Scientist / Senior Scientist (Inorganic Contaminants)

Singapore Food Agency; Singapore; On-site; SGD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental food safety agency in Singapore is seeking a candidate to develop analytical methods and optimize lab processes for food safety testing. The role requires knowledge in Chemistry or Food Science, along with experience in advanced analytical instrumentation. The successful applicant will contribute to food safety regulations and monitoring programs as part of a dynamic team at the National Centre for Food Science.

Qualifications

• Degree in Chemistry, Food Science, or related field required.
• Experience with advanced analytical instrumentation for inorganic contaminants.
• Prior experience with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Propose and validate new test methods for food safety.
• Optimize and automate laboratory testing procedures.
• Perform testing and ensure compliance with ISO standards.
• Act as an expert witness in court for food safety cases.
• Contribute to scientific publications and conferences.

Skills

Advanced analytical instrumentation

Data analytics

Knowledge of ISO/IEC 17025:2017

Education

Degree in Chemistry or Food Science

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 Food Science 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 and biological hazards. We collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to enhance food safety standards and to support food security initiatives such as high-tech urban farming and novel foods.

You will be deployed to the Inorganic Contaminants 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 programmes. You are also required to conduct review of food safety from time to time.

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:

The officer is responsible for the following:

• Propose testing strategy, develop, and validate new test methods to accommodate the operation needs and keep laboratory competency abreast of international food regulatory development.
• Explore approaches for strengthening laboratory productivity through optimisation and automation of testing procedures, and digitisation of lab supporting operation.
• Perform sample testing on inorganic contaminants to support SFA food safety regulatory and monitoring programs, implementing laboratory quality system to ensure full compliance to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 requirements.
• Serve as an expert witness in Court to support prosecution cases for the enforcement of food safety rules and regulations.
• Showcase the scientific achievements of the Specialist Team through scientific publication in peer-reviewed journals as well as through the delivery of presentation on specialised areas in regional and international seminars, workshops, and conferences.
• Plan and execute procurement of scientific equipment and laboratory supplies based on the operation needs, ensuring full compliance with financial rules and regulations.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to strengthen regulatory science pertaining to food additives.
• Contribute to laboratory training and organisation of proficiency testing program in support of the NCFS’s role as WHO Collaborating Centre and OIE Collaborating Centre.
• Carry out other assignments as designated by the upper management.

What we are looking for:

• The candidate should have a degree in Chemistry, Food Science, or other related scientific fields.
• Good knowledge and hands-on experience in advanced analytical instrumentation for analysis of inorganic contaminants.
• Prior experiences in implementing ISO/IEC 17025:2017 laboratory quality system is beneficial.
• Possession of skills in data analytics and the use of risk assessment software is an added advantage.

Other Information

• Work Location: National Centre for Food Science, Techquest, 7 International Business Park, Singapore 609919.

We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified for the interview.

About Singapore Food Agency

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is a new Statutory Board formed under the ‘Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) to oversee food safety and security. The SFA will serve as the single point of contact for public feedback on food-related issues, and strengthen management of foodborne disease outbreaks to protect public health.The SFA will also facilitate more business-friendly regulations with oversight of all food safety policies and consolidation of food laboratory capabilities to deepen competencies in food diagnostics, and research and development in food safety.