Posting Date: Mar 15, 2024
Location: Edmonton, AB
Company: Government of Alberta
Job Information
Job Title: River Forecast Engineer
Job Requisition ID: 55017
Ministry: Environment and Protected Areas
Location: Edmonton
Full or Part-Time: Full Time
Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week
Permanent/Temporary: Temporary (2 years)
Scope: Open Competition
Closing Date: April 5, 2024
Classification: Engineering and Related Level 2 (522ERA)
Salary: $3,090.43 to $4,278.93 bi-weekly ($80,660 – $111,680/year)
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 Responsibilities
Are you interested in an opportunity to advance your career using your education and experience in real-time monitoring, assessment and forecasting of river conditions through the application of hydrologic and meteorological theory?
We invite you to consider a unique opportunity as a River Forecast Engineer with the Government of Alberta.
Reporting to the Manager of the River Forecast Team, the River Forecast Engineer will focus primarily on the interpretation of meteorological and hydrological data for decision making purposes, providing technical support for water related issues within Alberta’s river basins and supporting the development of hydrologic river forecasting techniques and tools.
The River Forecast Engineer position plays a key role in providing a contact point for river related emergencies on a 24/7 basis during the open water operations season. The position will be required to execute clear analytical decisions in spite of incomplete data and limited response time for extended work periods. This position communicates, in written and verbal form, with local officials in emergency situations, directly issuing advisories/warnings to the public and representing the department as a technical expert during and after a river related event.
The River Forecast Engineer will also be responsible for leading and coordinating forecasting projects during the year. These projects will include snow melt modeling, open water modeling and forecasting requests from internal or external clients, as well as assessing, innovating and advancing the open water river forecast program. Additionally, this position will provide technical advice and support to internal and external partners including but not limited to the other teams within Alberta Environment and Protected Areas and cross ministry teams.
As a River Forecast Engineer you will:
• Manage the delivery of the Provincial River Forecasting Program.
• Support the development and maintenance of the River Forecast Centre’s Hydrologic Models, Tools and Techniques.
• Manage the delivery of the Seasonal Natural River Volume Forecast Program.
• Maintain Flood Operating Procedures for dams owned and operated by the Government of Alberta.
• Provide technical expertise and support to Partners.
• Participation on various committees and teams providing expertise on river hydrologic processes.
You will play a key role in providing a contact point for river related emergencies on a 24/7 on-call basis during the open water operations season.
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/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.
How Competencies will apply to this role:
Creative Problem Solving: You will be required to execute clear analytical decisions in spite of incomplete data and limited response time. You will use a high level of judgement when interpreting results, developing forecasts and providing specialist advice during extended periods.
Systems Thinking: Contributing to complex forecasting decisions will require you to understand the larger integrated environment. Some of the work in this position is politically sensitive, especially when dealing with flood emergencies where there is potential for loss of life and damage to property, so it is integral to keep much broader impacts and connections in mind.
Build Collaborative Environments: You will work closely within a team in the River Forecast Centre and with a variety of parties to effectively deliver program outcomes. This includes River Hazard, Water Infrastructure Operations and Data Management groups with whom you will be responsible for maintaining partnerships and upon which the Centre relies. You will maintain strong relations and reliance with Environment and Climate Change Canada and with the Environmental Monitoring and Science Division in our department.
Develop Networks: You will communicate and collaborate with government employees, private individuals, landowners, local authorities, large corporations, and local officials in emergency situations. Developing strong networks will allow you to successfully represent the department at meetings and on committees, and provide technical support to the public, municipalities, industry and other government departments.
Agility: You will need the ability to anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities, maintain resilience in times of uncertainty and effectively work in a changing environment such as floods or other emergency situations.
Qualifications
Required:
• Completed university degree in Engineering.
• Minimum five years of related work experience (hydrologic forecasting, modeling, real-time data collection, data systems, quality control, meteorology and climatology impact on severe weather conditions and river processes, and river systems in Alberta).
Equivalences will be considered: Additional related education considered in lieu of experience on a one-for-one basis.
Additional requirements:
• Must be eligible for membership with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA).
Assets:
• Experience working in drought situations.
• Graduate level training in hydrology or hydrologic engineering.
What will set you apart:
• Preference for a graduate degree in the area of hydrotechnial engineering.
• Experience with the Raven hydrological modelling framework.
• Programming experience (ie python, R).
• Professional membership with the APEGA.
• Emergency Management experience.
The goal of this recruitment is to fill this position at Engineering & Related Level 2. However, candidates with lesser qualifications may be considered at a lower classification and salary.
Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.
Notes
• This competition is for 1 temporary position located in Edmonton.
• Monday – Friday, 7.25 hours per day / 36.25 hours per week.
About Your Work Environment
You will be based in an office located in downtown Edmonton. It is important to note, as emergency response is a component of this position, there may be times you will be expected to be on standby with short notice or expected to work extended hours including weekends, evenings and/or holiday work. Vacation during the open water operational season may be limited depending on the circumstance.
Any costs associated with obtaining 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.
Instructions for your Resume:
For Employment Experience:
Please indicate duration of employment (month, year)
Please specify employment status (i.e. casual, part-time or full-time)
Ex: Youth Worker, Jan 2006 – June 2009, Part-time (three, 8 hour shifts/week)
For any Post-Secondary Education:
Please specify your major and length of program
Please specify the year you graduated
Ex: Bachelor of Social Work, 4-year Degree (Graduated 2017)
Links and information on what the GoA has to offer to prospective employees.
• 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.
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information – https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
• Professional learning and development – https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.
How To Apply
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.
Candidates are required to apply for a job online. Please visit https://www.alberta.ca/job-application-resources#before for more information. Please visit Recruitment Principles, for more information.
It is recommended applicants who have completed post-secondary studies from outside of Canada obtain an evaluation of their credentials from the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS)(https://www.alberta.ca/international-qualifications-assessment.aspx) or from a recognized Canadian Credential Evaluator; please visit the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada for more information (https://canalliance.org/en/default.html).
It is recommended that applicants 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, please contact Jane McEwen, TAS Administrator via email at Jane.Mcewen@gov.ab.ca.
