Toxicology Scientist

Soft Tox; Edmonton; On-site; CAD 79,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental health agency is seeking an experienced Toxicology Scientist in Edmonton. The role involves advanced method development for drug detection in human samples, supporting forensic investigations, and ensuring accurate reporting for legal cases. Candidates must hold a PhD in Analytical Toxicology or a related field, with significant lab experience and familiarity with LC-MS/MS techniques.

Qualifications

• PhD in Analytical Toxicology or closely related field required.
• Minimum five years of laboratory experience with three years in analytical chemistry.
• Equivalencies accepted: Master's with seven years or a Bachelor’s with nine years.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research and validation for detecting drugs in post-mortem samples.
• Develop advanced analytical techniques for forensic applications.
• Provide critical support to Chief and Deputy Chief Toxicologists.

Skills

Analyzing drugs in biological specimens using LC-MS/MS

Method development in laboratory settings

Experience with analytical chemistry software

Troubleshooting analytical instrumentation

Education

PhD in Analytical Toxicology or related field

Master's degree with 7 years experience

University degree in analytical chemistry with 9 years experience

Job description

Salary: $79,774.00 - $104,572.00 Annually

Application Deadline: Oct 27, 2025

Toxicology Scientist
Closing Date:October 27, 2025
Salary: $3,056.50 to $4,006.62bi-weekly ($79,774 - $104,572/year)

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) is looking to fill a permanent Toxicology Scientist position in the Edmonton location. This position will report to the Chief Toxicologist and will conduct research and advanced method development and validation for the detection, identification, and quantitative measurements of drugs, drug metabolites and other toxins in human post-mortem blood and tissues. The toxicology scientist will perform advanced analytical toxicology method troubleshooting and instrument maintenance. In addition, this position will provide critical support to the Chief and Deputy Chief Toxicologists, who evaluate the presence of toxins in blood samples from deaths covered by the Fatality Inquires Act.

This position is responsible for analytical toxicology and technical procedures that directly influence the accuracy of toxicology results reported to pathologists and medical examiners. These results are critical for determining cause and manner of death under the Alberta Fatality Inquiries Act and may be used in criminal and civil legal proceedings. The successful candidate must be aware that inaccurate toxicology findings can compromise justice, mislead investigations, and negatively affect insurance outcomes for families.

You will develop state-of-the art analytical techniques that are fit for application within a forensic workplace, and present them to Senior Leadership for approval, as well as work to implement them. You may also develop, validate, and process the analyses of biological samples and/or drug paraphernalia, and provide professional reports to the Deputy Chief/Chief Toxicologist. You may also complete peer reviews on behalf of the Deputy Chief Toxicologist.

Qualifications

PhD in Analytical Toxicology or a closely related field (E.g., Chemistry, Toxicology) and at least five (5) years of experience in a laboratory and a minimum of three (3) years in analytical chemistry or equivalent, as described below.

Equivalencies may be considered

Master’s degree plus a minimum of seven (7) years related experience in a laboratory and a minimum of three (3) years in analytical chemistry. University degree in analytical chemistry and a minimum of nine (9) years related experience in a laboratory and a minimum of three (3) years in analytical chemistry.

Required:

• First-hand experience of analyzing drugs or related compounds in biological specimens using LC-MS/MS, LC-QTOF (or TOF) and GC-MS/MS techniques.
• Method development experience with focus on innovative concept design and application in a laboratory setting.
• Experience in software and operating systems for a laboratory's analytical equipment. It is expected to be demonstrated in your resume or cover letter.
• Experience maintaining analytical toxicology instrumentation and knowledgeably engaging in advanced troubleshooting issues with equipment service engineers.