Principal Consultant – Biosafety

Health, Safety and Wellness Full-time, fixed-term position through to December 2028 $106,709 to $116,199 + 17% super (HEW Level 7) Based At our St Lucia Campus

About This Opportunity

Help enable world-class research by making complex biosafety requirements practical, proportionate and workable. UQ is home to a diverse range of teaching and research involving biological materials, specialist laboratories and research facilities. Behind that work is a Biosafety Advisory team helping our researchers navigate biological risks safely, confidently and in line with regulatory requirements. As a Principal Consultant, Biosafety, you’ll become a trusted specialist adviser across a portfolio of laboratories, facilities and research activities, working directly with researchers, supervisors and managers to find practical pathways for safe and compliant research. This is much more than checking boxes. You’ll apply your scientific expertise and judgement to complex biological risk assessments, laboratory inspections, incident reviews, containment requirements and genetically modified organism dealings, translating technical and regulatory requirements into controls that work in real research environments. You’ll also join the team at an important time, creating capacity to modernise biosafety systems, strengthen guidance and assurance tools, improve training and stakeholder communications, and support implementation of the R3 Lab Activity Module.

What will you get involved in?

• Specialist biosafety advice: Partner with researchers, supervisors and managers to provide practical advice across a diverse portfolio of laboratories, facilities and research activities.
• Risk and assurance: Lead biological risk assessments, facility inspections, incident reviews and corrective action monitoring, including assessment of low-risk genetically modified organism dealings and hazardous biological applications.
• Turning regulation into practice: Interpret biological safety procedures, containment standards and regulatory requirements and translate them into proportionate controls for infectious agents, GMOs, biological samples and related materials.
• Committee and governance support: Contribute specialist expertise to biosafety committee processes and support consistent, well-informed decision-making.
• Continuous improvement: Help improve procedures, guidance, training materials, assurance tools and communications, while supporting the modernisation of UQ’s biosafety systems.

If you enjoy the point where science, risk and problem-solving meet, this is an opportunity to use your expertise to help researchers do ambitious work safely, rather than simply telling them what they can’t do.

About You

• A degree in biological sciences, microbiology, biotechnology or a related field, together with substantial relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Specialist knowledge of biological safety, containment, biological risk assessment and laboratory compliance.
• Experience leading inspections, risk assessments, compliance reviews or incident investigations in biological or laboratory environments.
• The ability to interpret policies, procedures, containment standards and regulatory requirements and apply them practically within research and operational environments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify systemic issues and develop practical, proportionate solutions.
• High-level communication, consultation and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and contribute effectively within a collaborative specialist team.
• A genuine commitment to continuous improvement and supporting safe research practice.
• Experience in a university or research institute, laboratory or facility management, biological compliance, Microsoft 365 or database systems will be highly regarded.

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world, working together to create a better world. Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available.

• Enjoy up to 26 weeks paid parental and primary care leave, 17% super, 17.5% leave loading, flexible and hybrid working options, health and wellbeing programs, a heavily discounted Study for Staff program, on‑campus childcare, affordable parking and salary packaging.

The University of Queensland (UQ) acknowledges the Traditional Owners and their custodianship of the lands on which UQ is situated. We pay our respects to their Ancestors and their descendants, who continue cultural and spiritual connections to Country. At the University of Queensland, we are proud to be one of Australia’s leading research and teaching institutions, consistently ranking among the top 50 universities worldwide. As a member of the prestigious Group of Eight (Go8) universities, UQ is widely recognised for its intensive focus on research and teaching excellence – evidenced by our numerous accolades including more teaching awards than any other Australian University and reflected in UQ being the number one recipient of ARC Fellowships and Awards nationally across all scheme years (totalling 452 awards worth $339 million). Our state‑of‑the‑art facilities, libraries, and cutting‑edge research centres offer unparalleled opportunities for academic and professional growth. With five faculties, a number of globally recognised research institutes, and over 100 research centres, we attract an interdisciplinary community of more than 7000 staff, supporting more than 55,000 current students from over 137 countries. UQ is dedicated to supporting the career aspirations of our students and staff. Our comprehensive career services provide personalized guidance, skills development, and networking opportunities to help you achieve your professional goals. Whether you are a student seeking internships and job placements or a staff member looking for career advancement, UQ is here to support you every step of the way. UQ values equity, diversity and inclusion and seeks to reflect the broader community by attracting and retaining high‑quality staff from a range of backgrounds. Our commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion aims to ensure that everyone at UQ feels valued and empowered to achieve their full potential. We are particularly interested to hear from people who bring diversity to UQ – whether that be gender identity, LGBTQIA+, cultural and/or linguistic, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, or people with a disability. Whether you are a recent graduate, an Academic, or an experienced professional, UQ offers a wide range of opportunities to help you grow and succeed. Explore our current job openings, discover our programs and become part of a community that is dedicated to creating lasting, meaningful impact for the communities in which we live and work. For more information about working at UQ and our employee benefits (such as generous leave provisions, 17% superannuation, flexible working arrangements, and health and wellness discounts) please visit Why Work at UQ.

Pre‑employment checks may include verification of the right to work in Australia, qualifications and mandatory immunisations. This may also include checks relating to gender‑based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements.

This role involves entering laboratories and animal facilities where personal protective equipment must be worn and where exposure to animal allergens may occur.

Immunisation against certain vaccine‑preventable diseases, including hepatitis B where relevant to the work undertaken, may be required.

You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply.

Employer‑sponsored work rights are not available for this appointment.

We're dedicated to equity, diversity and inclusion.

We recognise that career pathways and opportunities differ, and encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every criterion but can demonstrate their potential relative to opportunity.

We’re also happy to support any accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process.

Just let us know how we can help by emailing talent@uq.edu.au or calling +61 7 3365 2623.

Applications close Sunday 18 October 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-68937).

#J-18808-Ljbffr