Associate Biosafety Officer

Posted Job Title

Associate Biosafety Officer

Job Profile Title

Biosafety Officer B

Job Description Summary

The Associate Biosafety Officer will provide technical guidance to faculty and staff; Conduct risk assessments; Review experimental protocols; Conduct biological safety training; Life science facility laboratory safety; Inspect life science research facilities for compliance with laboratory safety guidelines and regulations concerning potential biohazards, recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid research, and emerging bio-technologies; Investigate accidents with regard to Biosafety issues; Provide subject matter expertise to faculty and staff to ensure institutional compliance with Federal, State, Local, and Institutional regulations and guidelines. Assist Institutional Biological Safety Officer (ABSO) in programmatic and policy development to support compliance with Federal level initiatives (NIH, CDC, USDA, FDA). Develop and implement emergency response procedures for incidents involving biohazardous agents and materials; Respond (on call) to hazardous materials incidents as appropriate.

Job Description

Responsibilities

• Oversee and inspect containment research facilities for safety & compliance.  Provide support for Principal Investigators and users.  Provide oversight, provide documentation and verification of experience, provide coordination of training requirements & guidance for containment (BSL-3; ABSL-3; Arthropod Containment) facilities.
• Administer & support development of Life Science Laboratory Safety & Biosafety Programs.  Provide oversight of select biosafety program components as needed.
• Review IACUC protocols & IBC registrations using knowledge of pertinent guidelines & regulations.
• Conduct, revise, and develop biological safety training.
• Investigate injuries & accidents regarding lab safety & Biosafety issues in containment laboratories.  Support Occupational Health programs with focus on containment lab workers.
• Develop & implement emergency response procedures, & outreach programs, for incidents involving biohazards.
• Respond (on call) to biohazardous materials incidents as appropriate.  Perform due diligence & track select agent toxins.  Primary contact for biocontainment laboratories.

Qualifications

Assistant Biosafety Officer (Biosafety Officer A):

• Required: Master's (MA/MS) degree in biological science and a minimum of 3-5 years, hands-on biomedical research and/or clinical research experience.
• Preferred: A Master’s (MS) degree in biological science (i.e., microbiology, bacteriology, virology etc.) or related field and experience with molecular biology / gene editing techniques is preferred. 0-3 years of experience in the field of biological safety, in a biomedical research facility. Fundamental familiarity with the NIH Guidelines and CDC Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories. BSL-3 and ABSL-3 research experience. BSL-3 and ABSL-3 Biosafety regulatory and safety oversight experience. Molecular and infectious disease research in virology/bacteriology. Animal research experience in an ABSL-3.

Associate Biosafety Officer (Biosafety Officer B):

• Required: Master’s (MS) degree in biological science and a minimum of 5 years, hands-on biomedical research and/or clinical research experience.
• Preferred: A Doctorate (PhD, MD, VMD) in biological sciences or medicine (i.e., microbiology, bacteriology, virology etc.) or related field and documented experience with molecular biology / gene editing techniques is strongly preferred. 5 years of experience in the field of biological safety, in a biomedical research facility. Experience working with select agents or managing select agents research is strongly preferred. Documented evidence of training program development. Certification by ABSA (RBP or CBSP) is strongly preferred. In depth working knowledge of the NIH Guidelines, CDC Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, OSHA lab safety standards, and pertinent Federal, State, Local and Institutional regulations. BSL-3 and ABSL-3 research experience. BSL-3 and ABSL-3 Biosafety regulatory and safety oversight experience. Molecular and infectious disease research in virology/bacteriology. Animal research experience in an ABSL-3.

Application Requirement 

• A Cover Letter and Resume/CV are required to be considered for this position. Please upload your Cover Letter where it asks you to upload your Resume/CV; multiple documents are allowed.  

Pay Range

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements 
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.