Scientist (Food Radioactivity)

Public Service Division; Singapore; On-site; SGD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A government health agency in Singapore is seeking experts for food safety regulatory testing, focusing on food radioactivity assessment. Candidates should possess a BSc, MSc, or PhD in Chemistry or Radiochemistry and experience with relevant testing methods and instruments is advantageous. This role emphasizes the importance of maintaining compliance with laboratory standards and offers opportunities for personal and professional development, as well as participation in national and international projects.

Qualifications

• Self-motivated, proactive, and resourceful.
• Ability to work independently and in a team.
• Strong written and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Perform food radioactivity testing for SFA monitoring programs.
• Expand testing capabilities of Food Radioactivity Specialist Team.
• Implement ISO/IEC 17025:2017 laboratory quality assurance programs.
• Prepare method and equipment SOPs and quality documents.
• Conduct method validation for test methods.

Skills

Knowledge of foodborne chemical hazards

Experience with radioanalytical instruments

Proficient in MS Office applications

Education

BSc, MSc or PhD in Chemistry or Radiochemistry

Tools

Alpha spectrometer

Liquid scintillation counter

Gamma spectrometer

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer

Job description

[What the role is]

The mission of SFA is to ensure and secure a supply of safe food for Singapore. The National Centre for Food Science (NCFS) supports SFA’s vision of ensuring safe food for all by being a national reference laboratory on food science, conducting food safety monitoring to generate scientific data for enforcement of food regulations, support of risk assessment and protection of consumer health. NCFS oversees the application of science and technology to enable an evidence-based approach for ensuring food safety in partnership with stakeholders across the entire food chain and research institutions to address emerging food safety and security concerns.

You will be part of a dynamic team of the Food Safety Rapid Response Department (FSRRD) under NCFS to provide support to SFA’s food safety regulatory testing and market monitoring programs. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to learn and apply a wide range of cutting‑edge testing and diagnostic techniques to solve real world problems and safeguard the food safety for Singaporeans. The Specialist Teams under FSRRD strive to continue developing our scientific knowledge and testing capabilities to keep pace with the challenges of emerging foodborne chemical, radiochemical and biological hazards. We collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to enhance food safety standards in the region, and support food security initiatives such as high‑tech farming and novel food innovation.

You will be deployed to the Food Radioactivity Specialist Team under FSRRD, playing a key role in developing new analytical methods for strengthening and broadening the testing capabilities and for enabling risk assessment to support SFA’s operation needs for food safety regulatory function and market monitoring programs.

Based on the operation needs of the Department and your career advancement path, there are ample job rotation opportunities to broaden your scientific knowledge and sharpen your professional skills.

[What you will be working on]

• Perform food radioactivity testing and all related functions to support SFA food safety monitoring and surveillance programs.
• Expand the testing capability of the Food Radioactivity Specialist Team to cover all the relevant radionuclides specified in the Codex Alimentarius General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed, which entails method establishment and method validation for the achievement of method accreditation by the Singapore Accreditation Council for alpha, beta and gamma emitting radionuclides.
• Implement laboratory quality assurance programs to ensure that the laboratory practices are in full compliance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards.
• Prepare method and equipment SOPs and quality documents used by the Team.
• Conduct method validation for test methods and prepare method validation and measurement uncertainty reports.
• Prepare weekly and monthly reports to update management on significant test findings and provide risk assessments and recommendations where necessary to support SFA's standard setting and policymaking in food radioactivity regulatory control.
• Procurement of lab supplies and equipment to support the operations of the lab.
• Participate in collaboration projects with National and International partners on developing and enhancing testing capabilities for supporting the pertinent natural and artificial radionuclides surveillance programs.
• Deliver presentations on specialized areas and prepare manuscripts for scientific publications.
• Conduct training and organize proficiency testing programs for ASEAN participants as well as commercial laboratories to upgrade radionuclides testing capability in Singapore and ASEAN region.

[What we are looking for]

Requirements

• The candidate should have a BSc, MSc or PhD in Chemistry, Radiochemistry, or other related scientific fields.
• Good knowledge and hand‑on experience in sample extraction, cleanup and detection of foodborne chemical or radiochemical hazards will be an advantage.
• Prior experiences with radioanalytical instruments (alpha spectrometer, liquid scintillation counter, gamma spectrometer) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer will be an advantage.
• Prior experiences in implementing ISO/IEC 17025:2017 laboratory quality.
• Self‑motivated, proactive, and resourceful.
• Able to work independently, and in a team.
• Organized and able to multitask.
• Strong written and communication skills.
• Proficient in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Power Point etc.).

Work Location

National Centre for Food Science, 7 International Business Park, Singapore 609919.