Horticultural Biosecurity Officer

APS 4 - $72,002 - $78,386 per annum plus superannuation
- Biosecurity Plant and Science Services Division
- Mickleham, VIC
- _Using your horticultural experience to assist in protecting Australia's plant biosecurity you will work with a variety of cultivars in a purpose built facility on the northern outskirts of Melbourne. _
- _Post Entry Quarantine works to ensure high risk commodities undergo suitable quarantine. _
- _The job works hand in hand with professional plant scientists to ensure suitable outcomes for the horticultural and agricultural industry._

**Who we are**
Biosecurity Plant Division provides a contemporary, responsive, sustainable, intelligence-led, and science-based plant biosecurity system that protects Australia's plant health status. The work of the division supports agricultural productivity, competitiveness and market access for plant and plant products imports and exports. The division pursues new market access for Australian exporters, particularly opportunities arising from finalised free trade agreements. The division conducts plant pest and disease risk analyse, develops, and implements risk mitigation measures and works collaboratively to strengthen Australia’s plant pest prevention, preparedness and response capabilities both within Australia and regionally.

The Post-Entry Quarantine Group (PEQ) within BOD is responsible for the post arrival quarantine of plants and animals at the Mickleham Post-entry Quarantine Facility located on the outskirts of Melbourne. The Mickleham PEQ Facility is purpose built for accommodating high risk plants, horses, cats, dogs, ruminants, birds, and bees while undergoing post-entry quarantine. Working in partnership with plant scientists and veterinarians, we ensure that all plants and animals passing through the facility meet all necessary requirements to demonstrate compliance with the regulatory requirements for their safe import and that the health and welfare of the plants and animals is maintained throughout the period of their stay in PEQ.

The plant unit facilitates the import of high-risk plants across a variety of commodities. These are held in a BC2 (Biosecurity containment 2) environment across the extensive glasshouse compound. This is a seven day a week operation.

**The Job**
Key duties include:

- Perform a range of biosecurity activities within a post entry quarantine facility in accordance with established quarantine inspection policies and procedures
- Implement and maintain a high degree of biosecurity control and adherence to procedures to maintain biosecurity integrity
- Monitor climatic conditions in the glasshouse according to plant varieties requirement
- Participate in daily cleaning and general maintenance of a BC2 plants facility according to approved quality standards
- Ensure strict plant hygiene standards and pest and disease control is always maintained to limit the spread of exotic plant pests from and within the nursery
- Ensure all records are correctly maintained including maintaining computer based and manual records as appropriate for operational and audit purposes
- Liaise with pathology team, policy team, as well as clients and industry stakeholders as required
- Work weekend and holiday shifts as per operational requirements
- Participate in meetings
- Train other staff in horticultural processes, safety procedures, methods, and equipment, as required or appropriate
- Make decisions relating to biosecurity requirements under the Biosecurity Act 2015
- Ensure compliance with department WHS policies and guidelines
- Ensure adherence to APS Values and Code of Conduct

**What we are looking for**

**Knowledge and experience**
The key skills and capabilities required for this position include:

- Tertiary qualification in Horticulture, Agriculture or Biological Sciences
- Knowledge and experience in nursery production and plant propagation in a diverse range of crops with experience preferred in budding, grafting, seed propagation and tissue culture
- Understanding of greenhouse systems, plant nutrition management, nursery hygiene practices and principles including pest and disease control and spraying
- Capacity to acquire a knowledge and understanding of appropriate legislation, procedures and protocols as it applies to the business
- Excellent attention to detail in recordkeeping
- Ability to work and communicate effectively with co-workers, clients, and stakeholders, providing clear, concise, and accurate oral and written responses
- Ability to deliver quality professional services to agreed standards, negotiate satisfactory outcomes with clients and stakeholders and deal with difficult client situations.
- Under general direction, provide a high level of horticultural and nursery management skills to propagate and maintain valuable plant material undergoing post entry quarantine screening at the Government Plant Quarantine facility, Mickleham
- Ability to follow instructional material and successfully ac