Biological Safety Officer & IBC Lead

Washington University in St. Louis; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vacation time

Health insurance

Transit pass

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Washington University in St. Louis is seeking a full-time Biological Safety Officer to lead the Biological Safety Division, serve as Chief Administrative Officer for the Institutional Biosafety Committee, and act as Responsible Official for the select agent program.

The role requires strategic oversight of safety policies, training, and compliance across university laboratories. The BSO will supervise staff, conduct risk assessments, and ensure adherence to NIH Guidelines, 42 CFR Part 73, and

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in biological sciences or related field.
• Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP) or Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP).
• 7+ years EH&S experience in research or academic setting.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Chief Administrative Officer for IBC and RO for select agent program.
• Provide consultation on biological safety across departments.
• Develop and maintain biosafety policies, procedures, and training materials.
• Directly supervise BSO staff and inspect BSL-3 and select agent labs.
• Ensure compliance with NIH Guidelines and regulatory requirements.

Skills

Academic Research

Relational databases

Microsoft Office

Technical Writing

Time Management

Education

Master’s degree in Biological Sciences

Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP)

Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP)

Tools

Relational databases

Code of Federal Regulations knowledge

Job description

As a top tier global research institution with over $1B in annual research funding, WashU offers the opportunity to partner directly with world class faculty and clinicians. Our Biological Safety Division directly supports the university's research, clinical, and academic missions - overseeing high containment (BSL3) facilities, clinical safety for ambulatory care providers, and cutting edge biomedical programs.

This is a full-time position in department with the primary responsibility for overseeing and managing the Biological Safety Division within department. The BSO serves as the Chief Administrative Officer for the WU Institutional Biological Safety Committee (IBC) and as the Responsible Official for the WU select agent program. The BSO also provides consultation services for other departments in the University for issues involving biological safety and serves as a liaison between department and other University departments on a project-specific basis. The BSO is responsible for development and maintenance of policies, procedures, and training materials related to biological safety.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Serve as the Chief Administrative Officer and an ex officio member of the WU Institutional Biological Safety Committee (IBC), including fulfilling all BSO responsibilities as described in the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules. Perform initial risk assessment and review of all projects submitted and forward to the IBC all research that requires full committee review (as mandated by the NIH Guidelines).
• Provide consultation to other University departments on matters of biological safety, including: work with hazardous or infectious agents in research animals; design or renovation of research laboratories; import/export permits required for shipping/receiving potentially infectious materials; and training requirements for individuals in different work environments.
• Develop training materials, policies, and procedures related to the safe handling of hazardous or potentially infectious materials in research laboratories or clinics. Update these materials as needed to stay current with federal, local and state regulations and University policies.
• Provide overall management of the Biological Safety division and may directly supervise the Associate/Assistant Biological Safety Officer, and Biosafety Compliance Specialist
• Inspect the University’s BSL3 and select agent laboratories.
• Serve as the Responsible Official (RO) for the University’s select agent program. Fulfill all responsibilities outlined in 42 CFR Part 73 and the University’s various select agent plans (biosafety, biosecurity, etc.).
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions:

Job Location/Working Conditions:

• Mostly office environment.
• Potential exposure to chemicals, radioactive materials, and potentially infectious materials in a laboratory environment.
• Will need to be on-call for incidents in select agent or other BSL3 areas.
• On-Call/Emergency Response.

Physical Effort:

• Occasional lifting >25 lbs.
• Use of specialized equipment (mercury vacuum, SCBA, air monitoring equipment, etc.).

Equipment:

• Need to wear personal protective equipment during inspections and spill remediation.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

• Masters degree in biological sciences with at least seven years of EH&S (or related field) experience or graduate degree (PhD or MD) with at least five years of EH&S (or related field) experience.
• Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP) or Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in an academic research laboratory.
• Understanding of relational databases.

Skills:

Academic Research, Code of Federal Regulations, Laboratory Research, Microsoft Office, Oral Communications, Relational Database Management, Software Packages, State Regulations, Technical Writing, Time Management, Workplace Organization

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
• Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.
• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We’ve got you covered.
• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/.

EEO Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.