Master's degree on the vegetation recovery in the Fox Creek area (Alberta) - Research Affiliate Program

Important messages

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Assessment accommodation

On October 6, 2021, the Government of Canada announced details of its plans to require vaccination across the federal public service.
As per the new 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 (term), 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.

To be considered for Research Affiliate Program (RAP) work opportunities, you must meet the following criteria:
► Be registered at the University of Alberta (UofA) for this MSc degree.
► Be the minimum age to work in the province or territory where the job is located.

Duties

We are seeking a highly motivated MSc student to work on a collaborative project evaluating plant community and functional recovery in disturbed forest ecosystems. Forests developed for industrial uses and then reclaimed to a natural state are rarely evaluated to determine if reclamation objectives have been achieved. The MSc student will design a research study that will collect plant community data, including functional trait properties, at sites across a range of disturbance intensities (e.g., forest harvest, reclaimed well pads, seismic lines) near Fox Creek, Alberta. The study will explore if (and how fast) plant communities recover after oil and gas activities. The student will look at functional plant composition of seismic lines and/or well pads across an age gradient. Using a response and effect trait framework, the student will be able to quantify recovery of important ecosystem properties through time (seismic line or well pad age) and to assess whether reference-level functionality is being attained, or how fast it might get there. The broader goal of this study is to use the information from this study to develop early indicators for community functional trajectory, and formally compare succession pathways between seismic lines and/or well pads and other disturbance types to evaluate the impact of these disturbances on ecosystem multi-functionality.
Students with an interest in plant community ecology, and disturbance ecology are encouraged to apply.

Intent of the process

The intention is to staff one student position for the completion of an MSc.
MSc on Plant Community Recovery in Anthropogenically Disturbed Forest Ecosystems.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter

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:
• The candidate must be in her/his final year of a BSc degree from a recognized university with specialization in an Environmental Science field such as Biology, Ecology or Environmental science. This MSc will be conditional on obtaining the BSc degree in May/June 2022.
• The candidate must have good grades (average > 3.3). A copy of your transcript will be requested.

Degree equivalency

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Abilities and Skills
• Ability to communicate effectively orally.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

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

Experience
• Experience* with preparing and analyzing ecological datasets.
* In the context of student recruitment in the federal public service, experience can be acquired through studies, work experience or volunteer activities.

Knowledges
• Knowledge of scientific concepts in forest ecology and in restoration ecology.
• Botanical knowledge including Canadian flora identification.

Personal suitabilities:
• Motivation
• Need to be able to work efficiently in a collaborative team
• Independence.

Conditions of employment

• The student will need to go through a security investigation (as any federal employee).
• The student will need to be registered at the University of Alberta (UofA) for this MSc degree, where his/her advisor will be located, and reside in or close to Edmonton due to the location of fieldwork (in the Fox Creek area).
• The student must be ready to do regular fieldwork and irregular work hours.
• The student must be ready to travel for relatively long periods (a few days/weeks).
• The student must have a valid driver’s license.

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

For this selection process, it is our intention to communicate with candidates via email. Candidates must include a valid email address in their application. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that this address is functional and that it accepts messages from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).

A written examination may be administered.
An interview may be conducted.
Reference will be sought.

You must provide proof of your education credentials. 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/.

Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice.

You must indicate on your application if you require a technical aid for testing or an alternative method of assessment.

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

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.