Master’s student –Anadromous Northern Dolly Varden - 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

The candidate will be required to be registered as an MSc student in the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON under the supervision of Heidi Swanson (Ph.D.), and may conduct lab and/or field work out of the Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, MB under the joint supervision of Colin Gallagher (M.N.R.M) and Kim Howland.

When submitting an application to this selection process, you will be prompted to answer screening questions concerning the essential education and experience qualifications. When answering these questions, please provide detailed, concrete examples that clearly demonstrate how you meet the requirement. Failure to clearly substantiate how you meet the screening criteria may result in the rejection of your application. Candidates will not be solicited for incomplete or possible missing information.

Duties

Process and analyze marine fish and invertebrate samples for stable isotopes analysis and other biological analyses (e.g., age, stomach contents).
Participate in Arctic field research programs, as possible.
Interact with community members in Northwest Territories and possibly Nunavut by answering questions, addressing concerns, and presenting results on an annual basis.
Present main study results at the end of the two-year period at one International conference.
Collaborate and interact with other researchers.
Statistically analyze existing data on trophic ecology of anadromous Dolly Varden char in the western Canadian Arctic, and link trophic ecology data (quantitatively) to climate and environmental data.
Interpret data, and publish results in government reports and peer-reviewed journals.

Work environment

The Arctic and Aquatic Research Division of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Ontario and Prairie Region, is based at the Freshwater Institute in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Division provides information and advice to support the management of Arctic fisheries resources, their habitat and Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and on the Yukon North Slope. Successful management and conservation of these resources depends on acquiring, interpreting and sharing biological information, the processes affecting them and the ecosystem of which they are part.

The focus of this project is the trophic ecology of Dolly Varden char, which are critical to the livelihoods and well-being of northern communities in the western Canadian Arctic, and which are sensitive to many stressors, including climate change. We will be focusing our work on understanding trends in trophic ecology and indicators of fish health from an impressive collection of archived samples and data (10+ year time series). Data and samples have been collected from two coastal locations across the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (Canadian Beaufort Sea). Biological data will be paired with environmental data derived from a physical ocean-climate model to investigate potential climatic and environmental drivers of trophic ecology and fish health. Results will help inform fisheries co-management and marine protected area monitoring plans.

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)

Currently enrolled or willing to enroll (must be enrolled by January 2023) in a Master of Science program at the University of Waterloo or Wilfrid Laurier University within the Department of Biology (proof of enrollment will be required before the work term starts).

Degree equivalency

Experience with laboratory techniques, including precision handling of samples, and working with chemicals.
Experience collecting, tabulating, analyzing and reporting scientific data.
Experience in communicating research findings in writing and verbally.
Experience working with research teams and with the general public on science-related activities and topics.

*In the context of student recruitment in the federal public service, experience can be acquired through 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 of ecology, biology, or physiology of common marine organisms

Initiative
Adaptability
Organized
Thinking things through

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

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: Women, Indigenous Peoples, Persons with disabilities, Visible Minorities

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance - Note: Each student hired through the Research Affiliate Program (RAP) must meet the security requirements of the position as a condition of employment. Therefore, the student will be asked by the hiring organization to complete security-related documents.

Valid Health Canada medical
Travel and work from remote areas for up to a month
Work on evenings and weekends on occasion
Maintaining your student status is a condition of employment. Once you have defended your thesis you are no longer eligible for the program.
Willingness and ability to work with firearms and obtain certification for a Possession and Acquisition 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

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.

Reference checks may be sought.

An alternative format (such as Braille) of this notice and Statement of Merit Criteria are available upon request.

Candidates invited to attend an interview will be required to bring proof of their education credentials, in the form of a diploma or official transcript (original documents only).

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/indexe.stm.

Candidates will be communicated with via e-mail. In your application, please include the e-mail address that you wish to use for communication purposes throughout this recruitment initiative. It is your responsibility to verify your e-mail account on a regular basis.

Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line, are asked to contact us toll free at 1-800-645-5605 and press '0' for assistance.

Please apply online.

Preference

Preference will be given to Canadian citizens.

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.