Laboratory Biosafety Officer

Description

Pay Grade: M

• Make a Professional Impact–Build your career where it matters and protect lives in the community where you live, work, and play
• Enjoy Workplace Flexibility– Experience flexibility in how you work so you can be your best self for you and Georgia Residents
• Work with a Dynamic and Diverse Team– Collaborative and inclusive way of working where employees share ideas and leverage collective strengths
• Achieve Career Longevity – Countless opportunities for continuous learning/development that support a long-term career
• Take Part in a Hands-on Working Culture– Unique culture of active engagement and problem-solving, no matter your role
• Feel Pride in Where you Work – Be part of making an impact in public health alongside dedicated people just like you

The Biosafety Officer will be responsible for the development and implementation of a safety program for the Georgia Public Health Laboratory that meets regulatory and safety standards.

Job Responsibilities

This individual in this position will be responsible for biosafety training and implementation of practices to ensure a safe working environment. The person in this position will lead the training initiatives for sentinel clinical laboratories, assist public health and clinical laboratories with biosafety risk assessments and work with emergency preparedness partners to plan and respond to public health emergencies. The Biosafety Officer will have knowledge of microbiology and general laboratory practices, industrial hygiene, training, emergency response and quality systems. The candidate for this position should have excellent communication skills and experience in development of educational materials, procedures, and plans.

• Guides the development of policies and procedures that help to ensure the safety of laboratory staff at the Decatur and Waycross Public Health Laboratories.
• Educates and provides guidance on performing biosafety risk assessments, using personal protective equipment (PPE), implementing decontamination procedures, packaging and shipping of infectious agents and chemical safety.
• Provides input on emergency management and response policies and assists in implementation of processes and procedures to include continuity of operations and incident response.
• Coordinates with Quality team to lead outreach to sentinel clinical laboratories to provide guidance on biosafety risk assessments and packaging and shipping of infectious agents.
• Leads the safety committee to develop a culture of safety. Identifies best practices for risk communication, training, and documentation.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in a hard science from an accredited college or university AND Five years of supervisory experience in a laboratory setting
OR
Bachelor's degree in any related discipline from an accredited college or university AND Seven years of related experience, Five years of which must be in leadership or administrative roles
OR
Two years of experience required at the lower level Mgr, Health Laboratory (LSM010) OR position equivalent.
Note: Must meet state clinical laboratory licensure personnel requirements as "technologist" and federal (CLIA '88) requirement for "high complexity" technical supervisor.
Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in microbiology, Biology, Clinical Laboratory Science, Medical Technology, or related health sciences field.

• At least two years of experience within as an industrial hygienist preferably in a laboratory environment.

• Knowledge of BSL-2 and BSL-3 operations and practices.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

• Candidate will be required to have Rabies vaccination series.

• Related certification (safety related) is preferred.

• Must be able to pass Federal background check.

Additional Information

Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner and leaders encourage all employees to engage in regular wellness activities and to make lifestyle choices that promote health and well-being.
The use of wellness breaks during the workday is authorized to support this philosophy and assist employees in meeting their wellness goals. A maximum of 30 minutes in a given workday may be used to engage in wellness activities, generally in the form of two 15-minute breaks or one 30-minute break.
Employment Information
All approved teleworking employees must reside within the state of Georgia and depending on the responsibilities of the position, must live within reasonable driving distance of the agency’s primary worksite and beable to report to the office when required.
Current State employees are subject to State Personnel Board rules regarding salary.
DPH accepts educational credential recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and/or the US Department of Education (DOE) will be considered. DPH will contact educational institutions to verify degree, diploma, licensure, etc.
The candidate selected for this position may be subject to pre-employment drug screening and a criminal background check.
Relocation assistance will not be provided.
As an employee of DPH, in the event of an identified emergency you may be required, as a term and condition of employment, to assist in meeting the emergency responsibilities of the department.
If you require accommodations under the American Disability Act (ADA), email request by the closing date of this announcement to: DPH-HR@dph.ga.gov.
DPH is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information on application status by phone or e-mail. All qualified applicants will be considered, but may not necessarily receive an interview. Selected applicants will be contacted by the hiring agency for next steps in the selection process. Applicants who are not selected will not receive notification.
This position is subject to close at any time once a satisfactory applicant pool has been identified.