Research Scientist, Climate Change and Forest Ecology (Dendroecologist)

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 Government of Canada is committed to building a skilled workforce that is representative of Canada's diversity, which includes the recruitment of Canadian Veterans and releasing Canadian Armed Forces personnel: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-servicecommission/jobs/services/publicservice-jobs/canadian-armed-forcesmembers-veterans.html

We encourage applicants to identify any abilities, competencies, and/or experiences acquired through employment with the Canadian Armed Forces where applicable.

Duties

Working with a multidisciplinary team of scientists, technicians, and analysts as well as with decision makers in different areas of the country, you will carry out research on regional, national and international issues important to policy development, management of forests, and forest resilience in a changing climate.

The successful candidate will plan, develop and conduct a research program in dendroecology and forest ecosystem resilience in Canada, designed to fit within national forestry research priorities. The detailed components of such a program would be subject to internal review, and depend upon opportunities for collaboration with other researchers, both within CFS and in other research centers, including academia, industry and other government agencies. Additionally, the successful candidate will lead and manage an established dendroecology lab and associated research services.

Specific research areas could include but are not limited to:
• Dendroecological approaches to understanding how climate extremes and impacts of climate change affect the resilience of Canada’s forests
• the interaction of multiple disturbances, such as fire, insects, drought, on growth and mortality of Canada’s forests
• development of climate-sensitive forest ecosystem and/or growth and yield models.

Work environment

At Natural Resources Canada, a Federal government job means developing leadership skills, fostering teamwork, and supporting creativity and innovation. We know it takes people from diverse pools of talent to make this happen. That is why we are looking for people like you. As an employee at Natural Resources Canada you can enjoy diverse employment opportunities, a range of career development programs, and a learning culture that supports you to learn on an ongoing basis. We support balancing your work and private life by offering the benefits of flexible work arrangements.

The Northern Forestry Centre is a leading forest science research facility recognized for its expertise in fire, climate change, and restoration and more generally in the ecology and productivity of forest ecosystems. Our team is comprised of a vibrant group of scientific researchers, policy analysts and administrative staff in a creative and stimulating work environment. The research centre is located in Edmonton, Alberta.

Intent of the process

A pool of (fully or partially qualified) candidates may be established through this process to staff with identical or similar positions within Natural Resources Canada with various tenures, various language requirements (English Essential, French Essential, English or French Essential, or Bilingual), linguistic requirements (imperative and/or non-imperative) and profile(s) (BBB/BBB, CBC/CBC, CCC/CCC, etc.), various security requirements (Reliability status or Secret clearance), various conditions of employment and for various locations.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter "Candidates must submit a cover letter which clearly demonstrates how they meet each of the screening criteria (i.e. essential education and experience qualifications). For the experience criteria, please note that it is not sufficient to only state that the qualification is met or to provide a listing of current or past responsibilities. The candidate must provide concrete examples to demonstrate that the qualification is met. In addition, the candidate is encouraged to describe in detail when, where and how he/she gained the experience. The letter should be no more than 2,500 words."

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

Education:
• Graduation with an acceptable doctoral degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in a field of the natural sciences related to the duties of the position, or the employer-approved alternative for the SE classification.

NOTE: The employer-approved alternative for the SE classification is an acceptable master's or bachelor's degree coupled with acceptable research, training and experience. The degree must be from a recognized post-secondary institution and in scientific fields and specialties related to the duties of the position. The training and experience must clearly demonstrate the ability to do personal research of doctoral degree calibre.

Productivity/Recognition:
• Recognized achievement in the form of authorship and editorship of published or unpublished reports, books, papers, or other communications resulting from operational research and scientific analysis.

Degree equivalency

Experience:
· Planning, conducting, and leading scientific studies in climate change effects on forest ecosystems, including field-based campaigns.
· In applying current dendroecological approaches to understanding climate change and forest resilience, such as changes in growth and yield, forest insect and wildfire impacts, or drought.
· Collecting, compiling, analyzing and interpreting data and results.
· Communicating results of research through scientific publications, reports and presentations.
· Supervising professional or technical staff.

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

Asset Experience:
· Experience in the design, development, and testing of computer simulation models that simulate forest carbon cycles, forest stand dynamics and forest disturbances.
· Experience in developing successful research funding proposals.
· Experience with spatial data analysis.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Knowledge:
· Of forest dynamics and natural disturbances in Canadian forests
· Of the management of forests in the context of both climate change mitigation and adaptation

Abilities:
· Ability to prepare research proposals.
· Ability to communicate effectively orally.
· Ability to communicate in writing to both scientific and non-scientific audiences.

Personal Suitability:
· Leadership
· Vision and strategic thinking
· Effective interpersonal relationships
· Adaptability

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

Selection may be limited to members of the following Employment Equity groups: Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, women

Information on employment equity

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
· Willing and able to travel within Canada and abroad
· Valid First Aid and CPR
· Fieldwork
· Valid Canadian driver’s license

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status security clearance

Health Canada Medical clearance for Field Work.

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

The hiring organization will accept applications on-line only. All job applications must therefore be submitted through the Government of Canada jobs website. To submit an application on-line, please select the button “Apply Online” below. Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line are asked to contact the person named below.

It is our intention to communicate with candidates via email for assessment purposes. This will include communication of invitations to written tests and interviews. To that end, 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). It is also the candidate’s responsibility to ensure accurate information is provided and updated as required.

Candidates 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.

Candidates invited to 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 Canadian equivalency. Consult the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials for further information at http://www.cicic.ca.

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

Reference checks may be sought.

An interview may be administered.

A test may be administered.

You must provide proof of your education credentials.

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

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.