Soil and Water Chemistry Technician

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
- Science and Technology Branch

Selection process number
26-AGR-MBSK-EA-STB-69215

Salary
$71,741 to $90,184-Salary under review

Level
EG-04

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

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.
Apply 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 positionA pool of qualified or partially qualified candidates may be established and used to fill similar positions on a temporary or permanent  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 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…