"Assistant Biosafety Officer (ABSO)"

Department Overview

The Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) at Stanford University is dedicated to supporting and enhancing the teaching, learning, and research activities on our campus by promoting a safe and healthy environment. With over 50 specialists across 10 technical groups, we collaborate closely with top researchers, faculty, staff, and students to provide practical safety and environmental solutions. Our work environment is team-oriented, collaborative, vibrant, and deadline-driven.

EH&S seeks an Assistant Biosafety Officer (ABSO), who will play a key role in supporting Stanford University’s biological safety programs, reporting to the institutional biosafety officer (BSO). This position provides crucial support to the BSO by assisting with both personnel and programmatic oversight. The ABSO supervises a dedicated team of biosafety specialists who provide protocol review, consultation, and in-field services to the research community. This position is integral in helping design, develop, and manage Biosafety & Biosecurity (B&B) programs across Stanford’s research enterprise, including the School of Medicine (SoM). The ABSO will provide technical, regulatory, and administrative support to Stanford’s Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), which oversees work with rDNA and infectious agents, while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and nurturing productive relationships with principal investigators (PIs) involved in cutting-edge research.

In this role, you will:

• Develop, implement, and oversee biosafety programs; interpret policies and procedures as they apply to environmental, health, and safety practices.
• Serve as a subject matter expert in one or more areas of environmental, health, and safety specialization; lead technical meetings; represent assigned area and/or specialty in meetings and interact with internal and external customers.
• Directly supervise and provide guidance and development to individual contributors, including contractors and matrixed staff, external to the organization.
• Develop training programs and effective communication strategies around biosafety protocols and practices using modern engagement methods; create outreach for researchers, particularly students and post-docs, that can be implemented on a rolling basis to continuously capture new incoming researchers.
• Ensure programs and practices are in compliance with the appropriate statutes and regulations and environmental, health, and safety requirements are met.
• Investigate and resolve problems, questions or complaints received from within the organization, customers, government regulatory agencies, etc.
• Ensure environmental, health, and safety inspections are conducted, corrective actions are completed on time, and all necessary documentation is maintained.
• Develop, maintain, audit, and evaluate current policies, procedures, and documentation for regulatory compliance and continuous improvement.
  May represent the university as a designated safety officer when mandated by regulatory requirements.

Additionally, you will have these key responsibilities:

(1) Program Oversight and Development

• Serve as a member of designated research compliance committees; facilitate risk assessment and registration application processes for rDNA, prion-like proteins, and biological agent protocols.
• Utilize data metrics to recommend corrective actions and continuous enhancements to biosafety programs.
• Conduct audits and assessments to maintain compliance with statutes and regulations relating to biosafety.
• Investigate and address issues or complaints from the university community and external or regulatory agencies.
• In alignment with the BSO, support compliance programs including bloodborne pathogens, aerosol transmissible diseases, high containment research, specialized laboratory facility design and review, and compliant operation of specialized biocontainment facilities.

(2) Build Relationships and Increase Collaboration

• Supervise and mentor biosafety specialists and support staff, fostering professional growth and development within the team.
• Represent the Biosafety Office in interdepartmental and external engagements.
• Cultivate strong, collaborative relationships with department chairs, faculty, researchers and staff to enhance biosafety practices and foster proactive risk management.
• Assist researchers with review of proposed work and identification of appropriate biological laboratory containment levels, biosafety practices and procedures, and strategies for hazard assessment and control.
• Collaborate with various stakeholders, including the Dean of Research and university safety partners, to engage the university community in biosafety efforts.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education & Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in arts/science in related allied/scientific field and five years of related progressively responsible experience or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience. Advanced degree and/or certification(s) or experience may be required for some programs.

To be successful in this position, you will bring:

• Proven ability to manage biosafety programs and lead staff effectively in a professional service environment.
• Knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local regulations governing health and safety, especially biosafety, practices.
• Ability to interpret and apply regulations in order to ensure environmental, health and safety program compliance
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a talent for building collaborative relationships both inside and outside the organization.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving and navigating complex regulatory landscapes.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct or assist with environmental health and safety risk assessments, determine appropriate mitigation steps, and undertake crisis management when needed.
• Ability to lead professionally, be on call, and to respond in emergency/crisis situations.

In addition, preferred requirements include:

• Strong understanding of occupational and public health and safety principles, with experience in program and process development.
• Proficiency in organizational communications techniques, including group facilitation and use of digital engagement strategies.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, analytical, and project management skills.
• Experience with effective implementation of health and safety-related operational programs.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate professionally and clearly, as well as deliver engaging health and safety training content.

Certifications and Licenses:

Must possess and maintain a valid California non-commercial Class C Driver's License.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Frequently stand, sit, and perform desk-based computer tasks.
• Occasionally use a telephone, write by hand.
• Rarely kneel, crawl, climb ladders, reach/work above shoulder, twist/bend/stoop/squat, grasp lightly/fine manipulation, grasp forcefully, write by hand, sort and file paperwork or parts, operate foot and/or hand controls, carry, push, and pull objects that weigh 40 pounds or more.
• Ability to maintain a valid non-commercial California Driver’s license.
• Ability to drive day or night.

* - Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Must wear personal protective equipment as defined/required by job assignments.
• May rarely be exposed to high voltage electricity, radiation or electromagnetic fields, lasers, noise > 80dB TWA, allergens/biohazards/chemicals /asbestos, or heavy metals
• May occasionally need to traverse uneven surfaces and may rarely work in confined spaces or heights greater than 10 feet.

WORK STANDARDS:

• When conducting university business, must comply with the California Vehicle Code and Stanford University driving requirements.
• Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
• Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned.
• Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University’s Administrative Guide, http://adminguide.stanford.edu.

On-site/Hybrid positions:
The expected pay range for this position is $159,773 to $165,000 per annum.

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on a wide range of factors that are unique to each candidate including but not limited to geographic location, knowledge, skills and abilities, relevant education, depth and breadth of experience, performance; as well as other business and organization needs such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the minimum qualifications, departmental budget availability, and market and internal equity across the unit, department and reporting relationships.

At Stanford University, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive rewards package. The Cardinal at Work website (https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards) provides detailed information on Stanford’s extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees. Specifics about the rewards package for this position may be discussed during the hiring process.