Research Technician - Plant Pathology

Employment and Social Development Canada; Summerland; Hybrid; CAD 79,000 - 99,000; Full time

Job summary

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Summerland, BC, is hiring a Research Technician (EG-05) to support a plant pathology program. The successful candidate will set up and maintain experiments in laboratory, greenhouse and field settings on grapevines and tree fruits, and assist in data collection and reporting.

Candidates should have a post-secondary biology degree and hands-on experience with plant pathogens, DNA/RNA techniques, and managing multiple projects.

Qualifications

• Education: Graduation with a degree in biology or related discipline; foreign credentials assessed for Canada.
• Experience: Handling plant pathogens; managing multiple projects across lab, greenhouse, and field.
• Knowledge: Plant pathogens, bioinformatics software familiarity, statistical analysis.

Responsibilities

• Set up and maintain experiments in laboratory, greenhouse and field settings.
• Coordinate activities and perform data collection and analysis on plant pathogens.
• Calibrate and troubleshoot scientific equipment; supervise staff and train personnel.

Skills

Biology knowledge

Laboratory techniques

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in biology or related field

Job description

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada- Science and Technology Branch

Selection process number
26-AGR-BCAB-EA-STB-67040

Location
Summerland(British Columbia)

Salary
$78,909 to $99,200-Salary under review

Level
EG-05

Who can apply
Persons residing in Canada, and Canadian citizens and Permanent residents abroad.

Duties
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is looking to hire a highly qualified and motivated individual to staff a position as a Research Technician (EG-05) in a Plant Pathology program in Summerland, BC. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in supporting scientific research and establishing and/or maintaining experiments in laboratory, greenhouse and field settings in woody perennial crops. We are seeking a dynamic individual to help carry out research on the identification, biology, epidemiology, and control of plant pathogens. Under the direction of the Research Scientist, the successful candidate will coordinate and perform activities using a variety of laboratory techniques and field studies for research on plant pathogens, including but not limited to grapevines and tree fruits, and will contribute to the analyses of plant pathogen populations and their interactions and impacts on plant health. Additionally, the successful candidate will assist in statistical data analyses, preparation of scientific reports, modification, adaption, or optimization of procedures and experimental protocols to meet research needs, and supervision and training of staff on learning laboratory and field protocols and on the use of specialized technical and/or analytical laboratory and field instrumentation. The successful candidate is expected to maintain, calibrate and troubleshoot specialized scientific equipment, overseeing the management of laboratory consumables and hazardous material and be the technical authority for specific scientific instruments and managing their use among laboratories.

Intent of the process
A pool of qualified and partially qualified candidates may be established and may be used to staff similar positions with various employment tenures.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.

• Possession of a valid, class 5 British Columbia driver’s license, or other provincial/territorial equivalency.
• Ability and willingness to focus and periodically work at a bench or microscope for extended periods of time (e.g. > 2 hr/day).
• Ability and willingness to travel regionally for field work.
• Ability and willingness to occasionally work overtime including evenings and weekends.
• Ability and willingness to work outdoors, in inclement and/or variable conditions.
• Ability and willingness to work with chemicals, pesticides, radiations, and other hazardous materials.
• Ability and willingness to perform physically demanding work activities, including moderate to heavy manual work such as moving objects up to 25 kg.
• Ability and willingness to control known allergies through the use of personal protective equipment and/or medication in a manner that does not impinge upon the duties to be performed.

You need (essential for the job)

Your application must clearly explain how you meet the following

Education:
Graduation with a degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in biology, plant biology, ecology, microbiology, environmental science, soil science, crop science or other discipline relevant to the duties of the position. An acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience will 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).

Experience:

• Experience working with pathogenic and infectious plant organisms such as isolating, culturing, handling, and storing plant pathogens (fungi, bacteria, viruses, phytoplasmas).
• Experience concurrently managing multiple field, greenhouse, and/or laboratory projects from setup to data collection and management.
• Experience working with DNA and RNA samples and with DNA- and RNA-based molecular techniques.
• Experience in the care of perennial plants, such as grapevines and fruit trees, and identifying and controlling plant diseases.

Applied / assessed at a later date

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of woody perennial crop pathogens and diseases (such as but not limited to biology, epidemiology, symptoms, control, etc.).
• Knowledge of plant pathogens identification steps and techniques.
• Knowledge of statistical and experimental design and data analyses.
• Knowledge of comprehensive bioinformatic software programs (for example, LaserGene, Geneious, MEGA, Vector NTI, etc.).

Competencies:

• Adaptability
• Leadership
• Initiative
• Planning and organizing
• Problem solving

Abilities:

• Ability to collect and record data accurately and interpret and visualize results.
• Ability to apply molecular techniques.
• Ability to prioritize, plan, and carry out laboratory and field procedures independently.
• Ability to supervise staff

Language requirements (essential for the job)

Applied / assessed at a later date

English essential - You are entitled to participate in the selection process in the official language of your choice.

May be applied / assessed at a later date

Education:

• Graduation with a master’s degree from a recognized post-secondary institution with specialization in plant pathology or a related discipline.

Experience:

• Experience in managing, analyzing and summarizing bioinformatics or biological data large datasets.
• Experience supervising undergraduate students and assisting graduate students with work or experiments
• Experience operating, maintaining and troubleshooting scientific laboratory and field equipment.
• Experience forecasting, managing and ordering laboratory resources needs in accordance with multiple projects and operational budget, and tracking equipment maintenance schedules.

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of plant physiology and methods to measure and analyze plant response to abiotic (such as water stress, heat stress, nutrition deficit, etc.) and biotic (pathogens) factors.
• Knowledge of plant pest containment levels and precautions used when working with organisms in laboratory, greenhouse and field settings.

In support of achieving a diversified workforce, consideration may be given to candidates self-declaring as belonging to one of the following Employment Equity groups: Indigenous peoples, Persons with a Disability; Visible Minorities, Women.Supporting employment continuity by prioritizing AAFC employees impacted by workforce adjustment for job opportunities.

Our commitment

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.

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 apply.

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 apply 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.

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.

We'd like to thank all those who apply. However, only the people selected for further consideration will be contacted.