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.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is a separate employer and is not subject to the Public Service Employment Act.
The CFIA considers applications from individuals who have legal status to work in Canada and does not give preference to Canadian citizens.
Duties include but are not limited to the following:
• Design, plan, and execute research activities to develop CRISPR-Cas-based diagnostic technologies.
• Plans and conducts scientific analyses and investigations for diagnostics and testing purposes, and method development and validation that support CFIA’s monitoring, surveillance, inspection and research programs
• Provides scientific data and reports to clients; provides information on laboratory methods, practices and results to laboratory clients.
• Provides guidance to laboratory staff on methods and procedures for using laboratory instrumentation and equipment; troubleshoots, investigates, and solve complex performance issues with equipment and/or instrumentation.
• Ensures that section’s activities are in full compliance with current accepted practices, standards, guidelines, controls and laboratory Quality Assurance systems, such as ISO 17025.
• Develops/validates methodologies and procedures, and transfers knowledge and diagnostic tests to other CFIA laboratories.
A pool of qualified candidates will be established. This pool may be used to staff positions with similar qualifications, with various language requirements, various conditions of employment and/or various tenures including term appointments, acting appointments and/or assignments.
Positions to be filled: 1
Your résumé.
A covering letter "in 1,000 words (maximum). Although there is no specific format required for the cover letter, it can be used to highlight your qualifications and your professional goals. Essential education and experience required will be evaluated through the screening questions. Your entire application, including the cover letter, will be used to evaluate your written communication ability."
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.
ESSENTIAL EDUCATION
EEd1 - A bachelor’s degree in a natural, physical or applied science from a recognized post-secondary institution, with a specialization in microbiology, food science, or related discipline relevant to the position.
Applicants submitting education credentials from a non-Canadian institution are responsible for obtaining certification that these credentials are the equivalent of the Canadian education level required for the position.
Please refer to the link below for more information.
ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE
EE1 - Significant* experience in planning, organizing, designing and delivery of scientific projects or programs.
EE2 - Significant* experience working in a microbiological diagnostic laboratory under a quality management system.
EE3 - Experience in communicating information of a technical nature in writing and orally to varied audiences.
EE4 - Experience in the analysis or interpretation of experimental data.
EE5 - Experience troubleshooting assays which may include equipment or process failures.
EE6 - Experience with current principles, techniques and procedures of virology.
*Significant is defined as a minimum of approximately 2 years of experience within the last 10 years.
ASSET EDUCATION
AEd1 - A graduate degree in a natural, physical or applied science from a recognized post-secondary institution, with a specialization in microbiology, food science, or related discipline relevant to the position.
ASSET EXPERIENCE
AEx1 - Experience working with CRISPR technology.
AEx2 - Experience working in high containment laboratories.
AEx3 - Experience with molecular assay method development and validation.
AEx4 - Experience with current principles, techniques and procedures of immunology.
AEx5 - Experience with current principles, techniques and procedures of bioinformatics.
English essential
Information on language requirements
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE
EK1 - Knowledge of analytical protocols and testing methodologies, principles, practices, and techniques applicable to microbiology and molecular biology.
EK2 - Knowledge of statistical methods and experience with data analysis software (e.g., GraphPad, excel) for data analysis.
EK3 - Knowledge of Quality Assurance practices in a laboratory setting.
ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES
EC1 - Planning and organizing
EC2 - Effective interpersonal relationships
EC3 - Analytical thinking and problem solving
EC4 - Adaptability
EC5 - Written communication skills
EC6 - Oral communication skills
Secret security clearance - Applicants who have not lived in Canada for the past five (or ten, depending on security level) years may be required to submit a police certificate from each country in which they have lived for six months or more during this period, as well as other documentation required for the security screening process. Failure to submit this documentation if requested will eliminate the application from further consideration.
The following conditions of employment are required for an appointment:
• Adherence to the CFIA Code of Conduct.
• Adherence to the CFIA Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Policy.
• Compliance with the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector.
• Legal status to accept employment for the entire period of employment.
Any of the following conditions of employment may be required for an appointment:
• Willing and available to travel, as required.
• Willing and available to work shifts.
• Willing and available to work irregular hours (e.g., days, nights, weekends, statutory holidays).
• Willing and available to work overtime, as required.
• To use in the prescribed circumstances and manner all prescribed safety materials, equipment, devices and clothing.
• Willing and able to be immunized as indicated by job risk, location, overseas travel and other identified risks.
• To use prescribed and provided respiratory equipment that meets the respiratory program requirements; to undergo fit testing (e.g. may need to be clean-shaven, depending on the respirator design).
• Willingness to abide by strict biosecurity protocols which may require showering several times a day or abiding by certain restrictions on contact with livestock outside of the workplace.
• Willing and able to work in environmentally challenging or physically demanding conditions.
• Security clearance under the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act (HPTA) may be required for certain laboratory positions.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency 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.
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/jobs/services/gc-jobs/employment-equity.html
Personal information is obtained for the purpose of determining an individual’s competence and suitability for employment. If a staffing complaint questions this determination, please be advised that relevant personal information you will provide in the course of this staffing process may be disclosed to substantiate the staffing decision.
Please ensure that you read ALL points listed below, as this section contains important information about the application process. Failure to read these notes and follow these instructions could result in your application missing required information which may result in your application being eliminated from this staffing process.
a) You are entitled to participate in the staffing process in the official language of your choice.
b) For this staffing process, the CFIA will communicate with you by email. You must provide a valid email address to which you wish to receive communication regarding this staffing process. You must ensure that you check your email account including spam, promotion or other folders regularly as there may be a deadline for responses. If you respond past the deadline you risk being removed from the staffing process.
c) Applicants who are screened in to this staffing process will be sent further information by email regarding what to expect during subsequent phases of this staffing process.
d) Depending on the number of applicants, CFIA's needs and CFIA HR plans, volume management strategies such as, but not limited to, top-down approach, cut-off scores, random selection and/or assessment may be used for the purpose of managing applications/candidates. Should a volume management strategy be used, communication regarding the application of the strategy will be provided to those candidates who are impacted.
e) During the application or assessment process both cheating and plagiarism are considered forms of misconduct and are not permitted. Any person found cheating, including those who help others to cheat, may be subject to removal from the staffing process.
f) A current copy of your resume may be used as another source to confirm the education and experience you will be asked to describe in the screening questions. It may also be reviewed by prospective hiring managers at the appointment stage.
g) You will be asked to provide proof of your education credentials later in the staffing process.
h) Various assessment tools may be used in this staffing process such as: standardized tests, reference checks, written tests, an interview, etc.
i) All written and verbal communication obtained throughout the staffing process, from the time of application to close of process, may be used to evaluate the candidate.
We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.