Environmental Effects Monitoring Specialist

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

Here’s how the assessment process is expected to go:

STEP 1- APPLY ONLINE

You will first need to create an account, if you don’t already have one;
https://emploisfp-psjobs.cfp-psc.gc.ca/psrs-srfp/applicant/page1710?createNewAccntAftPNS=createNewAccntAftPNS&toggleLanguage=en

Once your account is created, you can create a profile and upload your résumé. You will also need to answer a questionnaire. When answering the questionnaire, please follow the suggested format provided under each question to ensure all the required information is provided. A ''copy and paste'' from your résumé will not be accepted.

The “essential” qualifications identified in the questionnaire are mandatory. Please explain how you meet the essential education and experience qualifications. We can’t make any assumptions about your experience. Simply saying you have the required qualifications or listing your current duties is not enough. The information provided must enable the Selection Board Members to understand HOW (clear explanation of duties), WHEN and for HOW LONG (date and length of time in months or years), and WHERE (employer and geographic location) the experience was acquired.

Your resume may be used to confirm the information provided. Candidates will not be solicited for incomplete or missing information. A lack of information may result in your application not being considered any further.

STEP 2 – SCREENING THE APPLICATIONS

Your responses to the questionnaire and your résumé will be reviewed to determine if you have the essential education and experience factors described below. Depending on the number of applicants, this process can take some time. Note that asset experience factors are not required for the positions, but they may be used to further assess which candidates are best suited for specific positions.

STEP 3 - FURTHER ASSESSMENT

If you have been screened in through the first stage of the process, you may be invited to complete further assessment steps, which may include an interview, exam and/or reference check.

Once these assessments are complete you will receive confirmation on whether you have qualified to the staffing pool.

Duties

Key duties of Environmental Effects Monitoring Specialist (EEM) staff include but are not limited to:

Lead, coordinate and provide direction on regulatory requirements, guidance and data analysis & interpretation related to the use of EEM data to evaluate the effectiveness of FA regulations in protecting the aquatic environment.

Provides scientific and technical advice in the development and implementation of EEM regulatory and non-regulatory initiatives

Work with various stakeholders including other levels of government, academia, Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), the public, industry, etc., in the development, planning, administration and evaluation of EEM regulatory and non-regulatory initiatives.

In delivering on her/his role, EEM staff may work on various documents such as:
• With respect to regulatory EEM initiatives: policy papers, public consultation documents, scientific and technical assessments, briefing materials for senior management and various documents (e.g. letters, fact sheets) to support industry in complying with EEM requirements.
• Technical guidance for the conduct of EEM studies to support the use of scientifically sound and best practices by industry.
• National assessments of EEM data (data & statistical analysis, interpretation)

Work environment

The Environmental Protection Branch of ECCC is comprised of staff that develop and administer regulations under the Fisheries Act (FA) to protect Canadian waters from pollution. Environmental Effect Monitoring (EEM) studies are a key mechanism used in FA regulations to gather information about the effects of pollutant deposits on fish, benthic invertebrates, and contaminant levels in fish tissues (e.g. mercury or selenium). These effects are then assessed by EEM staff to determine how protective the Department’s current water pollution control measures are.

EEM staff is comprised of scientists from various disciplines who evolve in a regulatory and scientific context. If you want to use your scientific knowledge and experience to improve the protection of water bodies in Canada, this job is for you.

As your future employer, we are committed to providing you with opportunities for learning and development and to supporting employees who have innovative ideas and new perspectives in influencing the course of things and achieving excellence. Our organization is also committed to ensure the well-being of all its employees through a healthy work-life balance.

Intent of the process

A pool may be created to staff vacant positions with various tenures (indeterminate, specified period, deployment, acting, acting extensions, assignment, secondment), language requirements (English Essential, French Essential, or Bilingual imperative) and profiles (BBB/BBB, CBC/CBC) and/or security requirements (reliability or secret) within Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Positions to be filled: 2

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, with acceptable specialization in biology, ecology, limnology or some other science relevant to the position.

Degree equivalency

Experience:
EX1. Significant** and recent*** experience in designing, conducting or coordinating research, monitoring or impact assessment studies or related projects on aquatic ecosystems.
EX2. Significant** experience in analyzing (including performing statistical analysis) and interpreting physico-chemical and biological data on aquatic ecosystems.
EX3. Experience* synthesizing and communicating technical or scientific information to non-technical audiences.
EX4. Significant** experience writing technical reports, scientific publications or other documents on environmental issues.

* Experience is defined in relation to the various nature of the tasks carried out and to the duration of the experience of at least 1 year.

** Significant is defined in relation to the various nature of the tasks carried out and to the duration of the experience of at least 3 years.

*** Recent is defined as experience acquired within the last 7 years.

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

Various language requirements
VARIOUS LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS:
English essential, French essential, Bilingual imperative (BBB/BBB, CBC/CBC)

Information on language requirements

Second Language Writing Skills Self-Assessment
In order to help you decide if you should apply to a bilingual position, an optional self-assessment of your writing skills in your second official language is available for you to take before completing your application.

For more information, please consult:
Unsupervised Internet Test of Second Language Writing Skills

Knowledge:
K1: Knowledge of monitoring strategies and methods or techniques to assess impacts on aquatic ecosystem health.
K2: Knowledge of potential impacts associated with effluent (e.g. from mining, pulp and paper or wastewater sectors) or contaminants on aquatic ecosystem health.
K3: Knowledge of statistical analysis principles and common tests.

Abilities:
A1: Ability to communicate effectively in writing.
A2: Ability to communicate effectively orally.
A3: Ability to analyze information and provide recommendations.
A4: Ability to manage multiple competing tasks and projects under tight timelines.

Personal Suitability:
PS1: Leadership
PS2: Judgement
PS3: Showing initiative and being action-oriented
PS4: Dependability
PS5: Attention to details

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

AED1: A Master’s degree or postgraduate degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in a science relevant to the duties of the position.

Degree equivalency

AEX1: Experience* working or consulting with interested parties (such as Indigenous, industry, environmental, government or community groups or governmental representatives) on environmental projects.
AEX2: Experience* in working with legal instruments related to environmental protection.
AEX3: Significant** recent*** experience in performing statistical analysis, including multivariate analysis and non-parametric tests, on large and complex set of environmental data.
AEX4: Significant** recent*** experience in Access database management.
AEX5: Experience* with environmental assessment or management for developments such as mining, municipal, oil sands, or other energy projects.
AEX6: Experience* leading a project or working group.

Conditions of employment

Conditions of employment:
Reliability Status or Secret security clearance (depending on the position being staffed)
Willingness and ability to work overtime occasionally.
Willingness and ability to travel occasionally.
Willingness and ability to work long hours in front of a computer

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

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

A written examination, an interview and/or a reference check may be part of the candidates' assessment.

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.

All information obtained throughout the selection process, from the time of application to close of process, may be used to evaluate the candidates.

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).

A pass mark will be established for each qualification. However, achieving the pass mark is not guarantee of an appointment or that candidates will advance to the next stages of the assessment process. A cut-off score (in other words, establishing a higher threshold than the pass mark and selecting only the candidates who meet this threshold) and a top-down approach (in other words, establishing a maximum number of candidates who can proceed to the next assessment stage) may be used at any step if there is a sufficient number of candidates to meet immediate and anticipated staffing needs.

Depending on the requirements of the position(s) being staffed from this process, for current or future vacancies, any or all of the asset qualifications, operational requirements, and organizational needs may be applied at the time of staffing. Candidates may be contacted and assessed against these criteria at any time during this process.

If you are already working for the Public Service, please clearly identify your substantive group and level, your employment status, and PRI on your resume / application.

Candidates will be required to submit a copy of his/her education documentation. 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/.

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.