Local recruitment: Senior Science Advisor (Terrestrial and Wetland Ecosystems)

Posting Date: Apr 14, 2023

Location: Edmonton, AB

Company: Government of Alberta

Job Information

Job Title: Senior Science Advisor – Terrestrial and Wetland Ecosystems 

Job Requisition ID: 41217

Ministry: Environment and Protected Areas

Location: Edmonton

Full or Part-Time: Full Time

Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week

Regular/Temporary: Regular

Scope: Open Competition

Closing Date: May 8, 2023

Classification: Subsidiary 02B 3625 Scientific 4

About Us

The Government of Alberta is committed to a diverse and inclusive public service that reflects the population we serve to best meet the needs of Albertans. Consider joining a team where diversity, inclusion and innovation are valued and supported. For more information on diversity and inclusion, please visit: https://www.alberta.ca/diversity-inclusion-policy.aspx.

We support Albertans in being proud stewards of air, land, water, and biodiversity by leading the work required for the desired environmental outcomes and sustainable development of natural resources.

For more information about the Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas, please visit our website at: https://www.alberta.ca/environment-and-protected-areas.aspx

Role

Are you looking for a way to creatively use your scientific knowledge and experience to provide expert advice on program and project design related to Terrestrial and Wetland Ecosystems with a focus on vegetation ecology? 

The position is accountable to the Chief Scientist and reports to the Director of Science Advice, Reporting, and Partnerships in the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS). This position is responsible for providing scientific expertise, leadership and coordination to support the legislated mandate of the OCS in developing and implementing an environmental science program to monitor, evaluate and report on the condition of the environment in Alberta.

The position requires expertise within a relevant subject matter area that has ideally led to broad recognition as an expert in terrestrial and wetland ecosystems. 

The Senior Science Advisor for Terrestrial and Wetland Ecosystems works with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (EPA) staff  and external partners to ensure that the Government of Alberta has scientifically credible and relevant evidence-based information necessary to address complex environmental challenges and opportunities facing the province.

In this role, you will be expected to present at scientific meetings and conferences, publish peer-reviewed papers, and provide expert advice to EPA staff and leadership. The Senior Science Advisor for Terrestrial and Wetland Ecosystems is a recognized expert in their field of research, and should be able to collaborate with peers in academia through supervision of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows via appointment as an Adjunct faculty member at one or more post-secondary institutions.

Key responsibilities for this role include:

• Provide expert advice on research and monitoring design related to terrestrial and wetland ecosystems at various spatial and temporal scales (with a  preferred emphasis on vegetation ecology); 
• Convene or participate on existing senior departmental or cross-ministry teams when scientific information or advice on terrestrial and wetland ecosystems  is required; 
• Support government scientists in pursuing collaborative applied research projects with external research organizations by promoting opportunities and making connections between researchers; 
• Lead and/or participate in collaborative writing of standard and non-standard reporting products communicating major observations and conclusions of long-term monitoring and focused research activities related to terrestrial and wetland ecosystems, including but not limited to peer-reviewed scientific papers, technical condition of the environment reports, major scientific synthesis reports, and plain-language summary documents;
• Provide technical review of applicable scientific content prepared by government scientists for publication, meetings, workshops, conferences, web pages, and briefing packages;
• Support the establishment of and uphold the Condition of Environment reporting to inform the GoA and Albertans on relevant environmental indicators, especially for terrestrial and wetland ecosystems including  plants;
• Continue to advance the Ministry’s Science Strategy; 
• Generate novel scientific ideas and approaches to address current terrestrial and wetland ecosystem   information priorities for the GoA; and 
• Support the Chief Scientist and/or Director on terrestrial and wetland ecosystem projects as required;

Role (cont’d)

To effectively complete the required responsibilities, you will need knowledge of the following areas:

• Current and emerging provincial and national issues and opportunities related to terrestrial and  wetland ecosystems;
• Ecosystem and vegetation monitoring;
• Advanced statistical analyses of ecosystem and vegetation data sets, ideally including data from EPA monitoring and/or similar research programs and studies performed by others in Alberta or elsewhere;
• Application of appropriate models or other means to predict local, regional and cumulative impacts on ecosystems and vegetation;
• New and emerging methods related to the study and conservation of ecosystems and vegetation at various spatial scales; and 
• Applicable Alberta legislation, regulations, and policies (e.g., Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, Water Act,  Alberta Land Stewardship Act, Public Lands Act, Forest Act and the provincial Wetland Policy).

Qualifications

Education:
The position requires a Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline related to the ecology of terrestrial and wetland ecosystems or comparable related disciplines, plus a minimum of 5 years post-doctoral or equivalent related work experience.

Additional assets:
Preference will also be considered for candidates that have:

• Experience in a research environment directly related to the ecology of terrestrial and wetland Ecosystems. A strong understanding of plant ecology or botany is preferred. 
• Record of publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals commensurate with established peers with a similar level of experience (for example, Assistant or Associate Professors at Canadian academic institutions).

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process. 

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/assets/documents/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf

How Competencies will apply to this role:

Creative Problem-Solving: You will use your scientific knowledge and expertise to create new and innovative solutions to mitigate environmental concerns.

Systems Thinking: You will have an understanding of how your role impacts working with others to see the larger picture of overseeing the environmental well-being in Alberta.

Develop Networks: You will interact with other scientists, ministries and external stakeholders to research, share and develop innovative approaches to projects, plans and situations as they arise.

Build Collaborative Environments: You will use effective negotiation and facilitation skills to bring resolution to complex issues among diverse group/individuals.

Drive for Results: Using your strong communication, leadership and interpersonal skills, you will develop and deliver understandable scientific information to key stakeholders, the scientific community, public audiences, and senior executives in government.

Salary

$3,550.90 to $4,713.47 bi-weekly ($92,678 – 123,021/year)

Notes

• This is a full-time, permanent position.
• Monday – Friday, 36.25 hours per week. 
• Include your list of publications and presentations with your resume and cover letter.

What We Offer: 

• Working for the Alberta Public Service – https://www.alberta.ca/advantages- working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) – https://www.pspp.ca 
• Leadership and mentorship programs.
• Professional learning and development.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Participation in flexible work arrangement such as working from home up to two days/week may be considered
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca

How To Apply

Click on the “Apply” button.

Candidates are required to apply for a job online. Please visit https://www.alberta.ca/navigating-online-jobs-application.aspx to learn more about creating a candidate profile and other tips for the Government of Alberta’s online application system.

If you are not currently an employee with the Government of Alberta, the first step in applying for a job is creating your candidate profile within our online application system, click here to access the main log in page where you are able to ‘Create an account’, reset your password (‘Forgot your password’) or ‘Sign In’ should you already have an account.

Existing employees should access the Career tile in 1GX to submit their application in order to be recognized as an internal applicant.

Once you have created your candidate profile, visit the Alberta Public Service job site to apply for jobs at https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-jobs.aspx.

Applicants are advised to provide information that clearly and concisely demonstrates how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience and relevant examples of required competencies.

Resources for applicants:

• https://www.alberta.ca/apply-for-jobs-with-the-alberta-public-service.aspx 
• https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-hiring-process.aspx
• https://alis.alberta.ca/look-for-work/

It is recommended that applicants who have obtained educational credentials from outside of Canada and have not had them previously assessed, obtain an evaluation of their credentials from the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) https://www.alberta.ca/iqas-overview.aspx. Applicants are encouraged to include the assessment certificate from IQAS or any other educational assessment service as part of their application.

Closing Statement

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies, across the Government of Alberta, at the same or lower classification level.

We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates’ qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements. Only individuals selected for interviews will be contacted.

If you require any further information on this job posting or a copy of the role profile, and/or require a disability related accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Jane McEwen via email at Jane.Mcewen@gov.ab.ca.

If this competition is closed as per the closing date noted above, please continue to check http://www.jobs.alberta.ca for a listing of current career opportunities with the Government of Alberta.