Duties
The successful candidate will be expected to:
Coordinate and conduct chemical laboratory analyses for soil, water, manure/compost, crop, grain, and related agricultural or environmental samples.
Receive, organize, log, preserve, store, process, and ship samples as required.
Prepare samples for chemical analysis, including filtration, drying, grinding, weighing, extraction, digestion, and related preparation procedures.
Operate, calibrate, maintain, and troubleshoot laboratory instruments, including segmented flow analyzers, carbon/nitrogen analyzers, liquid chromatographs, mass spectrometers, digestion systems, balances, pipettes, centrifuges, grinders, and associated instrument software.
Conduct analyses for chemical and nutrient parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, available nitrogen and phosphorus, total carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, organic chemicals/contaminants, and related soil and water chemistry measurements.
Adapt, test, validate, and document analytical methods and standard operating procedures for soil, water, manure/compost, crop, and other agricultural matrices.
QA/QC procedures to maintain the reliability, accuracy, and defensibility of laboratory measurement procedures.
Diagnose and document instrument errors, method performance issues, analytical problems, laboratory incidents, and corrective actions.
Prepare reagents, standards, calibration materials, laboratory records, SDS/JSA documentation, SOPs, project files, and analytical reports.
Enter, verify, organize, store, summarize, and analyze laboratory data using spreadsheets, instrument software, statistical software, and other data-management tools.
Assist with the preparation of research reports, manuscripts, abstracts, presentations, tables, and figures.
Order and maintain laboratory supplies, consumables, equipment parts, chemicals, and materials.
Provide training and task-based direction to students, new employees, and other technical staff in laboratory safety, equipment operation, and laboratory procedures.
Liaise with AAFC scientists, technicians, safety personnel, external collaborators, universities, commercial laboratories, equipment suppliers, and service providers.
Assist with related field and greenhouse research activities as assigned, including soil and water sampling, hydrological observations, water quality monitoring, and sample transport.
Intent of the process
Immediate need: 1 full-time permanent position
A pool of qualified or partially qualified candidates may be established and used to fill similar positions on a temporary or permanent basis.
In the event that an employee of the public service is qualified through this process, they may be considered for acting, deployment, indeterminate, assignment or secondment opportunities.
Positions to be filled
1
Important messages
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.
Reliability Status security clearance
Learn more about security screening process.
Possession of a valid Manitoba Class 5 driver’s licence, or other provincial/territorial equivalent.
Known allergies, including but not limited to animals, solvents, detergents, dust, manure, compost, or plant material, must be controlled through the use of personal protective equipment and/or medication and must not impinge on the duties to be performed.
Willingness and ability to work with chemicals, reagents, standards, compressed gases, soil, manure/compost, crop material, water samples, and other agricultural or environmental samples.
Willingness and ability to work in greenhouse, field, farm, manure application, composting, and dusty sample-processing environments as required.
Willingness and ability to work overtime, including evenings and weekends during peak periods.
Willingness and ability to travel within province with the occasional overnight trips.
Willingness and ability to work in a laboratory environment for extended periods of time while standing and under normal safety precautions.
Willingness and ability to work with toxic chemicals and other hazardous material using proper personal protective equipment.
Willingness and ability to perform repetitive actions such as pipetting.
Your application must clearly explain how you meet the following
Education
Graduation with a diploma or degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with specialization in chemistry, analytical chemistry, soil science, environmental science, biochemistry, biology, or another related discipline.
An acceptable combination of education, training, and/or experience may also be considered.
At 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
Experience providing technical support in a laboratory environment involving soil, water, plant, manure/compost, or other agricultural or environmental samples.
Experience preparing, processing, extracting, digesting, preserving, or otherwise handling agricultural or environmental samples for chemical or nutrient analysis.
Experience operating and maintaining laboratory instruments used for nutrient or chemical analysis.
Experience ing laboratory QA and QC procedures and compiling, reviewing, verifying, summarizing, or reporting laboratory analytical data.
Applied / assessed at a later date
Knowledge
Knowledge of principles, methods, and routine laboratory techniques used for chemical analysis of agricultural and environmental samples.
Knowledge of water and soil chemistry parameters.
Knowledge of calibration, detection, and quality control requirements for routine laboratory chemical analysis.
Competencies
Interactive communication
Teamwork
Problem Solving
Planning and Organizing
Concern for Safety
Abilities
Ability to operate and maintain scientific laboratory instruments used for soil and water chemistry analysis.
Ability to QA and QC procedures, recognize analytical or instrument performance issues, troubleshoot, and take or recommend appropriate corrective action.
Applied / assessed at a later date
English essential - You are entitled to participate in the selection process in the official language of your choice.
Learn more about language requirements.
May be applied / assessed at a later date
Asset Qualifications
Experience operating, maintaining, troubleshooting, or validating methods on segmented flow analyzers, carbon/nitrogen analyzers, elemental analyzers, mass spectrometers, or comparable analytical chemistry equipment.
Experience conducting soil and water chemistry analyses, including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, organic chemicals, or related nutrient and water quality parameters.
Experience adapting or validating laboratory methods, implementing laboratory QA/QC procedures, or preparing SOPs, analytical methods, reports, manuscripts, posters, or presentations.
Experience supporting agricultural field or greenhouse research, including soil or water sampling, hydrological measurements, water quality monitoring, manure/compost work, crop sample processing, or related sample preparation activities.
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.
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 .
Learn more about diversity and inclusion in the public service.
Agriculture and Agri-food Canada recognizes that the diversity of its employee population contributes to its strength and integrity. We are committed to achieving employment equity and developing a highly capable workforce that is representative of Canadian Society. We encourage women (especially in non-traditional occupations), Indigenous peoples (Aboriginal peoples), persons with disabilities, and members of visible minority groups to and declare themselves as part of one or more of the Employment Equity groups, as selection may be limited to candidates belonging to one or more of the groups.
Learn more about employment equity.
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.
Learn more about ing for Government of Canada jobs.
Information you must provide
We'd like to thank all those who . However, only the people selected for further consideration will be contacted.
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