Job Opportunity: Inspector, EG-03

We need your help!

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is urgently seeking to immediately fill temporary on-site inspector positions located throughout Western Canada to assist in the current emergency response to an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) in Canada.

Avian Influenza is an internationally-reportable animal health disease which affects domestic and wild birds. We need you to help make a difference in the lives of Canadians!

Job title:

Inspector (EG-03 group/level)

Work locations:

1. British Columbia: Vernon, Abbotsford
2. Alberta: Lethbridge, Red Deer
3. Saskatchewan: Regina, Saskatoon
4. Manitoba: Winnipeg

Pay range:

$ 57547 – 72811 per annum (under review)

Term:

Rapid start to November 30, 2022 (start/end dates may be flexible)

Job duties:

As an inspector designated under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act, you will be responsible for supporting the prevention, control and eradication of designated animal diseases for the protection of Canadian livestock; prevention of the transmission of zoonotic diseases and certification of animals and animal products for export. Inspectors provide advice and guidance to consumers, other government departments and industry clients. Successful candidates will participate in the avian influenza response at in-person locations throughout Western Canada, and may be assigned various tasks related to biocontainment, destruction, disposal, cleaning and disinfection.

Key activities may include:

1. SAMPLING, MONITORING and TESTING – Handle live and deceased birds to collect and prepare samples for subsequent laboratory analysis to test for disease agents and residues. Perform various tests on live animals and interpret the results.
2. EMERGENCY RESPONSE and DISEASE INVESTIGATION – Conduct trace-out activities to identify sales and movements. Assist in setting up biocontainment lines. Oversee and assist with cleaning and disinfection related activities at infected premises. Assist colleagues with donning and doffing of personal protection equipment (PPE). Assist with destruction activities, such as preparation of buildings prior to CO2 application. Assist with disposal activities, such as gathering carcasses, building compost piles, monitoring biological heat treatment (BHT) temperatures.
3. PROVIDING INFORMATION and GUIDANCE - Provide animal health and/or meat hygiene regulatory and policy information, advice and guidance to industry, other government departments and the public.

Successful candidates will be open to physically demanding environmental conditions, which may include: standing and walking indoors and outdoors for prolonged periods of time, seasonal weather elements, humidity and various odours and fluids. You may need to undergo a pre-placement medical exam, receive vaccinations, undergo fit testing and use personal protection equipment (PPE), including respiratory equipment which may require you to be clean-shaven. You may be expected to travel, work irregular hours and/or work paid overtime, and you will be required to have a valid driver's license. (see "Conditions of Employment" for more information)

About us

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is committed to safeguarding food, animals and plants, which enhances the health and well-being of Canada's people, environment and economy. We work diligently to protect Canadians from preventable health risks related to food and zoonotic diseases. The Agency works towards protecting Canadians from preventable health risks related to food and to animal diseases. Avian Influenza (AI) is a zoonotic disease that may spread from between animals and from animals to humans, this is a critical issue considering the current situation with COVID and our stretched health care resources.

Come and join a workplace where you can make a real difference in the health and welfare of Canadians. The CFIA is committed to fostering a workplace where employees' knowledge, experience and vision can have a significant effect on this country. Find out more about the CFIA.

Who can apply?

All persons residing in Canada and eligible to work in Canada.

The CFIA considers applications from individuals who have legal status to work in Canada and does not give preference to Canadian citizens.

In your application, please identify the legal status which entitles you to work in Canada: Canadian citizenship, permanent resident status or work permit. You will be asked to show proof of this status in order to complete the security screening required for employment. Failure to provide this information will eliminate your application from further consideration.

Individuals without Canadian citizenship, permanent resident status, or an open or CFIA-specific work permit will only be considered if all other applicants with legal status to work in Canada are found not qualified.

How to apply

Submit your résumé in an email with subject header "CFIA AI Application – Inspector EG03" to:

cfia.ABExternalResources-RessourcesExterieures.acia@inspection.gc.ca:

Should you be successful in the first stage of the process (screening), you will be contacted by email to provide additional information regarding your qualifications, and you will be asked to provide two (2) references.

What experience you need

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. After sending your résumé, you will be asked to fill out an Applicant Questionnaire that must clearly outline how you meet the qualifications below, as it will impact your progression to the next stage of the process. You will be asked to provide proof of your education credentials later in the process.

Essential education:

EED1: For individuals who are current or former employees of CFIA, or who have inspection experience with CFIA or its precursor departments:

• Completion of post-secondary education specializing (accessible only on the Government of Canada network) in relevant technical sciences OR an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.

For individuals who are not current or former employees of CFIA:

• Completion of post-secondary education specializing (accessible only on the Government of Canada network) in relevant technical sciences.

An Animal Health Technology Diploma will be considered as acceptable education for the purposes of this job posting.

Asset education (valuable but not required):

AEd1: University graduation with specialization in a field related to the functions of the position.

Find out more about degree equivalency.

Essential experience:

EE1: Experience working in or providing guidance in the animal health field or a related agriculture industry.

EE2: Experience interpreting legislation, regulation, policies or procedures.

EE3: Experience preparing and writing reports or letters (for example, formal letters, invoices, or emails).

Asset experience (valuable but not required):

AE1:  Experience working as an animal health technologist.

AE2: Experience working as a veterinary technician.

AE3: Experience working as an assistant to a veterinary technician.

AE4: Experience handling live or dead birds.

AE5: Experience with sampling, monitoring, and/or testing animals.

AE6: Experience with cleaning and disinfection with respect to disease response.

AE7: Experience with disposal and/or destruction activities.

What we will assess

The following will be applied/assessed at a later date:

Essential competencies:

EC1: Flexibility & Adaptability

EC2: Resourcefulness & Initiative

EC3: Teamwork

EC4: Oral Communication

EC5: Written Communication

Language

These positions are English Essential.

Find more information on language requirements.

Intent of the process

A qualified pool of candidates for the express purpose of emergency response capacity support will be established following all stages of this staffing process.

The AI response within the West continues to evolve at a rapid pace, and in order to maintain the health and safety of our staff, provide stability and minimize damage to the domestic poultry sector, the need for additional temporary staff continues to shift. All positions being staffed in response to this outbreak are temporary in nature, ranging from rapid deployment to term opportunities that may last between 4 and 6 months. There may be an opportunity to extend some term employment opportunities based on needs. While the Agency does not guarantee tenure extension or stabilization for rapid deployment or term employees, any opportunity for a permanent position may be gained through a formal selection process. As a term employee of CFIA, you will have access to apply to these opportunities should they arise.

Accommodation

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 included on this poster to request special accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Information on accommodation during the assessment stage.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is a separate employer and is not subject to the Public Service Employment Act.

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.

Other Conditions of employment

• Legal status to accept employment for the entire period of employment.
• 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.
• Due to the potential for human infection, responders working in the field will be required to complete a pre-placement medical and be prescribed a 14-day course of Tamiflu® as a protective prophylactic measure. The purpose of the medical appointment is to review the potential hazards of working in an environment were avian influenza viruses are present.

Any of the following conditions of employment may be required for an appointment from the pool:

• Willing and available to work irregular hours (e.g., nights, weekends, statutory holidays).
• Willing and available to work overtime.
• Valid driver's license.
• Use of all prescribed safety materials, equipment, clothing and devices, including but not limited to Tyvek suits, an N95 Mask or Full Respirator, and steel-toed boots.
• Use of prescribed and provided respiratory equipment that meets the respiratory program requirements.
• Willing to undergo fit testing for respiratory equipment (e.g. may need to be clean-shaven, depending on the respirator design).
• Willing to work, stand, and walk in indoor and outdoor environments for prolonged periods of time, subject to seasonal weather elements, humidity and various odours.

A few last things…

1. 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.
2. Please ensure that you read ALL points listed below, as this section contains important information about the application process. Failure to read these notes and follow these instructions could result in your application missing required information which may result in your application being eliminated from this selection process.
   1. You are entitled to participate in the selection process in the official language of your choice.
   2. For this selection 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 selection 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 selection process.
   3. Applicants who are screened in to this selection process will be sent further information by email regarding what to expect during subsequent phases of this selection process.
   4. Depending on the number of applicants, CFIA's needs and CFIA human resource (HR) plans, volume management strategies (such as, but not limited to, top-down approach, cut-off scores, random selection and/or assessment) may be used for the purpose of managing applications/candidates. Should a volume management strategy be used, communication regarding the application of the strategy will be provided to those candidates who are impacted.
   5. 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 selection process.
   6. Various assessment tools may be used in this selection process such as: standardized tests, reference checks, written tests, an interview, etc.
   7. All written and verbal communication obtained throughout the selection 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

External Resources, Planning section:
cfia.ABExternalResources-RessourcesExterieures.acia@inspection.gc.ca