About the position
DutiesThe Directorate of Architecture and Engineering Services (DAES) provides specialized technical expertise, technical authority, and professional advice in support of the planning, delivery, operation, maintenance, renewal, recapitalization, and stewardship of Defence infrastructure.
Within DAES, Architecture provides architectural leadership, technical authority, oversight, and strategic advice to help ensure Defence facilities are functional, mission-ready, resilient, secure, inclusive, sustainable, durable, and aligned with operational requirements.
This is not primarily a design-production role. It is an opportunity to apply professional judgement and architectural expertise where they can have significant impact: reviewing and advising on major capital projects; identifying risks and opportunities; interpreting policy and standards; supporting governance and quality assurance; developing technical requirements and guidance; and providing decision support throughout the infrastructure lifecycle from planning and design through delivery, operation, maintenance, renewal, recapitalization, and disposal.
You will work at the intersection of architecture, infrastructure delivery, policy, operations, and long-term stewardship, helping shape the decisions that determine how Defence infrastructure performs over decades.
The work may involve major capital projects, operational and mission-critical facilities, remote and Arctic infrastructure, aerodrome-related facilities, accessibility and inclusive design, building enclosure and building science, climate resilience, modern methods of construction, mass timber, and high-security or controlled-access facilities.
As part of the Defence Team, you will have the opportunity to apply your knowledge and expertise to work that has a direct connection to national defence and public service. The work offers opportunities to contribute to complex and meaningful projects, collaborate with professionals across disciplines and organizations, and continue developing your expertise in a technically challenging and nationally significant environment.
Work environmentThe Department of National Defence (DND) is one of the largest federal government employers, offering over 70 types of civilian career opportunities. DND's role is to provide services and support to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in their operations and missions at home and abroad. The civilian workforce is an essential part of the Defence Team. Your knowledge and expertise contribute to the overall mission. In this regard, the department fosters a work environment where you have opportunities to learn, to develop your talents, to progress in your career and have job satisfaction over the long-term.
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Together, DND and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) form the largest and most complex organization in Canada. DND's role is to provide services and support to the CAF in their operations and missions at home and abroad. DND and the CAF work side-by-side to fulfill the Government of Canada’s mission to defend Canada and Canadians and contribute to international peace, security, and stability efforts.
What do we offer?
🍁 At DND we foster a work environment where employees have opportunities to grow, learn, progress in their careers, and have job satisfaction over the long-term. You’ll enjoy:
✅ A career among a dynamic and dedicated team
✅ Opportunities for advancement
✅ A diverse, respectful, and inclusive work environment
✅ A total benefits package including a competitive salary, health and dental insurance plans, pension plan and a variety of leave entitlements
🌿 Work life balance! Including opportunities for:
o Telework and flexible work arrangements
o Flexible hours of work and compressed work weeks
🏢 In line with Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) direction, the Department of National Defence has adopted a common hybrid work model where employees work at their designated worksite at least 4 days each week, or 80% of their regular schedule. Some positions may require full-time on-site presence.
Intent of the process
- The intent of this process is to fill (1) AR-06 position on an indeterminate (permanent) basis in Ottawa, Ontario.
• AR 06 Deputy Chief Architect (minimum of 1 immediate vacancy)
• The number of positions to be filled may vary depending on operational requirements and available funding.
A pool of partially or essentially qualified candidates may be established through this process and used to staff identical or similar positions with various employment tenures (temporary and permanent), language profiles, operational requirements, and conditions of employment at the Department of National Defence.
Positions to be filled
1
Important messages
📢 How does this work?
✅ Step 1: Read the entire advertisement. Want to join our team? Let us know you’re interested! Click “Apply”
✅ Step 2: Tell us about yourself! Attach your resume and answer the screening questions in the online application.
✅ Step 3: We will carefully review all your qualifications. If your talent matches one of our immediate or upcoming opportunities, we may contact you for further information or assessment.
Creating an environment where diverse perspectives are valued begins with self-declaration. Count yourself in and self-declare by identifying to which employment equity group(s) you belong. In order to self-declare, please ensure to indicate this by checking off the appropriate box within the online application as part of the Employment Equity section.
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▶ Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice.
▶ Our organization will only accept on-line applications for this opportunity. Please click “Apply online” to submit your application.
If there are limitations or special circumstances preventing you from submitting your application via the GC Jobs online portal, you must contact us and receive approval to apply via an alternate means PRIOR to the closing date.
▶ Depending on the position being staffed:
↪ Additional qualifications, operational requirements and/or conditions of employment may be required
↪ Varying degrees of breadth and depth of experience may be deemed essential
↪ Asset qualifications may be invoked as essential qualifications
↪ You may be contacted and asked to submit information or be further assessed
▶ Applicants who apply to this selection process must include in their application a valid email address and make sure that this address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users.
▶ All information obtained throughout the selection process, from the time of application to close of process, may be used to evaluate the applicants. Your overall conduct and communications, including email correspondence, may be used in the
assessment of qualifications and competencies.
▶ To ensure the integrity of the selection process, the content and questions of the assessment must remain confidential. Please do not discuss or share the assessment content with anyone, including other candidates. You must complete the assessment,
including screening questions, by yourself, without the help of others, including the use of unapproved internet resources and artificial intelligence (such as ChatGPT or any other forms of artificial intelligence). Plagiarism and the use of artificial intelligence
is strictly prohibited throughout the entire process and suspected non-compliance will be investigated. Any violation may result
in potential consequences which could include your elimination from this selection process.
▶ If, at any point in this process or upon qualifying in this process, your Values and Ethics do not align with that of the Department of National Defence and Canadian Forces Code of Values and Ethics and Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector,
you will be eliminated from further consideration in this process. (Copy and paste these links in your browser for more
information: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/benefits-military/defence-ethics/policiespublications/code-value-ethics.html AND https://www.tbs-sct.canada.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=25049)
You need (essential for the job)
Your application must clearly explain how you meet the following
Note: To support an efficient assessment process, essential experience criteria will (or may) be evaluated sequentially, one criterion at a time. Candidates must meet each criterion being assessed in order to proceed to the evaluation of subsequent criteria. Candidates who do not meet the criterion under review will be screened out of the process. It is the responsibility of candidates to carefully review the requirements and to ensure their application clearly demonstrates how each experience criterion is met.
❗ Essential qualifications are qualifications that you must meet in order to be considered for the position. This means that when you apply, your application must clearly demonstrate how you meet the education and experience listed below.
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EDUCATION
Graduation with a degree in architecture from a recognized post-secondary institution.
Learn more about degree equivalency.
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OCCUPATIONAL CERTIFICATION
Eligibility* for registration or licensure as a Professional Architect in a Canadian province or territory.
*Eligibility means the candidate has obtained certification of academic qualifications from the Canadian Architectural Certification Board (CACB), completed the required Internship in Architecture Program (IAP) experience requirements, successfully completed the applicable professional examination requirements, and meets the requirements for registration as an architect in a Canadian province or territory.
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EXPERIENCE
EX1. Significant Experience* providing professional architectural services within an architectural design practice environment through
the predesign, schematic design, design development, tender documents and construction documents phases of building projects, including responsibility for preparing or overseeing the delivery of architectural drawings and specifications.
*Significant is defined as 12 years of experience at the depth and breadth of experience normally associated with having performed a broad range of related activities
EX2. Experience reviewing:
a. Client and project requirements;
b. Architectural design solutions, consultant design submissions, and
c. Technical submissions, including specifications, tender documents, and construction documents.
EX3. Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary stakeholders to resolve architectural, technical, operational, regulatory, project delivery, or lifecycle issues. This must include experience with complex, significant, high-value or high-risk projects.
EX4. Experience leading or coordinating the development, interpretation or implementation of architectural policies, standards, guidelines, specifications or technical requirements.
EX5. Experience providing professional architectural services in at least one of the following specialty areas:
a. Building performance through architectural design
b. Building enclosure design
c. Building enclosure commissioning
EX6. Experience supervising employees, including assigning work, setting priorities, supporting performance management, coaching staff, and contributing to human resources processes.
EX7. Experience managing operational or financial resources, such as workload planning, budgeting, forecasting, procurement planning and execution, or stewardship of public resources.
EX8. Experience providing authoritative or senior strategic advice to management, or decision-makers on complex architectural, technical, policy, project, or portfolio related issues.
Applied / assessed at a later date
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COMPETENCIES
• Create vision and strategy
• Mobilize people
• Demonstrating integrity and respect
• Collaborate with partners and stakeholders
• Promote innovation and guide change
• Achieve results
• Communicating* effectively.
*Communicating refers to writing, expressing ideas (e.g. orally, using non-verbal language such as sign language or using assistive technology) and active listening, which allow you to understand and be understood by others.
This selection process will include the assessment of the Government of Canada’s Key Leadership Competencies (KLCs). The KLCs define the behaviours expected of leaders in Canada's Public Service. To help prepare for the assessment process, candidates are encouraged to review the Key Leadership Competency Profile, including expected behaviours at the Manager level.
You may need (asset qualifications)
May be applied / assessed at a later date
❗ Asset qualifications are qualifications that may be required for the position. If you possess any of the qualifications listed below, please clearly demonstrate how you meet the qualification in your application.
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ASSET OCCUPATIONAL CERTIFICATION:
AQ1 - Registration or licensure as a Professional Architect in a Canadian province or territory.
AQ-2 Occupational Certification: LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), Passive House, Zero Carbon Building, or other sustainable design credentials.
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ASSET EXPERIENCE:
AQ-3 – Experience or training in mass timber, modular construction, prefabrication, or Design for Manufacturing and Assembly.
AQ-4 -Experience or training in accessibility, universal and inclusive design.
AQ-5– Experience providing professional architectural services in one or more of the following specialized areas:
a. Arctic, northern, remote, or harsh-climate design;
b. Aerodrome-related architecture or aviation-support facilities;
c. Operational facilities, such as hangars, fire halls, training facilities, maintenance facilities, or mission-support buildings;
d. High-security, mission-critical, controlled-access, or operationally sensitive facilities.
AQ-6 – Experience or training leading transformation initiatives, project management, risk management.
AQ-7 - Experience related to federal real property, defence infrastructure, or secure operational facilities.