Work environmentThe Canadian Field Epidemiology Program (CFEP) is now recruiting! If you are a skilled and experienced public health professional, this is your chance to further develop and polish your technical skills and field-readiness competencies in preparation for current and future possible public health challenges. As a participant in the program, you will support and contribute to the growth of public health capacity, and be embedded right at the front lines! When disease outbreaks or other threats emerge, CFEP Field Epidemiologists are on the scene to support Canada’s public health response with various levels of government and/or partners.
Over the course of this two-year program, you will actively develop your applied epidemiological skills and knowledge. You will be provided with the opportunity to contribute to building Canada’s capacity in responding to emerging public health issues, and will work with public health partners across Canada to gain hands-on experience in your placements. Your experience will consist of a site placement where you will be placed to apply epidemiology under the close guidance of your site supervisor. You will develop a variety of competencies, such as data collection and analysis, outbreak investigation, and emergency preparedness, while honing your leadership and communication competencies. Your competencies will be assessed through the completion of eight Professional Experience Guidelines (PEGs), which must be completed within the program’s timelines:
1. Field investigation
2. Epidemiologic analysis
3. Public health surveillance system
4. Peer-reviewed journal
5. Public health update
6. Oral presentation
7. General communication
8. Public health service
Upon successful completion of the two-year program, you will graduate and be able to utilize your new skills to further assist you in finding employment in public health at the level that suits your career goals whether it be locally, internationally, in academia or the private sector. CFEP will provide you the opportunity to develop the skills you may require to prepare and pursue careers relating to infectious and noninfectious disease outbreaks, strengthening public health surveillance and helping public health organizations enhance their own disease prevention and health promotion programs.
In addition to providing developmental training to field epidemiologists, CFEP provides an indispensable service to Canadians by building a dynamic and well-trained public health workforce that efficiently and effectively identifies and responds to routine and emergent public health issues across Canada. This opportunity will therefore provide you with the knowledge, skills, experience and valuable networking opportunities for the next phase of your career.
Come join the CFEP!
Intent of the process
The CFEP provides two-years of professional development in applied epidemiology. The intent of this program is to provide development and training opportunities to its participants, and eventually build public health capacity within provincial, territorial, and local Public Health. Upon the successful completion of the two-year program, you will be amongst an esteemed group of graduates who will have helped to contribute to the health of the people of Canada. Upon graduation, you will be able to leverage your new skills and work towards a career in building Canada’s public health capacity.
The immediate intent of this process is to fill five (5) to ten (10) positions within the CFEP for a specified period of two-years. The program is designed to be completed within this timeframe. The anticipated start date is Fall 2027. There are several steps in the recruitment process which may include screening based on education and experience, exams, interview, and reference check. There are no indeterminate (permanent) positions available through this program.
The Public Health Agency of Canada is committed to Employment Equity. In order to ensure a diversified workforce, two (2) positions within this CFEP cohort will be reserved for candidates self-identifying as belonging to one or more of the following Employment Equity groups: Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minority groups provided the candidate meets all essential qualifications listed on the job opportunity notice and any applicable asset qualification(s).
This process may be used to fill similar positions within the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada.
Important messages
Candidates must meet the essential qualifications to be appointed to a position. Candidates must clearly demonstrate in THEIR SCREENING QUESTION RESPONSES and resume, how they meet the essential qualifications related to the required education and experience. Please note that you must provide concrete examples which illustrate how you meet each education and experience qualification, including the date range (in MONTHS and YEARS) that demonstrate where and when these qualifications were acquired. Candidates will not be solicited for incomplete or possible missing information. Failure to provide the above information may result in your application being rejected from the process.
Candidates may be required to meet the asset qualifications or the organizational needs, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed.
Proof of Canadian citizenship or permanent residence and educational credentials must be available upon request.
Proof of education will be requested if you are considered for a position. 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/
In assessing candidates, assessment boards may use a variety of tools and methods including, but not limited to, reviews of past performance and accomplishments, written tests, interviews, simulations, PSC tests, reference checks, board member knowledge etc. In addition, all information obtained throughout the selection process, from the time of application to close of process, may be used to evaluate the candidates.
We will communicate with applicants by e-mail. It is your responsibility to verify your e-mails regularly including your spam/junk folder to ensure that you do not miss out on any opportunities. Failure to respond in the prescribed timeframe will result in your application not being referred to the hiring manager. The applicant shall ensure that the e-mail address provided is valid and make sure this address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users.
Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent. We would like to thank in advance those who have submitted a job application, but will only contact those people selected for the next phase in the process.
Depending on the number of applicants, needs and/or plans, volume management strategies such as, but not limited to, top-down approach, cut-off scores, asset selection, random selection and/or assessment may be used for the purpose of managing applications/candidates and/or determining which candidates will continue in the staffing process. Should a volume management strategy be used, communication regarding the application of the strategy will be provided to those candidates who are impacted.
Candidates from outside the federal public service may be required to pay for travel and relocation costs associated with this selection process.
For existing public service employees, include your substantive group and level, your Personal Record Identifier (PRI) and your employment status on your resume and/or application form.
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.