Policy/technical Officer

APS 6 - $91,944 - $104,393 per annum plus superannuation
- Exports & Veterinary Services Division
- Adelaide (SA), Brisbane (QLD), Canberra (ACT), Melbourne (VIC), and Sydney (NSW)

**Who we are**
**The Export Standards Branch** supports Australian farmers and processors by maintaining and improving their access to valuable export markets for meat, fish, dairy, eggs, inedible animal products and processed foods, thereby growing and protecting trade worth billions of dollars to the Australian economy every year. We negotiate science-based import conditions and deliver improvements including electronic certification with international trading partners. The branch also keeps exporters informed of requirements to export to specific markets through publication of the Manual of Importing Country Requirements (Micor). We provide specialist advice on chemical residues and microbiological requirements for food exports, and lead Australia's participation in Codex Alimentarius, which is responsible for international food standard setting. Make a difference working at the international forefront with ESB to grow and protect export markets and advance Australian agriculture.

**The Meat Market Access - Asia and Oceania section** negotiates with trading partners to maintain, improve, or develop new market access for the export of meat and meat products in the Asia and Oceania region. The team negotiates agreed conditions of trade, facilitates bilateral engagement with international trading partner authorities, assists in the coordination and organisation of audits of Australia’s export meat system and establishments, develops Australian positions on international standard setting for trade in meat and meat products, and delivers content for the department’s Manual of Importing Country Requirements.

**The Meat Market Access - Europe, Americas, Middle East, and Africa section** negotiates with trading partners to maintain, improve, or develop technical market access conditions for the export of meat and meat products to these markets. This includes products such as red meat, poultry, pork, and game meat. The section also develops Australian positions on international standard setting for trade in food through participation in Codex Alimentarius committees and other international and domestic fora.

**The Jobs**
The duties of the positions include but are not limited to:

- Providing technical veterinary advice and guidance on matters relating to animal health and food safety.
- Working on topical issues, critical for the future exports of Australian meat and meat products.
- Liaising, negotiating and effectively communicating with Australian and overseas government agencies, industry bodies, and other internal and external stakeholders in support of technical market access.
- Providing technical veterinary or specialist advice and guidance on matters relating to animal health, biosecurity, and food safety.
- Undertaking research and developing technical submissions and briefings in support of technical market access negotiations for meat and meat products.
- Representing the department during engagement with international trading partners and Australian industry.
- Contributing to content relating to animal health and providing input into high level written and verbal advice to senior executives and the Minister in support of the above activities.
- Managing branch inboxes to respond to internal and external enquiries.
- Providing input into the development of international standards for food trade.
- Undertaking research and responding to trade disruptions.

**What we are looking for**
**Knowledge and experience**
The successful applicants will demonstrate the following:

- Knowledge of Australia’s food safety, biosecurity, and animal health systems.
- Trade experience and knowledge of Australian export legislation and agricultural industries is desirable.
- A working knowledge of legislative frameworks, government decision-making processes and regulations is also desirable.

**Desirable/Mandatory qualifications**
Applicants must possess, at a minimum, a bachelor level degree that is recognisable in Australia. Degrees in a relevant field such as science, public health, agricultural economics, law, international relations, public policy etc will be looked upon favourably.