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Apply By: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 11:59 pm EDT

Head, Soils and Aggregates

Job ID:

242145

Posting status:

Open

Organization:

Ministry of Transportation

Division:

Transportation Infrastructure Management Division

City:

Toronto

Position(s) language:

English

Job term:

1 Temporary Contract/Assignment - 12 months

Job code:

G0215M - Management Engineering 02

Salary:

$115,559.00 - $171,573.00 Per year

Lead the Work that Shapes Ontario's Soil and Aggregate Standards.

The Standards and Contracts Branch is seeking a leader who will guide the Soils & Aggregates Section as it delivers testing, analysis, and geotechnical services that support safe and reliable transportation infrastructure across Ontario. This team studies how aggregates, soils, rock, and geotextiles perform in laboratory and real-world conditions, carries out assessments of infrastructure materials containing aggregates, including asphalt and concrete, and conducts research that strengthens material testing and screening methods. As Head of the Section, you will set the direction for this work, lead a team of technical specialists, and support decisions about material quality and geotechnical conditions that help protect public safety.

Making an Impact

Your leadership supports decisions that shape how material data informs ministry decisions in projects across the province. The work you guide helps reduce construction risks, supports consistent engineering practices, and strengthens the ministry's ability to respond to geotechnical challenges. By leading this unit, you play a key role in helping the ministry plan and deliver transportation infrastructure that is safe, reliable, and built on a strong understanding of Ontario's natural materials.

The Ontario Public Service: Strengthening Ontario, Together.

A career in the Ontario Public Service (OPS) is driven by purpose. We're building a stronger Ontario by delivering programs and services that make a real difference in people's lives. If you share this ambition, you'll find a workplace that reflects the diversity of the people we serve and empowers you to lead with confidence.

Why Your Leadership Belongs Here

• Purpose that drives you: Lead work that matters. Your leadership will shape policies, programs, and services that improve lives across the province—every day.

• A culture that supports you: Thrive in a flexible, inclusive, and respectful workplace that values your well-being and empowers you to bring your whole self to work.

• A career that grows with you: Explore leadership opportunities across ministries and sectors. With access to mentorship, learning, and mobility, your career can evolve here.

• Recognition that reflects your impact: We value the difference you make. You'll receive competitive pay, a defined-benefit pension, and benefits that support your well-being—plus meaningful recognition for your contributions.

About the job

We believe great leadership starts with high standards and strong support. In the OPS, that means showing up with authenticity, acting with integrity, and having the courage to do what's right, even when it's hard.

As a leader, you'll shape a team culture that sparks innovation, supports collaboration, and champions inclusion. You'll help build a workplace that is diverse, anti-racist, and accessible, where everyone feels safe, respected, and able to thrive.

You won't be doing it alone. We invest in our leaders through mentorship, learning opportunities, and cross-ministry networks that help you grow your impact and connect with peers across the organization.

Leadership is about impact, and in this role, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful one. You will:

• Lead the testing and assessment of aggregates, soils, rock, and geotextiles so the ministry can understand how these materials perform in real-world conditions.

• Guide geotechnical investigations, including bedrock evaluations and rock fall hazard analysis, to help identify material-related risks.

• Direct research on aggregate performance, polishing, and wear resistance to support improvements in testing and screening methods.

• Oversee petrography and microscopy work that identifies material characteristics that influence durability and long-term performance.

• Provide direction on how test results are interpreted and applied so material evaluations follow consistent practices across the province.

• Support decisions that rely on accurate material data and geotechnical insight, helping the ministry plan safe and reliable transportation-related work.

Meet your New Team

This position reports to Joel Magnan, Manager, Engineering Materials Office.

You will join the Soils & Aggregates Section within the Engineering Materials Office (EMO), a team of materials specialists, senior technical staff, and laboratory professionals. The team brings strong expertise in soils, aggregates, petrography, microscopy, and geotechnical evaluation, and works closely with partners across industry, academia, standards committees, municipalities, and transportation agencies. You will join a group that values collaboration, practical problem-solving, and sharing knowledge to support the ministry's work.

Information Session

Interested in this position? Join us to learn more about the team, vision, and key priorities. The session will be held on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Use the following link to access the MS Teams invitation on the day of.

Join Meeting

What you bring to the team

Mandatory requirements

• Must be licenced to practice with Professional Engineers Ontario.

Leadership

• Motivate and lead: Brings established experience leading people and multi-disciplinary technical and professional teams, with clear accountability for results, team development, and performance. You lead by setting direction, coaching others, and building a culture of trust, inclusion, and high performance.
• Promote team development and collaboration: Creates learning opportunities, encourages open communication and knowledge sharing, and helps the team align around shared goals.
• Communicate clearly: Communicates information in a clear, timely, and audience-appropriate way that supports staff understanding, alignment, and effective teamwork.
• Manage and Apply HR processes: Manages performance, learning plans, and other human resources processes in a fair and consistent manner.

Program Delivery

• Oversee unit operations: Plans, directs, and oversees the work of the Section using strong managerial, administrative, and budgetary skills.
• Manage budgets: Prepares and implements fiscal and performance budgets, develop multiyear and annual work plans, and monitor and report on budget allocations.
• Set direction and adapt: Uses planning and organizational skills to develop the unit's overall direction and research activities and adjust work as priorities and operational needs change.
• Advance service and research opportunities: Identifies opportunities for new service delivery and research that support ministry and government direction.

Technical Expertise

• Apply geotechnical knowledge: Applies the theory, principles, practices, and analytical methods used in engineering geology and geotechnical engineering.
• Use testing methods: Uses field and laboratory testing methods, analytical techniques, and statistical tools to assess soils, aggregates, rock, and related materials.
• Interpret test results: Interprets and applies test results to support accurate evaluation and monitoring of materials.
• Develop standards: Develops and writes specifications and standards for materials, testing, rehabilitation, maintenance, and design.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build relationships: Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with senior leaders, colleagues, industry partners, associations, academia, and technical committees.

• Address sensitive issues: Handles sensitive or proprietary matters while coordinating support and resources from various sources.

• Represent the ministry: Represents the ministry on internal and external technical, administrative, and standards-setting bodies.

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!

Think this role could be right for you?

We're here to support you every step of the way. These short videos can help you feel confident and prepared:

• Navigating Our Hiring Process – Get a clear overview of each stage in our structured hiring process so you know what to expect and how to prepare.
• Application Preparation Tips – Learn how to showcase your leadership experience in ways that align with how we evaluate applications during the screening stage.

Take a few minutes to explore these resources. They're designed to set you up for success.

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:

• diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
• accessibility
• Anti-Racism Policy

Additional information:

Apply by:

Wednesday, May 20, 2026 11:59 pm EDT

Position details:

• 1 English Temporary, duration up to 12 months, 95 Arrow Rd, Toronto, Toronto Region

Compensation group:

Management Compensation Plan

Work hours:

Schedule 6

Category:

Management and General

Posted on:

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Note:

• T-MT-242145/26

How to apply:

• You must apply online.

• Your cover letter and resume combined should not exceed five (5) pages. For tips and tools on how to write a concise cover letter and resume, review the Writing a Cover Letter and Resume: Tips, Tools and Resources.

• Customize your cover letter and resume to the qualifications listed on the job ad. Using concrete examples, you must show how you demonstrated the requirements for this job. We rely on the information you provide to us.

• Read the job description to make sure you understand this job.

• OPS employees are required to quote their WIN EMPLOYEE ID number when applying.

• If you require a disability related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please Contact Us to provide your contact information. Recruitment services team will contact you within 48 hours.

Language requirements and assessment:
All external Ontario Public Service (OPS) job ads are posted in English and French. Check the "position(s) language" section at the top of each job ad for the language requirements. For all roles, candidates are assessed in English, the business language of the OPS. If the position is bilingual (English/French), you'll also need to pass a French-language proficiency test.

Exigences en matière de langue et évaluation:
Toutes les offres d'emploi externes de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (FPO) sont affichées en français et en anglais. Consultez la section « Langue du ou des postes » en haut de chaque offre d'emploi pour connaître les exigences linguistiques. Pour tous les postes, les candidats sont évalués en anglais, la langue d'affaires de la FPO. Si le poste est bilingue (anglais/français), vous devrez également passer un test de compétences linguistiques en français.

Strengthening Ontario, together