Forensic Document Examiner - Trainee

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

VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE:

The pre-screening questions will be used as the first source to evaluate the education and experience, essential and asset qualifications. Resumes will be used as a secondary source to validate these competencies.

An accompanying letter will be used to assess the ability in the asset section.

CANDIDATES WILL NOT BE SOLICITED FOR INCOMPLETE OR MISSING INFORMATION.

You must meet all essential qualifications in order to be appointed to the position. Other qualifications may be a deciding factor in choosing the person to be appointed. Some essential and other qualifications will be assessed through your application. It is your responsibility to provide appropriate examples that illustrate how you meet each qualification. Failing to do so could result in your application being rejected.

*** NOTE: Candidates MUST submit their application through the online system available at: GC jobs. Applications submitted in any other format will not be accepted. If there are limitations or special circumstances preventing you from submitting your application via the PSRS online portal, you must contact us AND receive approval to apply via an alternate means PRIOR to the closing date.

When submitting your application to this selection process, you will be required to answer screening questions to demonstrate how you meet the Essential Qualifications (Education and all Essential Experiences) as well as any Asset Qualifications (if applicable).
 
When answering the screening questions, remember that the assessment board cannot make assumptions about your Education and Experience. It is not sufficient to say that you have the required qualifications or to list your current or past responsibilities. Rather, you must provide concrete examples with significant details to explain WHEN, WHERE and HOW you acquired each qualification. This is similar to what would be expected of you when asked to provide a concrete example of a particular situation in the context of an interview.
 
Candidates must also submit a resume with their application, which will only be used to validate the information provided in their answers to the screening questions.
 
Should your responses to the screening questions contain insufficient details to demonstrate that you meet the screening criteria, your application will not be given further consideration in this process. Candidates will not be solicited for incomplete or possible missing information.
 

Work environment

So, you want a new challenge? You think the universe of Sherlock Holmes, Colombo, Hawaii 5-0 or CSI is something exciting? Come and follow traces left on documents and consider a career as a Forensic Document Examiner. If you are curious and have excellent observation skills, this job is a unique opportunity to join the only federal laboratory offering a complete forensic document examination service! This work includes the study of all aspects of forensic document analysis, from handwriting to printing processes. You will also analyse a wide variety of document material such as writing instruments, stamps and many substrates to determine the origin, relative age and authenticity of questioned documents. Scientific instrumentation found in a forensic document laboratory is also something you, as a trainee, will work with, and if needed, you’ll be asked to prepare worksheets to be used in forensic reports.

Intent of the process

The intent is to staff one (1) position immediately and the other position will be anticipatory.

A pool of qualified persons resulting from this process will be created and may be used to fill similar positions with various linguistic profiles and tenures (permanent or term), which may vary according to the position being staffed.

Positions to be filled: 2

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter "A covering letter in 4,999 words (maximum) "***to answer the following question: Do you have the ability to express and present technical material in high level French? If so, please provide concrete examples on how, where and when you have acquired this experience.***""

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

We encourage you to identify any skills, competencies and/or experiences you acquired through a career with the Canadian Armed Forces.

EDUCATION:
Graduation with a degree* from a recognized post-secondary institution with specialization in chemistry;

OR

For multidisciplinary positions classified as CH, the minimum standard is:

Graduation with a degree* from a recognized post-secondary institution in a natural, physical or applied science with specialization in a field relevant to the duties of the position.

Note:
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.

*Unless it is otherwise specified (e.g., Master’s degree), the term “degree” refers to a baccalaureate as established by educational authorities.

NOTE: All candidates must successfully complete their current education program before June 30th, 2023. If found qualified on the other criteria, they will be placed in a partially-qualified pool until they meet the educational criteria. All partially qualified candidates must provide a copy of their university degree once received to be included in the fully qualified pool.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE:
-Experience performing aspects of forensic document examination in a work or academic laboratory environment.

-Significant* experience in any or a combination of the following:
Microscopy;
Imaging / Photography;
Latent Indentations; Examination (ESDA/EDD);
Videospectral Comparator;
Printing Industry;
Graphic Arts.

NOTE:
*Significant is defined as depth and breadth of experience normally associated with the performance of those duties for a period of approximately six (6) months.

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

Various language requirements

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:
-Knowledge of the techniques of quality control in a forensic or analytical laboratory.
-Knowledge of laboratory health and safety procedures.
-Knowledge of analytic methods and instrumentation related to the forensic examination of documents.

ABILITY AND SKILLS:
-Ability to communicate effectively in writing.
-Ability to communicate effectively orally.

PERSONAL SUITABILITY:
-Attention to detail
-Decisiveness
-Adaptability
-Initiative
-Judgment
-Dependability
-Teamwork

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

EDUCATION ASSET:
Graduation with a degree* from a recognized post-secondary in forensic science.

*Unless it is otherwise specified (e.g., Master’s degree), the term “degree” refers to a baccalaureate as established by educational authorities.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE ASSET:
Significant* experience working in a quality system environment.
Significant* experience in the analysis of handwriting (excluding graphology).
Significant* experience as a forensic document examiner.
Significant* experience in microscopy, imaging or biomechanics.
Significant* experience in statistics or mathematics.

NOTE:
*Significant is defined as depth and breadth of experience normally associated with the performance of those duties for a period of approximately six (6) months.

ABILITIES ASSET:
-Ability to express and present technical material in high level French.

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
-Willingness and ability to work overtime as required.
-Willingness and ability to travel.

Conditions of employment

Secret security clearance

-Must successfully pass the colour vision deficiency testing (for example Ishihara).
-Must successfully pass form blindness testing (for example Osborn and Group Embedded Figures Test).

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 will be required to pay for their own travel related to assessment and successful candidates will be responsible for obtaining their own living accommodations.

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

You may be assessed using a variety of assessment tools, such as, but not limited to: standardized tests, written exams, interviews, simulation exercises, reference checks, recent and past performance evaluations, self-assessments, candidate achievement record, etc.

Please note that your overall conduct and communications, including email correspondence, throughout the entire process may be used in the assessment of qualifications and competencies.

You must provide proof of your education credentials. If you were educated outside of Canada, you must have your certificates and/or diplomas assessed against Canadian education standards. For more information please click on “Degree Equivalency” in the Education section above. 

LEAVE/ABSENCES DURING THIS SELECTION PROCESS: It is the responsibility of the candidate to notify the Departmental contact of any pre-approved leave throughout the duration of the process in order to facilitate scheduling of evaluations. One alternate date will be possible only if requested for the following reasons: 1) Medical reasons with doctor’s certificate 2) Death in your immediate family 3) Confirmation of pre-approved travel plans or training plans (made before the advertisement posting date) 4) Religious reasons or 5) Participation in an assessment for another selection process.

Please note that achieving the pass mark on any of the assessments used does not mean you will move forward in the selection process. Management may decide to use a score that is higher than the pass mark on any of the evaluations used throughout the selection process. Management may also decide to use top-down selection at any stage of the process.

Management may choose to invoke an asset(s) at any point of the process.


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OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
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Persons are entitled to participate in the selection process in the official language of their choice. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.

Official language proficiency: due to its unique character, this essential qualification could be assessed and required solely upon appointment. It is therefore the candidate’s responsibility to inform the person in charge of the selection process if he/she obtains the linguistic requirements after the pool has been established. Also, a person who initially failed linguistic testing could be introduced into the pool of qualified candidates during the pool’s validity period if he/she is assessed again through another selection process or following linguistic training.

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COMMUNICATION
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Communication for this process will be sent via email. Applicants MUST check their e-mail accounts frequently as there may be a deadline for responses. 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). Please note that we will have to consider that you are no longer interested in participating in the selection process and that you have withdrawn your candidacy should you not provide us with an up-to-date email address or respond to our communications.

If you need to communicate with us during any stage of this process, please indicate the selection process number in the subject field of your email.

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

Indeterminate employees at the same group and level or equivalent could be considered for deployment. If no deployment is made, applicants from other groups and levels will be considered in the advertised appointment process.

An assignment/secondment or an acting appointment requires approval of your supervisor.

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.