Limnologist/Water Quality Specialist

Role Responsibilities

Reporting to the Senior Air and Watershed Resource Manager, the Limnologist / Water Quality Specialist provides expert scientific and technical advice to support surface water quality management, regulatory approvals, and cumulative effects management across Alberta.

This role focuses on real-world water quality issues – reviewing industrial and municipal approvals, interpreting monitoring and modelling data, leading investigations into water quality impairments, and supporting the design and implementation of regional surface water quality management frameworks.

You will work closely with regulatory staff, policy teams, watershed partners, and external stakeholders to ensure water quality outcomes are protective of aquatic ecosystem and public health.

Key responsibilities include:

• Reviewing water quality monitoring and modelling submissions for environmental assessments and regulatory approvals.
• Providing technical advice to approvals and compliance teams on effluent limits, monitoring requirements, and pollution mitigation.
• Leading investigations and focused studies to identify sources, impacts, and management options for water quality issues.
• Supporting the development and implementation of regional surface water quality management frameworks.
• Contributing scientific expertise to multi-stakeholder committees and watershed planning groups.
• Advising on the design of water quality monitoring networks and targeted field studies.
• Providing scientific input into provincial water quality policy, guidance, and frameworks.
• Communicating technical findings clearly through written reports, presentations, and stakeholder discussions.

Please click on this link to view the job description for 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.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

• Systems Thinking: Understands how regional water quality issues, cumulative effects, regulatory decisions, and provincial policy interact, and applies this understanding when reviewing data, approvals, and management options.
• Creative Problem Solving: Analyzes complex water quality issues using scientific evidence, professional judgment, and incomplete information to identify practical, defensible solutions.
• Develop Networks: Builds effective working relationships with internal teams, other ministries, and external stakeholders to support collaborative water quality management.
• Drive for Results: Delivers timely, high-quality scientific advice and recommendations that support regulatory timelines, framework implementation, and environmental outcomes.

Qualifications

Required:

• A completed university Bachelor’s degree in a related field such as limnology, environmental science, water chemistry, aquatic ecology, microbiology, biogeochemistry, or watershed management, or another closely related discipline; and
• A minimum of six (6) years of directly related experience in water quality science, aquatic resource management, environmental monitoring, regulatory support, or natural resource management.

Equivalency: Related experience or education may be considered as an equivalency on a one‑for‑one basis This may include:

• A PhD in a related scientific discipline with a minimum of two (2) years of directly related experience; or
• A Master’s degree in a related scientific discipline with a minimum of four (4) years of directly related experience.

Additional Requirements:

• Valid Class 5 Driver’s Licence (or equivalent) with a clear abstract.

The Ideal Candidate will possess Technical Experience in:

• Water quality monitoring and assessment methods.
• Industrial and/or municipal effluent characterization.
• Pollutant fate and transport in aquatic systems.
• Aquatic ecosystem impacts and human health considerations.
• Provincial and federal water‑related legislation and guidelines (e.g., EPEA, Water Act, Environmental Quality Guidelines).

Assets and Preferences:

• Eligibility for membership with the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists.
• Water quality field sampling experience.
• Experience with statistical analysis using tools such as R, JMP, or SPSS.
• Experience interpreting Piper plots and other trilinear diagrams.
• Knowledge of nutrient dynamics, microbiological parameters, or source tracking.
• Ability to communicate technical findings clearly to non-technical audiences.
• Experience working within regulatory, policy, or cumulative effects management frameworks.

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 is a full-time, permanent position based in Edmonton, Alberta. The standard work schedule is Monday to Friday, from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., totaling 36.25 hours per week. Other locations in Alberta may be considered.

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: Issues Coordinator, 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 Science, 4-year Degree (Graduated 2017).

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.

Links and information on what the GoA have 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.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.