Project Officer - ACDP Part-life refit

CSIRO; Geelong; On-site; AUD 118,000 - 127,000; Full time

Job summary

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) in Geelong, Victoria leads high-containment work protecting livestock, environment and community.

The APLR Project Officer will coordinate activities, manage procurement, and support readiness for refurbished facilities within a regulated life-sciences setting.

Qualifications

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in project management, construction management, engineering, business or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating complex projects in a regulated environment, ideally within life sciences, health, research, infrastructure or a similarly compliance-driven setting.
• Experience developing and maintaining project schedules, action registers, risk and issue logs, reporting mechanisms and project documentation.
• Experience managing procurement activities and contract administration in a Commonwealth or similarly governed environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build productive relationships and coordinate input from diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Sound judgement and a practical, solutions-focused approach, with the ability to anticipate issues, manage competing priorities and work effectively in a complex program environment.
• Project management accreditation such as AIPM, PMI or PRINCE2, and experience in a PC3 or PC4 laboratory environment would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the Biosecurity Research Unit’s involvement in the APLR program, supporting planning, monitoring and delivery of project activities, commitments and outcomes.
• Maintain project schedules, action and issue registers, risk information, reporting frameworks and governance documentation to track progress and support timely decisions.
• Act as a key liaison between the APLR Integration Manager and scientists, operational teams, technical specialists, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate requests for information, technical input, reviews and approvals, ensuring scientific, operational, regulatory and user requirements are clearly captured and progressed.
• Manage Research Unit-funded procurement and contract activities, including preparing specifications and supporting documentation in line with CSIRO requirements.
• Support operational readiness, staging, transition, business continuity, commissioning and certification activities for refurbished facilities, infrastructure and equipment.
• Prepare clear reports, briefings, presentations and recommendations, and identify or escalated risks and dependencies that may affect operations, compliance or project delivery.

Skills

Project coordination

Procurement

Regulated environment

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Education

Tertiary qualifications in project management/engineering/business

Job description

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. View our vision towards reconciliation.

Role highlights

• Support a nationally significant program modernising Australia’s highest-containment animal health laboratory
• Coordinate complex project, procurement and stakeholder activities in a highly regulated scientific environment
• Work with scientists, operational teams, engineers, consultants and contractors to help deliver safe, fit-for-purpose facilities

About CSIRO

As Australia's national science agency, CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. Many of our iconic innovations were once considered impossible until someone, just like you, joined us and took on the challenge. Visit CSIRO.au for more information.

The opportunity

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) is a nationally significant high-containment facility in Geelong, Victoria. It plays a critical role in protecting Australia’s livestock industries, environment and community from high-impact animal and zoonotic diseases through research, surveillance and emergency response.

ACDP is undertaking a major Part-Life Refit (APLR) program to modernise key facility systems, laboratories and operational environments while maintaining critical scientific capability and regulatory compliance. As the APLR Project Officer, you will provide project coordination and procurement expertise to support the Biosecurity Research Unit’s involvement in the program. Reporting to the APLR Integration Manager, you will work across scientific, operational and project teams to coordinate activities, manage information and procurement processes, support stakeholder engagement, and help prepare people and operations for the transition to refurbished facilities.

Your high-level duties will include:

• Coordinate the Biosecurity Research Unit’s involvement in the APLR program, supporting the planning, monitoring and delivery of project activities, commitments and outcomes.
• Maintain project schedules, action and issue registers, risk information, reporting frameworks and governance documentation to track progress and support timely decisions.
• Act as a key liaison between the APLR Integration Manager and scientists, operational teams, technical specialists, consultants, contractors and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate requests for information, technical input, reviews and approvals, ensuring scientific, operational, regulatory and user requirements are clearly captured and progressed.
• Manage Research Unit-funded procurement and contract activities, including preparing specifications and supporting documentation in line with CSIRO requirements.
• Support operational readiness, staging, transition, business continuity, commissioning and certification activities for refurbished facilities, infrastructure and equipment.
• Prepare clear reports, briefings, presentations and recommendations, and identify or escalated risks and dependencies that may affect operations, compliance or project delivery.

Role particulars & eligibility:

• Salary: AU$118k - AU$127k per annum (pro rata for part-time), plus 15.4% superannuation
• Tenure & work schedule: Specified term of 3 years (options for part-time, job-share and flexible work arrangements can be discussed based on needs of role and individual circumstances, however please note that there is an expectation to be onsite at Geelong at least 4 days per week)
• Reference: 104299
• Applications for this position are open to Australian Citizens. Appointment to this role is subject to obtaining or having existing Australian security clearance at Neg Vetting 1 level and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements. Please refer to the Position Description for details.

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in project management, construction management, engineering, business or a related discipline, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating complex projects in a regulated environment, ideally within life sciences, health, research, infrastructure or a similarly compliance-driven setting.
• Experience developing and maintaining project schedules, action registers, risk and issue logs, reporting mechanisms and project documentation.
• Experience managing procurement activities and contract administration in a Commonwealth or similarly governed environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build productive relationships and coordinate input from diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Sound judgement and a practical, solutions-focused approach, with the ability to anticipate issues, manage competing priorities and work effectively in a complex program environment.
• Project management accreditation such as AIPM, PMI or PRINCE2, and experience in a PC3 or PC4 laboratory environment, would be advantageous.

For full details about this role, and all criteria, please review the Position Description.

Setting you up for success

We are committed to providing a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible to everyone. We recognise that individuals may have different needs, and we’re happy to discuss what adjustments to our process may help you feel safe, respected and able to participate fully. Please contact [e-mail] and let us know how we can support you.

Life, benefits and flexible work arrangements

We work flexibly at CSIRO, and we can discuss flexible work arrangements with you during the recruitment process. CSIRO also offers a range of leave entitlements, benefits and career development opportunities. To find out more, visit Careers at CSIRO.

Inclusion and belonging

Solving Australia's greatest challenges takes a diversity of minds and lived experiences. We know diverse teams are more effective and deliver more innovative outcomes. As an equal employment opportunity organisation, we are committed to creating diverse and inclusive teams where people feel they belong. We recognise true diversity encompasses all ages, abilities, cultures, faiths, levels of education, genders, sexualities, diversity of thought and much more. We focus on hiring people who share our values of People First, Further Together, Making it Real and Trusted.

CSIRO holds Platinum Status for the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and a Science in Australia Gender Equity Bronze Award.

Child safety

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs. View our Child Safe Policy.