Laser and Radiation Safety Officer (HSE)

Priority may be given to the following designated employment equity groups: women, Indigenous peoples* (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), persons with disabilities and racialized persons*.

* The Employment Equity Act, which is under review, uses the terminology Aboriginal peoples and visible minorities.

Candidates are asked to self-declare when applying to this hiring process.

City: Ottawa 

Organizational Unit: Health, Safety and Environment Branch 

Classification: RCO 

Tenure: Continuing 

Language Requirements: Bilingual Imperative BBB/BBB 

Work Arrangements: Due to the nature of the work and operational requirements, this position will require some physical presence at the NRC work location identified, in the form of a hybrid work arrangement (a combination of working onsite and offsite).

Great Minds. One Goal. Canada's Success.

Help bring research to life and drive your career forward with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), Canada's largest research and technology organization.

We are looking for Laser and Radiation Safety Officer to support our Health, Safety and Environment Branch. The Laser and Radiation Safety Officer would be someone who shares our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Respect and Creativity.

To be successful in this role, you will need strong knowledge in the area of physical and mechanical risks, exceptional analytical skills to evaluate incidents/accidents and identify current & emerging risks within your scientific area of specialization of physical and mechanical safety.  You will further be relied upon to develop solutions, provide recommendations and risk mitigation strategies on complex issues in collaboration with your HSE colleagues and C/B/I client management teams.  Employing your advanced analytical skills, you will be key in identifying trends in physical and mechanical safety issues and entrusted to develop relevant national mitigation plans. 

NRC’s Health, Safety and Environment Branch (HSE) proactively establishes, promotes and implements best practices in health, safety and environmental management. The HSE Branch provides enabling and support services to NRC’s Research & Development activities, assuring the health and safety of our employees, our neighbouring communities and our environment.

The National Research Council operates labs and research facilities across the country, each with its own unique challenges related to health, safety and environmental management.  NRC is involved with innovative research in transportation, engineering, life and medical sciences, and emerging technologies in computer science, electronics, astronomy and nanotechnology.  Each area presents a wide and exciting variety of health, safety and environment related aspects ranging from worker health and protection, to animal safety, biosafety, radiation safety, hazardous materials management, noise and air emissions, waste waters, species at risk, and the list goes on.

As the Laser and Radiation Safety Officer, you will provide advanced expertise related to health, safety and environmental issues within the defined scientific field of physical and mechanical safety, including laser and radiation safety, to all applicable NRC C/B/I’s across Canada.  You will support HSE colleagues, C/B/Is and NRC management in planning and addressing potential risks, issues or areas of concern within the subject area of specialization of physical and mechanical safety.  You will be providing technical support and expertise to support the development of HSE policy instruments and program implementation related to physical and mechanical safety.  

You will also be responsible to all reporting/communications with the federal and/or provincial regulators

Applicants must demonstrate within the content of their application that they meet the following screening criteria in order to be given further consideration as candidates:

Bachelor of Science degree, in physics, mechanical engineering, or in a field related to the field of responsibility.

An equivalent combination of work related experience and education including Project Management courses would also be considered.

For information on certificates and diplomas issued abroad, please see Degree equivalency

• Significant* experience in providing HSE expertise, advice and guidance to senior and executive management, as well as to regional and/or workplace HSE committees or representatives within the area of specialization of Laser and Radiation, physical and mechanical safety. 
• Experience in project planning and leading project teams in the resolution of HSE issues within the area of specialization of Laser and Radiation, as well as physical and mechanical safety. 
• Experience in writing and defining text for policy instruments, training and communications products. 
• Experience defining highly technical implementation strategies and plans. 
• Experience reporting to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regulators.
• Experience in material handling.

* Significant is defined as at least 3 years of experience.

Reliability Status

Bilingual Imperative BBB/BBB 

Information on language requirements and self-assessment tests

Candidates will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

• Knowledge of regulation and legislation related to the area of specialization.  
• Knowledge of best practices, trends, and scientific breakthroughs in the area of specialization.
• Knowledge of the roles, responsibilities and processes of regulatory bodies and central agencies regarding corporate licenses and permits related to the area of specialization.  
• Knowledge of the Canadian Federal Government directives and policies on Safety, Health and the Environment, and applicable standards and guidelines.
• Knowledge of risk assessment techniques and those associated with the development of mitigation strategies.
• Ability to clearly define text for policy instruments, training and communications products. 
• Ability to define highly technical implementation strategies and plans.
• Ability to lead in the resolution of HSE issues within the subject area.

• Management services - Communication (Level 3)
• Management services - Conceptual and analytical ability (Level 3)
• Management services - Organizational and environmental awareness (Level 2)
• Management services - Results orientation (Level 3)
• Management services - Teamwork (Level 3)

For this position, the NRC will evaluate candidates using the following competency profiles: Management Services

View all competency profiles

This position is classified as a Research Council Officer (RCO), a group that is unique to the NRC. Candidates are remunerated based on their expertise, outcomes and impacts of their previous work experience relative to the requirements of the level. The salary scale for this group is vast, from $62,071 to $175,466 per annum, which permits for employees of all levels from new graduates to world renowned experts to be fairly compensated for their contributions.

In addition, the incumbent will receive the Bilingualism Bonus of $800 per year.

NRC employees enjoy a wide-range of competitive benefits including comprehensive health and dental plans, vacation, sick, and other leave entitlements, disability insurance and pension plans.

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) is the Government of Canada's largest research organization supporting industrial innovation, the advancement of knowledge and technology development. We collaborate with over 70 colleges, universities and hospitals annually, work with 800 companies on their projects, and provide advice or funding to over 8000 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) each year.

We bring together the brightest minds to deliver tangible impacts on the lives of Canadians and people around the world. And now, we want to partner with you.  Let your expertise and inspirations make an impact by joining the NRC.

At the NRC Employee wellness matters. We offer flexible work schedules as well as part-time work to help employees maintain work-life balance. We are one of the few federal organizations that close our offices during the December holiday season.  We offer professional learning and development opportunities such as conferences, workshops, and a suite of mentorship, award and recognition programs. Diversity enables creativity and innovation. Fostering a diverse, inclusive, welcoming and supportive workplace is important to us, and contributes to a more inclusive Canadian innovation system. We welcome all qualified applicants and encourage you to complete the employment equity self-declaration questions during the job application process. Please let us know of any accommodation measures required to help you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Please note that the information you provide will be treated confidentially. 

Help us solve problems for Canada. Grow your career with us today!

• Relocation assistance will be determined in accordance with the NRC's directives.
• A pre-qualified list may be established for similar positions for a one year period.
• Candidates may use their cover letter to demonstrate how they meet the education and experience factors listed on the poster.
• Preference will be given to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada. Please include citizenship information in your application.
• The incumbent must adhere to safe workplace practices at all times.
• We thank all those who apply, however only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Please direct your questions, with the requisition number (21399) to:

E-mail: [email protected]

Telephone : 343-550-0290

Closing Date: 22 April 2024 - 23:59 Eastern Time

For more information on career tools and other resources, check out Career tools and resources

*If you are currently a term or continuing employee at NRC, please apply through the SuccessFactors Careers module from your NRC computer.