Biochemist jobs

Role Responsibilities

Help Protect Alberta’s Food Supply

Are you passionate about science and making a real impact? Join a team at the forefront of food safety, where your laboratory expertise helps ensure Alberta’s agricultural and food products meet the highest standards of quality and safety.

In this role, you'll perform advanced testing for trace contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides, and veterinary drug residues, contributing directly to regulatory programs, scientific innovation, and consumer confidence. Your work will help support safe food production, strengthen market access, and protect the health of Albertans.

Key Responsibilities:

• Receive and log in client samples as required; ensure that correct tests are assigned at time of log in; carry out initial aliquoting of subsamples for various assigned analytical tests
• Conduct routine and specialized laboratory testing using wet chemistry and advanced analytical instrumentation (e.g., LC-MS/MS, ICP-MS, HPLC).
• Receive, prepare, process, analyze, and accurately report sample results while maintaining complete data integrity and traceability.
• Prepare reagents, perform sample extractions and digestions, and troubleshoot analytical methods and testing processes.
• Ensure compliance with ISO 17025 quality standards through documentation, quality control activities, proficiency testing, and audit participation.
• Maintain, calibrate, troubleshoot, and perform minor repairs on laboratory instruments and equipment to support reliable operations.
• Contribute to method development, validation, and continuous improvement by evaluating new procedures, reviewing scientific literature, and recommending efficiencies.
• Compile, analyze, and present testing data through reports, charts, spreadsheets, and other laboratory documentation.
Support laboratory excellence by developing SOPs, maintaining a safe and contamination-free workspace, and providing technical training and guidance to staff.
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The Job Description is provided for further details on this position

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.

Creative Problem Solving - Engages the community and resources at hand to address issues:

• Engages perspective to seek root causes
• Find ways to improve complex systems
• Employ resources from other areas to solve problems
• Engage others and encourage debate and idea generation to solve problems while addressing risks

Agility - Works in a changing environment and takes initiative to change:

• Takes opportunities to improve work processes
• Anticipates and adjusts behavior to change
• Remains optimistic, calm and composed in stressful situations
• Seek advice and support to change appropriately
• Works creatively within guidelines

Develop Self and Others - Plans according to career goals and regular development:

• Aligns personal goals with career goals
• Leverages strengths; attempts stretch goals
• Provides feedback and openly discusses team performance
• Values team diversity, and supports personal development

Build Collaborative Environments - Works in an open honest manner with colleagues:

• Creates sharing opportunities
• Actively shares, accepts and listens to others
• Recognizes conflict, respects and discusses opinions openly
• Supports group even to learn from mistakes
• Recognizes differing interpretations

Qualifications

Required:

• Two (2) year technical diploma in a related field such as organic chemistry or related.
• Two (2) years of directly related experience in lab environments.
• Must receive medical clearance to wear a respirator and pass appropriate respirator fit testing.

Equivalencies: Directly related education or experience considered on the basis of:

• 1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or
• 1 year of experience for 1 year of education

Assets:

• Commercial high throughput laboratory experience is an asset.
• Experience with mass spectrometers is an asset
• Chromatographic experience such as HPLC or UPLC is an asset
• Spectroscopic experience such as atomic absorption or ICP-MS is an asset.
• Laboratory inspection and first aider experience is an asset.
• Experience working in an ISO 17025 accredited lab environment.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

Notes

Position Information:

Office Location: O. S. Longman Building, 6909 - 116 Street, Edmonton, AB T6H 4P2

Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week

Monday to Friday (8:15 to 4:30 pm).

Two Temporary positions available from 9-18 months.

Other Application Information:

• A cover letter is required with your application, outlining how your education and experience aligns with the role.
• Final candidates may be required to undergo a practical laboratory-based testing, demonstrating skills and abilities following the interview.
• Medical clearance to wear a half or full-face respirator is required.
• This position will require final candidates to undergo a security clearance.
• Final candidates may be required to undergo a written test demonstrating writing skills and abilities pre or post interviews.

Links and information on what we have to offer:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP)
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information.
• Professional learning and development.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate.

Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.