is completed.

Proof of education will be required which includes diploma(s) and transcript(s). Candidates with foreign credentials must provide proof of Canadian equivalency. Consult the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials for further information at http://www.cicic.ca.

All candidates that apply to this selection process must include in their application a valid email address and ensure that this address is functional at all times and that it accepts messages from unknown users. Failure to do so may result in important messages not being received. Communication for this process will be conducted via the e-mail address provided in your application. It is your responsibility to ensure that you check for messages regularly.

All communication relating to this process, including email correspondence and telephone conversations, may be used in the assessment of qualifications.

An assignment/secondment or an acting appointment is a temporary resourcing option. The approval of your substantive supervisor may/will be required before an offer can be made.

If you are an employee of the Public Service, please include your Personal Record Identifier (PRI) in your application, clearly indicate your SUBSTANTIVE GROUP AND LEVEL and your EMPLOYMENT STATUS (indeterminate, determinate, casual, agency, contract, etc.). Note: If you are hired for a determinate period of time, please indicate the start and end date of your current employment. Proof of your employment tenure will be required, upon request.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans first and then to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, 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.