LHSO 30R - Biological Safety Officer and Section Head of Laboratory Operations – Closing date extended

A great opportunity to take the next step in your career

The Plant and Animal Health Branch supports the sustainability of animal and plant agriculture, while serving to protect the well-being of the people of the province of British Columbia through support of surveillance, regulatory compliance, risk assessment, and the development of strategies to address identified risks. The Plant and Animal Health Branch consists of four key program areas: the Animal Health Centre, the Plant Health Unit, the Laboratory Operations and Quality Assurance Unit, and the Business Operations Unit.

The Plant and Animal Health Centre laboratories in the Branch are accredited by the Standards Council of Canada to the international ISO/IEC 17025 standard and the Animal Health Centre is also accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. The Animal Health Centre is the provincial veterinary diagnostic laboratory and it provides world class diagnostic services to protect the health of all animals in B.C. in support of disease prevention, control, and eradication.

The Biological Safety Officer supports the Branch in protecting human health by ensuring biosafety and biosecurity in the Plant and Animal Health Centre laboratories according to the PHAC and CFIA licensing standards. The Branch supports the principles of One Health and provides a strong collaborative work environment with a focus on continuous learning and collegial support. As well, this position acts as the Section Head of the Laboratory Operations, which includes managing facilities, staff and financial resources, stakeholder relationships, and quality assurance program standards in a consistent manner, participating in provincial policy development, and overseeing program delivery and professional projects. This position provides expertise in the field of Biological Safety, Laboratory Operations and Microbiology as the lead Biological Safety Officer for the operations of the Plant and Animal Health Centre. Utilizing technical skills and abilities as well as knowledge and experience, this position maintains operations and functions of all PAHB laboratories and post mortem facilities, including the Containment Level 3, Foreign Animal Disease and General Use laboratories. This position provides direct supervision of technical laboratory staff. This position is required to have expertise in technical skills and abilities in selected areas of diagnostic testing including the requirement to support the response to Foreign Animal Disease testing and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE) testing as part of the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance Network.

Job Requirements:
The position requires qualifications to perform the role of Biological Safety Officer as required by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Human Pathogens and Toxins Regulations and the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act.

• Bachelor of Science degree in a relevant field (e.g. Biological Sciences, Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Immunology) from a university of recognized standing.
  

Experience:

• Minimum one (1) year experience in the role of Biological Safety Officer or performing duties related to biological safety within a diagnostic or research laboratory facility; AND
• Five (5) years or more of relevant experience in research or diagnostic laboratories including experience in all of the following areas:
• Working with pathogens in containment laboratories;
• Supervising and managing laboratory sections and operations in a diagnostic or research laboratory setting; AND
• Leading staff on projects or program delivery.
  

Preference may be given to candidates with one or more of the following:

• Registered Biological Safety Officer with the Canadian Association of Biological Safety or American Biological Safety Association;
• Two (2) years or more of experience in an accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratory;
• Peer-reviewed publications in the areas of biological safety, biosecurity or microbiology or other related areas;
• Registered Microbiologist (RM) with the Canadian College of Microbiologists or a similar professional designation as a Microbiologist.
  

Willingness Statements & Provisos

• Must obtain rabies vaccination upon employment (if not previously vaccinated) and required to participate in the rabies vaccination and titre program to maintain employment.
• Must be willing to obtain Registered Biological Safety Officer status within two years of employment in the position.
• Must meet safety standards of Work Safe BC.
• This position may require travel, as well as work irregular hours, and be on-call/available to the Directors and Executive Director and/or laboratory staff during outbreaks and emergencies.
• Must be willing to work in Containment Level 2 and 3, foreign animal disease and prion laboratories, or adjacent to a lab with the potential for exposure to risks from pathogens or prions.

For questions regarding this position, please contact Heather.Osachoff@gov.bc.ca.

About this Position:
Amendment June 6, 2024: Posting closing date extended to June 17, 2024.
Flexible work options are available; this position may be able to work up to 1 days at home per week subject to an approved telework agreement.
An eligibility list may be established to fill future temporary and permanent vacancies.
Employees of the BC Public Service must be located in BC at the time of employment.

Working for the BC Public Service:
The BC Public Service is committed to creating a diverse workplace to represent the population we serve and to better meet the needs of our citizens. Consider joining our team and being part of an innovative, inclusive and rewarding workplace.

The Indigenous Applicant Advisory Service is available to applicants that self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, status or non-status, Métis, or Inuit) seeking work or already employed in the BC Public Service. For guidance on applying and interviewing, please contact IndigenousApplicants@gov.bc.ca or 778-405-3452.

The BC Public Service is an award-winning employer and offers employees competitive benefits, amazing learning opportunities and a chance to engage in rewarding work with exciting career development opportunities. For more information, please see What We Offer.

How to Apply:
Your application must clearly demonstrate how you meet the job requirements listed above.

Cover Letter: NO - Please do not submit a cover letter as it will not be reviewed.

Resume: YES - A resume is required as part of your application, however, it may not be used for initial shortlisting purposes.

Questionnaire: YES - You will need to complete a comprehensive questionnaire to demonstrate how you meet the job requirements. Include all relevant information about your educational accomplishments and employment history including job titles, start and end dates (month and year) of your employment, and how you obtained your relevant experience. The questionnaire will take approximately 60 minutes to complete.

Helpful tips, videos and more regarding the application process can be found on the Your Job Application page of MyHR. If you are experiencing technical difficulty applying, e-mail BCPSA.Hiring.Centre@gov.bc.ca, before the stated closing time, and we will respond as soon as possible.

Additional Information:
A Criminal Record Check (CRC) will be required.

Applicants selected to move forward in the hiring process may be assessed on the Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Competencies as outlined in the attached Job Profile located at the bottom of the posting.

Applications will be accepted until 11:00 pm Pacific Standard Time on the closing date of the competition.