Surveillance Officer

APS 4 - $74,882 - $81,521 per annum plus superannuation
- Biosecurity Plant and Science Services Division
- Brisbane (QLD), Melbourne (VIC), Perth (WA) and Sydney (NSW)
- _We are looking for highly motivated and enthusiastic applicants to join the team as Field Surveillance Officers._
- _You should have experience in planning, managing & carrying out pest surveys or surveillance activity._
- _Multiple vacancies across several locations._

**Who we are**
Science and Surveillance Group (SSG) is comprised of scientists, operations and support staff responsible for regulatory advice and training, technical input to biosecurity policy, regulation activity in the Torres Strait and diverse surveillance and diagnostic services around Australia, including animal and plant health surveillance measures under the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy.

The Surveillance Section is one of the four national Sections delivering diagnostic or surveillance activities within the Operational Science & Surveillance (OSS) component of the Science & Surveillance Group (SSG). The section is comprised of the National Border Surveillance (NBS) program, Vector Monitoring Program (VMP) and Hitchhiker Surveillance Program (HSP) teams and is led by a management team consisting of a Director, Assistant Directors and APS 6 Senior Surveillance Officers.

**The Jobs**
Key duties for the roles include, but are not limited to:

- assessing biosecurity risk pathways at importers premises (or other relevant premises) and planning field surveillance for high priority plant pests, including liaising with biosecurity point of entry and other industry staff to schedule surveillance activities
- conducting surveillance activities at the border by setting and maintaining biosecurity monitoring or trapping programs
- contributing to the collection of accurate and up to date local surveillance data, including the use and maintenance of field surveillance devices and timely completion of surveillance records
- conducting routine triage of field samples and collecting, preparing and submitting samples to, and liaising with, diagnosticians to obtain accurate and timely pest identification
- ensuring surveillance supplies are in stock, including supply management and the procurement of consumables to enable ongoing surveillance activities
- ensuring compliance with departmental WH&S policies and guidelines and being alert for and reporting risks regarding WH&S issues.

**Please note** that this recruitment process will **initially be used to fill five ongoing vacancies - two in Sydney, two in Melbourne and one in Perth**. The merit pool established through this selection process, which is valid for a period of eighteen months from the date the vacancy was advertised in the Public Service Gazette, may also be used to fill future ongoing vacancies in any of the locations listed above where the duties are of a similar nature.

**What we are looking for**
**Knowledge and experience**
The successful applicants will have:

- experience in planning, managing and carrying out pest surveys or surveillance activity and collecting and preparing samples for diagnostics
- experience in field surveillance and/or a relevant scientific field such as entomology, botany or plant pathology

**Mandatory qualifications**
A tertiary qualification in the areas of biological science, environmental science, agriculture, entomology, botany or plant pathology.

**Eligibility and other requirements**
The successful applicant must:

- hold and maintain a valid Australian motor vehicle drivers licence
- note that the physical requirements of the role(s) involve a combination of outdoor and office-based work
- note that you may be required to perform occasional out-of-hours and weekend work
- note that you will be required, from time to time, to work in difficult, remote and harsh environments (possibly for extended periods) under limited supervision or in teams
- wear an official uniform supplied by the department, including during field operations (as applicable), in accordance with the department’s uniform policy
- wear appropriate protective personal equipment and clothing to comply with departmental Work Health & Safety policies and procedures
- meet the minimum requirements in order to be appointed as a Biosecurity Officer under the _Biosecurity Act 2015_.