Animal Studies Platform Manager
Job Title: / Animal Studies Platform ManagerReference Number: / 33201
Classification: / CSOF7
Salary Range: / $127,947 to $141,562 plus up to 15.4% superannuation
Location: / Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong, Victoria
Tenure: / Indefinite
Relocation assistance: / Will be provided to the successful candidate if required.
Applications are open to: / Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents Only (must have 10 years PR)
Functional Area: / Research Management
% Client Focus - Internal: / 70
% Client Focus - External: / 30
Reports to: / Deputy Director AAHL
Role Overview:
The CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) seeks to appoint an Animal Studies Platform Manager who has a strong and demonstrated interest in the delivery of science relating to infectious zoonotic and animal diseases.
The Animal Research Platform Manager is responsible for providing fully compliant, safe, ethical, efficient systems and a portfolio of services that meet the current and evolving needs of the research community. The Animal Studies Platform Manager will have communication and collaboration networks with regulatory entities and will lead teams of animal technicians and husbandry staff dedicated to the efficient delivery of research outcomes. They will promote awareness of regulatory issues in the conduct of ethical and responsible animal research as well as contribute to QA and GLP compliance systems. They will use their expertise in infectious animal studies to develop, implement and contribute to research projects in the area of zoonotic and emergency animal diseases for the purpose of mitigating their impact on Australian society, economy and environment. The successful candidate will also communicate the outcomes of their research through written and oral means, and provide technical and policy advice when necessary.
The suitable candidate will hold a veterinary degree registrable with Veterinary Boards in Australia and experience in a field relevant to animal models and infectious disease research.
Duties and Key Result Areas:
The successful candidate will have the following major responsibilities in this role:
· Engage with CSIRO researchers and external clients in implementing scientific projects that require the use of animals.
· Identify new opportunities for innovative, strategic or applied research in the area of zoonotic and emergency animal infectious diseases.
· Supervise teams of animal technicians in the provision of husbandry, care and experimental procedures for animals that are used for animal infection and other studies.
· In collaboration with research scientists, manage research projects involving animals. This includes:
a) have oversight for the animal facilities and projects within the facilities to ensure they are delivered with the safety of staff and users of the facility as the highest priority;
b) planning the projects together with research scientists;
c) managing teams of veterinarians, animal technicians and facility staff to implement the projects;
d) ensuring the delivery of data and material output for the projects.
· Ensure that animal usage within the facility adheres to the principles of the Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes and advise on the health and welfare of animals used in research at AAHL.
· Liaise with the AAHL Biorisk management team in the planning and execution of studies.
· Participate and take a lead role in relevant committees and governance structures from application phase to study phase to provide technical expertise to other members to ensure appropriateness, relevance and microbiological and safety risk management requirements of projects are addressed
· Liaise with facility engineers to ensure the efficient function and maintenance of AAHL’s high containment animal facility to support the safe delivery of animal infection studies.
· Contribute to securing funding support for scientific studies.
· Communicate to stakeholders and, where relevant, assist in the application of the research outcomes.
· Communicate the outcomes of research activity by means of peer-reviewed scientific publications, reports and reviews, and give oral presentations to scientific, client and community audiences where appropriate.
· Ensure animal staff have a tailored training program and participate in formal training programs, and other technology transfer seminars/workshops as required.
· Abide by and promote microbiological security regulations at AAHL, being aware of and adhering to the microbiological security provisions that apply to infectious disease agents, including zoonotic agents to ensure safety and security to staff and users of the facility.
· Promote and abide by the CSIRO Code of Conduct and HSE and other policies.
Selection Criteria:
Pre-Requisites:
· Collaboration: A history of professional and respectful behaviours and attitudes in a collaborative environment.
· AAHL Requirements:
· An ability and willingness to meet AAHL’s HSE, microbiological security and security requirements.
· Following appropriate training, willingness and ability to work in high-containment environments, including in fully-encapsulating suits and other protective equipment.
· Willingness to be vaccinated against rabies, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis or other agents as specified.
· Willingness to travel overseas
Essential Criteria:
· A veterinary degree registrable with Veterinary Boards in Australia or registration by examination with an Australian Veterinary Board.
· Demonstrable experience managing an animal research facility and technical teams delivering to diverse range of internal and external customers
· Demonstrated ability to plan, budget, and manage delivery of scientific projects utilising animals.
· Demonstrated commitment to safeguarding and improving the welfare of animals used in research including familiarity with the Australian code of practice for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes.
· Leading and managing diverse work teams delivering animal research studies involving PC2/3/4 pathogens in conventional laboratory and livestock animal models.
· Demonstrated ability to engage with and deliver to internal and external clients.
Desirable
· Experience in managing a research animal facility and experimental animals in the context of high consequence pathogen research.
· Experience in biorisk management and experience developing and delivering animal models for PC4 level pathogens (incl. willingness to undertake PC4 suit training)
· A PhD or equivalent research experience in a field relevant to animal disease research.
· Post-graduate experience in anatomic pathology and histopathology.
· Experience with Quality Assurance and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) systems.
As Australia’s Innovation Catalyst, CSIRO has strategic actions underpinned by behaviours aligned to:
· Excellent science
· Inclusion, trust & respect
· Health, safety & environment
· Delivery on commitments.
In your application and at interview you will need to demonstrate alignment with these behaviours.
Security Assessment and Microbiological Security Requirements for Personnel Working on the Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) Site:
· The nature of our work requires that each person working on site must comply with the conditions described below.
· The appointee is required to pass a security clearance at a level appropriate to duties of the position. Confirmation of the appointment is subject to obtaining that clearance.
· It is essential that all work on exotic or emerging diseases carried out at AAHL is conducted in a safe manner to prevent the escape of the disease agents used, and to this end, all activities and personnel will be subject to appropriate microbiological security measures. Consequently, while working at AAHL, you may not reside on a property on which are kept any of the following animals: sheep, cattle, pigs, goats, horses, asses and mules, any other cloven-hoofed animal, fowls, turkeys, geese, domestic ducks, caged birds, emus or ostriches. Personnel working with diseases of aquatic animals may not keep aquarium fish at their place of residence and personnel working with cane toad material must avoid contact with amphibians.
· In addition, for a period of seven days after working in the microbiologically secure area of AAHL, personnel may not have close contact with any of the above animals, amphibians or birds or the actual places where these animals are held, or visit any aquatic animal farm or aquatic animal hatchery.
· Working in the barrier maintained Small Animal Facility requires avoidance of additional animals such as mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits and poultry 3 days prior to arrival.
· It is usual practice in laboratories where work with infectious disease agents is carried out, to collect a blood sample from personnel and store serum for future reference. This is a safety precaution, so that if any person becomes ill in the future, serum samples are available for testing.
· Personnel must abide by Occupational Health, Safety and Environment regulations. Safety signs and directives issued by CSIRO personnel must be complied with at all times.
· Access restrictions apply to the Werribee Animal Health Facility (WAHF) site that is associated with, but remote from, the AAHL site.
Additional information detailing AAHL's micro-security restrictions can be found at it:
http://www.csiro.au/resources/AAHLStaffRestrictions.html
Other Information:
How to Apply
Please apply for this position online at www.csiro.au/careers. You may be asked to provide additional information (online) relevant to the selection criteria. If so, then responding will enhance your application so please take the time to provide relevant succinct answers. Applicants who do not provide the information when requested may not be considered.
If you experience difficulties applying online call 1300 984 220 and someone will be able to assist you. Outside business hours please email: .
Referees: If you do not already have the names and contact details of two previous supervisors or academic/ professional referees included in your resume/CV please add these before uploading your CV.
Contact: If after reading the selection documentation you require further information please contact:
Sam McCullough via email: or phone: 03 5227 5000.
Please do not email your application directly to Sam McCullough. Applications received via this method will not be considered.
About CSIRO: Australia is founding its future on science and innovation. Its national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), is a powerhouse of ideas, technologies and skills for building prosperity, growth, health and sustainability. It serves governments, industries, business and communities.
CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) is a high-containment facility designed to allow scientific research into the most dangerous infectious agents in the world. AAHL plays a vital role in maintaining the health of Australia’s animals, the international competitiveness of Australian agriculture and trade, the well-being of Australians and the quality of our environment.
AAHL has a national and regional role in the diagnosis and research of emergency (exotic, emerging and serious) and zoonotic diseases of animals. This responsibility extends to provision of ongoing analysis of outbreak isolates, monitoring and characterization of the biological significance of strain variation, and assisting in the establishment of disease freedom. Recognition that diagnostic excellence is better achieved and sustained when underpinned by related research efforts, the research focus includes not only improvements in diagnostic methods but also molecular virology and studies into the pathogenesis and immunology of viral diseases. The purpose of the last is to support the development of new diagnostic methods and provide new insights into pathogenesis, and possibly epidemiology, leading to new methods of disease control. The disciplines involved in this work include experimental and diagnostic pathology, virology, serology, electron microscopy, immunology, genomics and molecular biology, all of which may be undertaken under stringent microbiological security conditions.
Access to both BSL3 and BSL4 containment facilities supports investigations utilizing live viruses, including serious zoonotic agents, in both cell and whole animal systems. The laboratory has an enviable track record in scientific research related to emerging infectious diseases and outputs from these activities contribute data to CSIRO’s area of focus around biosecurity within the National Innovation System.
Find out more about AAHL at: http://www.csiro.au/places/AAHL.html