Animal Ethics Officer

SAHMRI; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary packaging up to $15,900

Job summary

SAHMRI is seeking an experienced administrative professional to support the Animal Ethics Committee, managing records, protocol tracking, amendments, compliance documentation, and governance processes.

The role involves scheduling meetings, preparing agendas and minutes, assisting with AE processes, and liaising with researchers and the Animal Welfare & Compliance Officer. Some out-of-hours work may be required.

Qualifications

• Experience in ethics and/or compliance administration.
• Experience in committee secretariat functions, including coordinating meetings, preparing agendas and minutes, tracking actions and decisions, and maintaining accurate committee records.
• Knowledge of the Animal Welfare Act and relevant codes of practice.

Responsibilities

• Schedule meetings, prepare agendas, minutes, amendments, and annual reporting for the AEC.
• Maintain protocol versions and amendment tracking, escalating discrepancies as needed.
• Contribute to committee processes, policies and strategies for ethics governance.
• Prepare reports and submissions for the AEC.
• Maintain records of protocol deviations, adverse events and welfare incidents.
• Support AE website and training materials development.
• Provide administrative support for Tick@Lab including user support and data quality monitoring.

Skills

Secretariat experience

Ethics/compliance administration

Committee coordination

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Animal welfare knowledge

Education

Tertiary qualification in Science/Health or related field

Tools

Database software

Job description

At the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), we are committed to achieving innovative, ground-breaking health and medical research that fundamentally improves the quality of life for all people.

Reporting to the Head of Risk and Chair, Animal Ethics Committee, this role will work closely with the Quality, Risk and Safety department the Animal Welfare and Compliance Officer and researchers to provide administrative and high-level secretarial support to SAHMRI’s Animal Ethics Committee including management of animal ethics records, protocol tracking, amendment tracking, compliance-related documentation, reporting systems and governance processes associated with animal ethics activities at SAHMRI.

About the Role

Key responsibilities include:

• Schedule meetings, prepare agendas, minutes, amendments, and annual reporting for the AEC.
• Maintain processes and tools to identify and track changes between protocol versions and amendments and escalation identified discrepancies, omissions or inconsistencies to the Chair, Animal Welfare & Compliance Officer or Committee as appropriate Work with the AEC members to deal with all applications, amendments and approval related queries and actions.
• Contribute to the development, review and implementation of the Committee processes and ethics related policies and strategies.
• Prepare reports, submissions, and other documents on behalf of the SAHMRI Animal Ethics Committee.
• Maintain records relating to protocol deviations, adverse events, welfare incidents and non-compliance matters.
• Contribute to the development of the AE web sites, training materials and information systems.
• Provide administrative support for Tick@Lab including user support, workflow administration, record management, reporting, data quality monitoring and training. Liaise with accrediting agencies on ethics requirements and related guidelines and legislation.
• Assist the Animal Welfare & Compliance Officer with administrative tasks associated with Animal Ethics inductions including booking rooms, enrolling attendees etc.

About You

The successful candidate will possess the following key attributes:

• Tertiary qualification or equivalent education in a Science, Public Health or research-related field, and/or equivalent relevant experience is desirable
• Experience in a confidential administration role in a health / scientific / medical research environment.
• Experience in ethics and/or compliance administration, including application relevant rules, guidelines and legislation
• Experience in animal research, welfare and/or ethics is desirable.
• Experience in committee secretariat functions, including coordinating meetings, preparing agendas and minutes, tracking actions and decisions, and maintaining accurate committee records.
• Knowledge of the Animal Welfare Act and the Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes (8th Edition, 2021).
• Excellent attention to detail, highly organised, methodical, and able to meet multiple deadlines, with a key commitment to quality.
• Ability to adapt to changes in work demands, working with a variety of situations and people.
• Ability to use initiative and judgement.
• Well-developed written and verbal communication skills (must be able to liaise across various organisational levels)
• Demonstrated proficiency in software applications including database packages.
• Ability to work as an effective member of a team, as well as independently with minimal supervision.

Special Requirements

• Some out of hours work may be required.

Everything we do is underpinned by our core values and our institute is dedicated to grow a culture that pursues, enables and demands research excellence. We are proud of the work we do and work hard as a team to make a positive difference to the community. Our values of excellence, innovation, courage, integrity and teamwork are what help us achieve our goals.

As a not-for-profit organisation, SAHMRI employees can access salary packaging options up to $15,900. Salary packaging lets you pay for things like the everyday costs of living with money from your salary before tax. This reduces your taxable income, meaning you could pay less tax and take home more of what you earn. For more information on salary packaging please see the Maxxia website.

To be considered for this position, applicants must hold relevant working rights within Australia at the time of application.

Applications may close earlier than advertised if a suitable candidate is found prior to the close date.