Biologist - Food Microbiology
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada · Lethbridge · BI02 · Open to the public
Open July 15 to July 22, 2026
- Applications
- 74
- in 7 days
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- 74 of 74
- Employment equity groups
- 74%
- 55 people
- Canadian citizens
- 50%
- 37 people
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Biologist - Food Microbiology
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada - Science and Technology Branch
Closing date: July 22, 2026 - 23:59, Pacific Time
AGR26J-170597-000322
26-AGR-BCAB-EA-STB-68853
Lethbridge (Alberta)
$74,292 to $101,162
BI-02
Persons residing in Canada, and Canadian citizens and Permanent residents abroad.
For further information on the organization, please visit Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
On this page
- About the position
- Conditions of employment
- You need (essential for the job)
- Language requirements (essential for the job)
- You may need (asset qualifications)
- Our commitment
- Equity, diversity and inclusion
- Preference
- How to apply
- Additional links
- Hiring organization contact
About the position
The successful candidate will be required to collect samples that may contain unknown pathogens, from sources that include but are not limited to live animals, carcasses, meats at various stages of processing, and fecal matter; and environmental samples from meat production systems, slaughter houses and meat packing plant. The successful candidate will be working in a communal laboratory and so will be required to maintain efficient and friendly communication with co-workers. The successful candidate will participate in multidisciplinary projects related to various aspects of meat microbiology such as, investigating causes and means of prevention of microbiological spoilage of raw meat under different packaging and/or storage conditions; detecting and enumerating food borne pathogens by conventional and/or molecular techniques; and developing methods to improve safety of meat. Key activities will include, but not limited to, organizing, conducting and controlling research projects and/or field work under the guidance of the microbiologist; preparation of project report and manuscript; preparing research proposals with other project team members; coordinating and/or supervising technical assistants and students allocated to the studies including monitoring work in progress and evaluating performance.
As one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is proud to celebrate our achievement in creating a diverse, respectful, and positive workplace where all employees are valued and recognized for their unique qualities, ideas, voices and perspectives. We are dedicated to building and promoting a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce, representative of all Canadians regardless of race, ethnicity, colour, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, socio-economic background or lived experience. By embracing diversity and inclusion, our department ensures broader discussions, better decisions, and a more positive workplace. We also have various employee diversity networks dedicated to ensuring that our department continues to grow as an inclusive employer.
The immediate need is to staff a full-time permanent position.A pool of qualified and partially qualified candidates may be established and may be used to staff similar positions with various employment tenuresIn the event that an employee of the public service is qualified through this process, and there is a temporary need, they may be considered for acting, deployment, assignment or secondment opportunities.
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Conditions of employment
Reliability Status security clearance.
Ability and willingness to work overtime on short notice or without notice.
Possession of a valid class 5 Alberta driver’s license or other provincial/territorial equivalency.
Ability and willingness to take samples in meat/slaughter processing plants under conditions of production (temperature/noise).
Ability and willingness to work with hazardous materials and pathogenic bacteria.
Ability and willingness to work in a laboratory, abattoir and animal rearing facility environments.
Ability and willingness to work flexible hours.
You need (essential for the job)
Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with specialization in a biological scienceAt a later stage in the selection process, you will be required to provide documentation verifying your educational credentials.If you were educated outside of Canada, you must have your certificates and/or diplomas assessed against Canadian education standards. Click on the link below to contact the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials(CICIC).
Learn more about degree equivalency.
Experience in designing, planning and managing research activities related to meat microbiology.
Experience conducting research in commercial meat packing plant environments.
Experience developing project goals and assigning work to staff.
Experience preparing project reports and scientific manuscripts.
Knowledge of conventional and molecular microbiological laboratory methods for detection, quantification and identification of bacteria in foods.
Knowledge of Canadian meat packing plant operations.
Interactive Communication
Teamwork
Concern for Safety
Language requirements (essential for the job)
Learn more about language requirements.
You may need (asset qualifications)
Experience analyzing data from 2rd and 3rd generation sequencing.
Experience conducting research on antimicrobial interventions for meat.
Our commitment
We're 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 contact the hiring organization below to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.
Learn more about assessment accommodation.
Equity, diversity and inclusion
The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the population it serves. We promote employment equity and encourage you to self-declare if you belong to one of the designated employment equity groups when you apply.
Learn more about diversity and inclusion in the public service.
Learn more about employment equity.
Preference
Preference will be given to veterans first, followed by Canadian citizens and permanent residents, with the exception of jobs located in Nunavut or Yukon. For positions located in Nunavut, qualified Inuit enrolled under the Nunavut Agreement will be appointed first. For positions located in Yukon, qualified Yukon First Nations will be appointed first, followed by qualified Indigenous persons.
Learn more about preference to veterans.
How to apply
Learn more about applying for Government of Canada jobs.
Information you must provide- Your résumé
- A cover letter
- Contact information for 2 references
We'd like to thank all those who apply. However, only the people selected for further consideration will be contacted.