Scientific Officer

About Us

The Queensland Fire Department (QFD) provides fire prevention, preparedness and response services to fire and other emergencies in the built and landscape environments, as well as scientific and specialist capabilities to Queensland communities. The QFD provides a multi-hazard emergency response, including road crash rescue, bushfire, hazardous material, technical and vertical rescue, severe weather incidents, remote and swiftwater rescue, and provides a number of functions supporting community safety outcomes.

The department encompasses Queensland Fire and Rescue (QFR), Rural Fire Service Queensland (RFSQ), as well as the broader department which work together to pre-empt, prevent, mitigate and manage the consequences of fires and other emergencies on Queensland communities and support our large volunteer membership across the state.

The QFD is an organisation that is focused on reframing the department's relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities, and organisations through the Path to Treaty, Closing the Gap and building our cultural capability.

Purpose of the Role

The Scientific Branch is a specialist section that provides 24-hour-a-day, 7-day per week response to fire and hazardous materials emergencies and expert advice to QFD, Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ), and other agencies such as the Queensland Police Service (QPS), on the safe management of chemical and other hazardous materials emergencies including Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) incidents.

The Branch staff incorporates one Director Chief Superintendent; seven Scientific Officer Inspectors; four Station Officers; four Firefighters; and a statewide network of volunteer Scientific Officers, drawn from Queensland Public Health and Scientific Services (QPHSS) and other organisations.

The Branch assets include ten response vehicles, including two fire appliances, one staffed 24-7 by two on-shift firefighters,
The Branch also provides expert technical and scientific advice to support research within QFD and partner organisations in the development of policies, programs and activities; such as operational support, regulation/enforcement and specialist training.

Scientific Officers form the professional scientific core of QFD. This requires a broad scientific knowledge, with particular emphasis on chemical hazards and emergency management of HAZMAT or CBRN incidents. Scientific Officers are Authorised Fire Officers and participate in hot zone' entry operations in protective clothing with other firefighters, working in contaminated environments.

Key Requirements

Mandatory requirements
- Tertiary qualifications (minimum degree level) in Applied Science, Science, Chemical Engineering or related fields majoring in chemistry.
- Must be prepared to participate in branch on-call roster.
- A medical test to prove aptitude and fitness for this role will be required before appointment. The objective of the medical test is to prove that the applicant is medically capable of wearing personal protective equipment, such as self contained breathing apparatus and chemical protective suits at a hazardous materials or CBRN incident under the supervision of QFD. This is a condition of employment.
- Minimum C class Driver's Licence (non-restricted).

Highly desirable requirements
- A higher degree in Applied Science, Science, Chemical Engineering or related fields majoring in chemistry will be very highly regarded.

Your Key Accountabilities
- Respond to fires and hazardous materials emergencies to provide expert services and advice on hazardous materials management and HAZMAT/CBRN incident response to QFD, QPS, Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) and other partner agencies across government.
- Participate in a roster to be periodically on-call as a senior Scientific Officer to attend fires and HAZMAT/CBRN emergencies for the Branch.
- Contribute to the development of policies, programs and initiatives to support QFD strategic focus on hazardous materials management and HAZMAT/CBRN incident response by undertaking research, analysis, and providing expert advice on complex scientific and technical issues.
- Contribute to the enhancement and maintenance of the infrastructure to support the branch.
- Actively contribute to the development and delivery of specialised HAZMAT and CBRN training to the QFD, QPS and other partner agencies.

Specific duties include some or all of the following:
Operations
- Provide on-site expert scientific response services and advice in relation to hazardous materials management and CBRN incident response.
- Liaise with Emergency Services, Queensland Police, Queensland Health, local authorities, other government agencies, industry and the public in relation to the emergency.
- Don protective equipment/self-contained breathing apparatus in the support of operations such as assessment, detection and sampling within contaminated environments at HAZMAT or CBRN incidents, wher