Head Science Laboratory Services *AMENDMENT TO CLOSING DATE*

Update: Please note that there has been an amendment to the Asset experience and screening question for AEx2: Experience auditing within ISO/IEC 17025 standard.

Important messages

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.

Assessment accommodation

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

As Section Head, manages the development and implementation of programs, services and resources for an active analytical chemistry (pesticide residues and environmental contaminants units) section in a food safety laboratory. Provides advice, interpretation and recommendations on issues directly related to the work of the Section to the Laboratory Director, and communicates with officials in Science, Operations and Policy & Programs Branches as well as private and other regulatory laboratories.

Key Accountabilities:
• Responsible for the management of the Analytical Chemistry Section testing, method development programs, services, and resources (human and financial) within a laboratory.
• Provides authoritative advice, interpretation and recommendations on issues directly related to the work of the Section to internal and external stakeholders.
• Develops collaborative and co-partnership science proposals and agreements with internal and external partners for the Section.
• Facilitates the knowledge transfer of technology to other Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) laboratories, federal and provincial government laboratories, private accredited laboratories and to university laboratories.
• Verifies the Section’s operations are conducted in compliance with applicable International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Quality Control/Quality Assurance standards, the CFIA Environmental Management System (EMS), and all relevant/appropriate Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) guidelines.

Intent of the process

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, indeterminate appointments, acting appointments and/or assignments.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter

Contact information for 2 references.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

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 analytical chemistry or a related discipline. The degree must be from a recognized university or be recognized by the governing provincial authority as being equivalent to a university degree.

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.

Degree equivalency

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE

EE1: Recent* experience planning, managing, or directing a diagnostic analytical chemistry laboratory activities under a formal quality management system such as ISO/IEC 17025.

EE2: Experience managing financial resources in a laboratory setting.

EE3: Experience in supervision of subordinate staff.

EE4: Recent* work experience in the interpretation of analytical data and the provision of scientific advice.

*Recent work experience is defined as experience gained within the last three years.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE

EK1: Knowledge of chemical residue hazards in food.

ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES

EC1: Ability to synthesize and evaluate technical and scientific information, for the purposes of making recommendations to senior management

EC2: Leadership Skills

EC3: Ability to communicate orally and in writing

EC4: Initiative

EC5: Effective Interpersonal Relationships

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

English essential

Information on language requirements

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

ASSET EXPERIENCE

AEx1: Work experience with the development, or validation, of analytical chemistry methods applicable to chemical residue testing.

AEx2: Experience auditing within ISO/IEC 17025 standard.

ASSET KNOWLEDGE

AK1: Knowledge of LC, GC and mass spectrometry methods and techniques for the analysis of chemical residues in foods with specific focus on pesticides, dioxins/furans/PCBs and PAH analysis in complex matrices.

Conditions of employment

Reliability Status 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 work overtime, as required.
• To use in the prescribed circumstances and manner all prescribed safety materials, equipment, devices and clothing.

Other information

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.

You are entitled to participate in the staffing process in the official language of your choice.

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.

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.

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.

You will be asked to provide proof of your education credentials later in the staffing process.

Your ability to communicate effectively in writing will be assessed via the application.

Various assessment tools may be used in this staffing process such as: standardized tests, reference checks, written tests, an interview, etc.

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.

Contact information