Are you passionate about protecting the environment and want to contribute by applying your scientific, data collection, and technical analysis skills?
If this sounds like you, then we have the perfect opportunity to do your part by participating in the planning, coordination, and delivery of terrestrial investigations and related monitoring programs for the Terrestrial Assessment and Field Services Unit of the Environmental Monitoring and Reporting Branch.
About the job
As a Terrestrial Assessment Technician, you will:
• Provide technical expertise and leadership in the conduct of complex soil and vegetation assessments and special studies of the effects of pollutants on terrestrial ecosystems in support of the ministry's abatement, enforcement, compliance and emergency response related activities.
• Provide technical expertise and leadership in developing and applying sampling, analysis methods & protocols for soil and vegetation assessment and terrestrial environmental monitoring including analytical equipment and instrumentation for use in the field, in a science facility or workshop.
• Coordinate, oversee and conduct sample collection, preparation, processing and analysis for multiple environmental, experimental media and sample types.
• Provide group leadership to assigned staff, students and contract technicians, technical advice to scientists, and including team leadership in health and safety practices and protocols.
What you bring to the team
Mandatory requirements
• Valid Ontario Driver's License (G-Class) to conduct field work as required. Field work will, from time to time, involve multi-day travel across the province, multi-day travel to remote locations and working under harsh environmental conditions
Environmental, Technical and Legislative Knowledge
• You understand investigative methods and can design and carry out complex environmental assessments, including adapting protocols for unusual situations.
• You have hands-on and theoretical knowledge of soil, vegetation, and crop sampling — from collection and preparation to analysis — including advanced tools like portable XRF, and you follow strong quality-assurance practices.
• You apply soil science and/or plant science principles in practical field or lab work and have direct experience in these areas.
• You can use statistical methods and data-analysis tools, and you understand analytical errors and how to manage them.
• You know relevant health and safety laws (e.g., OHSA, WHMIS, MSDS) and can identify and manage risks in field and workplace environments.
• You understand key environmental regulations, policies, and guidelines (e.g., O. Reg. 153/04, Excess Soil rules, Ontario Typical Range, soil remediation guidelines, Environmental Protection Act).
Time Management, Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills
• You have time management and organizational skills to accommodate multiple requests and deliver within deadlines.
• You can plan and coordinate terrestrial investigations,, special monitoring/environmental studies, associated field work, research or experimental projects, programs, environmental studies, experiments and the development of methods/procedures development related to terrestrial toxicology and chemistry.
• You can analyze and interpret survey findings and assess environmental quality and anthropogenic impacts.
• You have proven problem-solving skills.
Technical Leadership and Communication Skills
• You communicate in a clear and concise manner
• You know how to write technical reports
• You have excellent team leadership skills
• You work well with others and know how to foster community interest in projects and enlist partner and client support
Don't meet every qualification?
If you are excited about this position and meet most, but not all, of the listed qualifications, please still consider applying. We recognize that no one person might have every qualification in this job ad, and you just might be the right candidate!
How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility
We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.
Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's
Human Rights Code and the
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer
accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please
contact us.Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace: