Biological Safety Officer - Office of Environmental Health & Safety

Location
ST. LOUIS, MO 63110Scheduled Hours
40

Position Summary
This is a full-time position in department with the primary responsibility for overseeing and managing the Biological Safety Division within department. The BSO serves as the Chief Administrative Officer for the WU Institutional Biological Safety Committee (IBC) and as the Responsible Official for the WU select agent program. The BSO also provides consultation services for other departments in the University for issues involving biological safety and serves as a liaison between department and other University departments on a project-specific basis. The BSO is responsible for development and maintenance of policies, procedures, and training materials related to biological safety.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Serve as the Chief Administrative Officer and an ex officio member of the WU Institutional Biological Safety Committee (IBC), including fulfilling all BSO responsibilities as described in the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules. Perform initial risk assessment and review of all projects submitted and forward to the IBC all research that requires full committee review (as mandated by the NIH Guidelines).
• Provide consultation to other University departments on matters of biological safety, including: work with hazardous or infectious agents in research animals; design or renovation of research laboratories; import/export permits required for shipping/receiving potentially infectious materials; and training requirements for individuals in different work environments.
• Develop training materials, policies, and procedures related to the safe handling of hazardous or potentially infectious materials in research laboratories or clinics. Update these materials as needed to stay current with federal, local and state regulations and University policies.
• Provide overall management of the Biological Safety division and may directly supervise the Associate/Assistant Biological Safety Officer, and Biosafety Compliance Specialist
• Inspect the University's BSL3 and select agent laboratories.
• Serve as the Responsible Official (RO) for the University's select agent program. Fulfill all responsibilities outlined in 42 CFR Part 73 and the University's various select agent plans (biosafety, biosecurity, etc.).
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions:
Job Location/Working Conditions:

• Mostly office environment.
• Potential exposure to chemicals, radioactive materials, and potentially infectious materials in a laboratory environment.
• Will need to be on-call for incidents in select agent or other BSL3 areas.
• On-Call/Emergency Response.

Physical Effort:

• Occasional lifting >25 lbs.
• Requires protective devices.
• Use of specialized equipment (mercury vacuum, SCBA, air monitoring equipment, etc.).

Equipment:

• Need to wear personal protective equipment during inspections and spill remediation.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education:
Master's degree or combination of education and/or experience may substitute for minimum education.

Certifications/Professional Licenses:
The list below may include all acceptable certifications, professional licenses and issuers. More than one credential, certification or professional license may be required depending on the role.

Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP) - ABSA International (ABSA), Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) - ABSA International (ABSA)

Work Experience:
Environmental Health And Safety (7 Years)

Skills:
Not Applicable

Driver's License:
A driver's license is not required for this position.

More About This Job

Required Requirements:

• Masters degree in biological sciences with at least seven years of EH&S (or related field) experience or graduate degree (PhD or MD) with at least five years of EH&S (or related field) experience.
• Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP) or Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in an academic research laboratory.
• Understanding of relational databases.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:
No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Certifications/Professional Licenses:
No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Work Experience:
No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Skills:
Academic Research, Code of Federal Regulations, Laboratory Research, Microsoft Office, Oral Communications, Relational Database Management, Software Packages, State Regulations, Technical Writing, Time Management, Workplace Organization

Grade
G18

Salary Range
Base pay is commensurate with experience.

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [redacted] or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at [redacted] and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
• Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We've got you covered.
• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/