Careers

Description:

The University of Washington Department of Environmental Health & Safety ensures the university’s commitment to providing a healthy and safe environment for faculty, staff, students, visitors, and volunteers in all sites owned, operated, or controlled by the University. EH&S actively assists organizational units in meeting critical health, safety, and environmental protection responsibilities by providing guidance, training, and ensuring regulatory compliance across several sections, including Campus Preventative Health (encompassing the UW’s COVID response program), Environmental Programs, Occupational Health & Safety, Radiation Safety, and Research and Occupational Safety.

We have an outstanding opportunity for a Biosafety Manager.

Positioned within EH&S’s Research and Occupational Safety section, the Biosafety Manager will manage University-wide Biological Safety Programs to ensure safety and regulatory compliance for research involving biohazards including select agents select toxins.  The University’s Biological Safety Programs are in place for the safety of faculty, staff, students, the environment, and the general public. This position will also manage a team of biosafety professionals who provide biosafety and compliance monitoring services to the University. The specific areas of oversight and support for the Biological Safety Programs include the following:

• Biosafety Levels /Animal Biosafety Levels (BSL/ABSL) 1-3
• Select Agent Program
• COVID-19 research and biosafety consultation
• Bloodborne Pathogens (BBP) Program
• Biological Safety Training Program
• Recombinant DNA
• Biosafety for animal care and use areas including non-human primates
• Human gene transfer and recombinant DNA vaccines
• Transgenic plant research
• Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) support and administration
• Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) support
• Institutional Infectious Waste Committee (IWC) support and administration
• Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC) Program
• Biohazardous Waste Management Program
• Maintaining Biological Use Authorization (BUA) Program for research with biohazards
• Shipping and transporting of biohazardous materials

Duties & Responsibilities

60% Manage Biological Safety Programs

• Manage the Institutional Biological Safety Programs which include the UW Select Agent Program, the Biological Use Authorization of research protocols, and the administrative and technical support to the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).
• Lead and incorporate strategic planning initiatives from the EH&S Strategic plan into the section’s and position’s routine work plan. Lead and support data gathering for metrics and performance monitoring of programs to ensure organizational efficiencies and desired outcomes are met and program goals are reached.
• Develop and maintain Biological Safety Program Metrics to be shared with EH&S staff, research departments, IBC, and University Administration.
• Serve as the designated Alternate Responsible Official (ARO) for the Select Agent Program.
• Provide UW departments with a program of technical assistance, training, and consultation needed to help them achieve safety and regulatory compliance in the use of biohazardous materials.
• Develop, monitor, and renew contracts as necessary for laboratory certifications and decontamination.
• Assist with design review of new or renovated research spaces involving research with biohazards.
• Maintain the University’s written policies and procedures for the oversight of research involving biohazardous agents.
• Evaluate and review research proposals, laboratory operations, and laboratory facilities for all aspects of biosafety to assure appropriate safety controls, containment, and compliance with CDC, NIH, and federal, state, local, and University requirements. This includes review of scientific literature, job hazard analysis, and field inspections.
• Review facility designs for new and existing facilities and laboratories where biological agents and recombinant DNA are used.
• Maintain, develop, and implement policies, procedures, and processes required for an effective, compliant, and efficient biosafety program.
• Provide regulatory/compliance interpretations and technical assistance to research and service units. Oversee the content and quality of biological safety training and outreach materials for the University. Develop and provide outreach, educational, and training materials.
• Work closely with research staff, faculty, students, university units, and institutional committees to promote safe laboratory practices, procedures, proper use of containment equipment and facilities, and the assurance of safety, biosecurity, and regulatory compliance.
• Lead and conduct compliance audits, identify corrective actions, and prepare written status and compliance reports.
• Lead and provide reports on biosafety status, issues, compliance, and program effectiveness to the IBC and University Administration.
• Respond to, perform root cause investigation, and follow up with biological safety incidents.
• Serve on and/or support Institutional Biosafety Committee, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Infectious Waste Committee.
• Serve on departmental management team, and lead and assist with strategic planning efforts.
• Serve as the regulatory liaison for agencies that oversee research involving biohazards. Respond to inquiries, participate and coordinate regulatory inspections, prepare inspection response documents, coordinate with other departments and stakeholders as appropriate, and incorporate inspection results into programs.
• Lead and conduct routine audits including surveys to ensure compliance and effectiveness of Biological Safety Programs.

30% Manage Biological Safety Team

• Lead and maintain a unit culture of customer service, accountability, and technical excellence.
• Manage personnel and assure staff are technically skilled and have training plans.
• Plan, assign, and review work of assigned staff to assure that strategic goals and objectives are being met.
• Maintain job descriptions, recruit, interview, and hire new staff, monitor performance, complete annual performance evaluations, and implement disciplinary action when needed.

10% Other Duties as Assigned

• Attend EH&S departmental and team meetings, work on special projects, other duties/projects as assigned.
• Serve on departmental interdisciplinary teams as needed.

Requirements include:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, Microbiology, Environmental Health, Public Health or related field and four to six years five years professional experience in a research setting, with experience in biological safety programs; knowledge of federal, state, and local requirements that govern biosafety, lab safety, infectious waste management
• Experience with BSL-3 laboratories
• Experience as a successful and effective manager of personnel and teams
• Experience overseeing, managing, and implementing large institution-wide safety programs, projects, and initiatives successfully
• Demonstrated teamwork, client service, and decision-making skills, ability to foster collegial and cooperative relationships with co-workers and clients