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 (NSW)
- _Investigate new & improved approaches that could be adopted to enhance the department’s surveillance capability for early detection of exotic hitchhiker pests._
- _Trial emerging surveillance technologies for improving the efficacy and efficiency of hitchhiker pest detections._
- _Two current vacancies in Perth and Sydney, possible future vacancies in other 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 Hitchhiker Surveillance Program (HSP) is a key component of national biosecurity surveillance with a focus on improving the capability of early detection of high priority exotic hitchhiker pests at locations which receive high-risk imported goods and conveyances. The principal objective of the HSP is to investigate new and improved approaches that could be adopted to enhance the department’s surveillance capability for early detection of exotic hitchhiker pests. HSP activities include trialling emerging surveillance technologies for improving the efficacy and efficiency of hitchhiker pest detections.

**The Jobs**
We are looking for highly motivated and enthusiastic applicants to join the team as Surveillance Officers within the HSP. These positions will work as part of a team, locally and nationally, to undertake and support surveillance activity. Key duties for both roles will include, but are not limited to:

- assessing biosecurity risk pathways at importers premises (or other relevant premises) and planning field surveillance for hitchhiker/high priority plant pests, including liaising with industry staff to schedule surveillance activities
- conducting hitchhiker pest surveillance activities at the border
- setting and maintaining biosecurity monitoring or trapping programs, including timely trap set up, maintenance and reporting
- 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
- contributing to pest status reporting, as required
- liaising with clients and other departmental programs to achieve departmental surveillance outcomes and participating, where required, in pest response situations
- 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
- undertake a broad range of activities associated with the delivery and implementation of HSP projects.

**Please note** that this recruitment process will **initially be used to fill two ongoing vacancies - one in Sydney 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 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.