Biosafety Specialist

Advertising Summary: VCU has an exciting opportunity for a Biosafety Specialist! This position plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the university maintains compliance with federal and state requirements that apply to research involving biohazardous agents, rDNA, and hazardous chemicals. The Biosafety Specialist conducts laboratory biosafety oversight by inspecting facilities, reviewing research protocols, training personnel, supporting institutional safety programs and committees, and collaborating with researchers to ensure regulatory compliance and a strong safety culture.

Unit: Occupational Health & Safety

Department: Occupational Health & Safety

Duties & Responsibilities:

Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) partners with the VCU community to promote and facilitate a positive, campus-wide attitude of safety excellence and environmental stewardship to protect university assets and reduce risks.

The primary mission of Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Health & Safety is to advance and support a safe and healthy environment at VCU and VCU Health. This work is accomplished through surveys, consultation, teaching, advising, auditing and environmental monitoring. As the University liaison for safety and compliance we work with outside agencies and organizations to address all applicable standards.

The Biosafety Specialist plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the university maintains compliance with federal and state requirements that apply to research involving biohazardous agents, rDNA, and hazardous chemicals. Duties of the Biosafety Specialist role include but are not limited to:

• Conducts comprehensive inspections of university laboratory facilities on an annual basis, and reviews new research protocols in order to identify potential compliance and safety issues and to provide recommendations for correction;

• Interface heavily with principal investigators, laboratory staff, and animal husbandry workers.

• Provides training through direct interaction during facility inspections and through platform and virtual instructional courses which is a key element in ensuring that university staff and students are adequately versed in the fundamentals of laboratory biosafety.

• Provides support to other OHS programs including (but not limited to) respirator training/ fit-testing, hazardous waste management, laboratory closeout procedures, and response to incidents involving biological, rDNA, and/or hazardous chemical agents.

• Serves as a member and/or OHS representative on multiple safety oriented committees and subcommittees including: Institutional Animal Care Committee (IACUC), Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), and plays a vital role in strategic committee initiatives.

• Reviews institutional protocols for new research involving biohazardous agents, rDNA, and animal studies involving chemical and/or biological hazards.

• Ensures that documentation of all specific regulatory pre-approval (NIH,CDC,DoD, et.al) is included within the proposal package.

• Conducts Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) reviews in collaboration with the Office of Research (OVPRI) to ensure that hazardous materials are registered accordingly to ensure regulatory compliance and safe work environment.

• Serves as instructor for biosafety training courses.

• Maintain accurate records, inspection reports, and training data using shared drives, spreadsheets, and the EHS-OHS management system (e.g., SciShield).

• Responds to incidents involving chemical and biohazardous agents.

• Promote a positive safety culture by learning about VCU’s research programs and using a risk-based approach to safety evaluations.

• Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in physical or biological sciences or equivalent experience.

• Basic understanding or ability to learn governmental licensing and credentialing agencies requirements applicable to research involving biohazardous agents.

• Considerable knowledge and experience using up-to-­date software programs, and possession of technical writing skills required for producing inspection reports and other documents.

• Experience with laboratory procedures and health and safety concerns involving potentially biohazardous agents.

• Ability to provide on-call coverage during off hours/weekends/holidays as designated.

• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

• Demonstrate ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

• Demonstrate excellent customer service skills.

• Proficient skills in MS Office and Google Suite.

• Possess a valid Driver’s License.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3-5 years related work experience

• Registered Biological Safety Professional (ABSA) Certification

• Certification in 40 hour HAZWOPER course

Salary Range: $55,000 - $68,000

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

Restricted Position: No

ORP Eligible: No

Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite

University Job Title: 16211N - Specialist ES 1

Contact Information:
Contact Name: Bryce Fountain
Contact Email: fountainb@vcu.edu