Laboratory Chemist II (5 streams)

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

Stream 1: Laboratory Chemist II, Health Products Laboratory
Stream 2: Laboratory Chemist II, Drug Analysis Service Laboratory
Stream 3: Laboratory Chemist II, Cannabis Laboratory
Stream 4: Laboratory Chemist II, Food Laboratory
Stream 5: Laboratory Chemist II, Pesticide Laboratory

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.

You may also review jobs open to the public through INFOTEL at 1-800-645-5605. The INFOTEL number for persons using a TTY/TDD is 1-800-532-9397.

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.

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.

**PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR RESPONSES TO THE PRE-SCREENING QUESTIONS WILL BE USED TO EVALUATE YOUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY IN WRITING.

Duties

Laboratory Chemists are responsible for the analysis, method development and validation, and data interpretation for studies of chemicals and/or other materials for internal and external clients, management and stakeholders of Health Canada.

You will be part of a team of Laboratory Chemists who plan, organize and conduct routine and non-routine analysis for objectives specified by clients or management. You will be analyzing and interpreting various forms of data from laboratory tests and/or research experiments, in order to draw conclusions and create reports.

Other duties include operating and maintaining scientific instruments, developing and applying laboratory quality control procedures, observing and promoting safe laboratory practices, maintaining knowledge of emerging scientific trends and evolving technologies, participating in team meetings and scientific conferences/workshops, and potentially testifying in court for legal proceedings.

Work environment

Are you interested in working at a cutting-edge organization that values both your physical and psychological health and wellness, provides rich career development opportunities and rewards innovation? Health Canada is among Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2021 in addition to being recognized as Top employer for Young People since 2015 and as Best Diversity Employer since 2010! Don’t miss your opportunity to not only enjoy the unparalleled benefits of the public service, but to get so much more on our award-winning team!

Health Canada is the federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health, while respecting individual choices and circumstances.

We offer a people-oriented environment that strives for management excellence. We are working to implement innovative measures to promote the development and maintenance of a healthier, more inclusive and flexible workplace.

Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch (ROEB) effectively delivers Health Canada's programs and services across the country. ROEB has laboratories located in Scarborough (Ontario), Ottawa (Ontario) Burnaby (British Columbia) and Longueuil (Quebec). These laboratories conduct chemical and microbiological analyses in support of Health Canada's mandate with respect to food, pharmaceuticals, natural health products, and controlled substances.

Intent of the process

This process will be used to establish a partially assessed pool of candidates to staff Laboratory Chemist II positions with various security requirements, with various linguistic requirements (Bilingual imperative BBB/BBB, Bilingual Imperative B-B/B-B or English Essential), conditions of employment as well as various tenures (acting, assignment/secondment, deployment, term and/or indeterminate) within Health Canada. As a result of the potential and possible use of the selection process and subsequent pool by hiring managers, we encourage all employees seeking this type of opportunity to apply.

As positions become available, applicants will be contacted for further assessment based on the needs of the hiring manager.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

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

EDUCATION

All streams:
Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with specialization in chemistry.

Note:
1. 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.
a. If you have not completed a chemistry degree program, courses in general chemistry or the five traditional sub-disciplines of chemistry (Organic, Inorganic, Analytical, Physical and Biochemistry) could be considered in determining whether you have a sufficient specialization in chemistry.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE

All streams:
Experience* in an analytical chemistry laboratory .
*Relevant experience obtained during the applicant’s academic career can be acceptable.

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

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS

EXPERIENCE

Stream 1: Recent and significant** experience working in an analytical chemistry laboratory testing health products;
Stream 2 & 3: Recent and significant** experience working in a forensic drug laboratory;
Stream 2 & 3: Recent and significant** experience with the analysis of cannabis products;
Stream 1, 3, 4 & 5: Recent and significant** experience with trace analysis;
Stream 4: Recent and significant** experience in the analyses of nutritional components and/or chemical contaminants in food, environmental, biological or equivalent matrices;
All streams: Recent and significant** experience working with various laboratory instruments, including but not limited to, Liquid Chromatography (LC), Gas Chromatography (GC), Mass Spectrometry (MS), Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) instruments and/or Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR);
All streams: Recent and significant** experience with instrumental software such as Empower, OpenLab, UNIFI and Masshunter;
All streams: Recent and significant** experience with method development, validation and verification;
All streams: Experience working in an accredited laboratory (i.e. ISO/IEC 17025, GMP, GLP, or a laboratory with an equivalent management system);
All streams: Experience working in a Health Canada Laboratory.

** Recent and significant is defined as at least two (2) months of cumulative experience acquired within the last two (2) years.

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

Various language requirements
English essential: Scarborough, ON and Burnaby, BC.
Bilingual Imperative B-B/B-B and BBB/BBB: Longueuil, QC and Ottawa, ON.

Information on language requirements

ABILITIES

All streams:
Ability to communicate effectively in writing;
Ability to communicate effectively orally.

PERSONAL SUITABILITY

All streams:
Respectful of diversity;
Effective interpersonal skills;
Thinking things through.

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

ABILITY

All streams:
Ability to set priorities and meet deadlines.

PERSONAL SUITABILITY

All streams:
Attention to detail;
Initiative;
Values and Ethics.

ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS

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.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

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 CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

All streams:
Willingness to travel occasionally;
Willingness to work overtime and weekends as required;
Willingness to be on call;
Exposure to chemical smells and/or other noxious odours;
Potential exposure to chemical and microbiological agents, dusts, pollens and moulds;
Possession of a valid driver’s license may be required for some positions.

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.

Candidates may be required to meet the asset qualification, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed. Meeting the asset qualifications may be a deciding factor in appointing a particular candidate amongst the qualified candidates. Please note that the asset qualifications could be used at the screening phase.

Reference checks may be sought.

An interview may be administered.

A test may be administered.

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

For this process, emails are the most efficient way to communicate with you. Candidates who apply to this selection process must include an email address that accepts email from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email). If you do not wish to receive results by email or if you change your email address during the process, it is your responsibility to inform us.

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.

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.

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.

Please note that volume management strategies, such as random selection, top-down approach, invoking any asset(s) and/or cut-off scores, MAY be used at any point in the staffing process for the purpose of managing volumes of applications/candidates.

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.