Environment, Occupational Health and Safety-Officer Research

Vacancy Number: EOHS-OR/HR/11/13
Department: Environment, Occupational Health and Safety
Duration: 2 years

ILRI seeks to recruit an Environment, Occupational Health and Safety Officer – Research to establish a viable EOHS and research compliance and programs by implementing procedures in the line with ILRI guidelines, external legislative and regulatory requirements in Kenya and Internationally recognized best practices in EOHS and research compliance.

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to enhance the roles livestock play in pathways out of poverty in developing countries. ILRI has two main campuses in East Africa and other hubs in East, West and southern Africa and South, Southeast and East Asia. www.ilri.org.

CGIAR is a global agricultural research partnership for a food-secure future. Its science is carried out by 15 research centers that are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations. http://www.cgiar.org/

Responsibilities

1. Biosafety Biosecurity

• Assist in development of the laboratory Biosafety Biosecurity manual and ensure all laboratory users comply with the manual.
• Cary out Biosafety and Biosecurity review of all project proposals within Biosciences.
• Assist the PI to comply with biosafety and biosecurity requirement as per ILRI guidelines.
• Carry out biosafety biosecurity risk assessments for all the projects in Biosciences and ensure compliance to ILRI guideline and policy.
• Ensure ILRI Biosciences facilities comply with both ILRI, local, donor and international best practices and treaties in biosafety and biosecurity.

2. Chemical and Radiation Safety

• Develops implements, and monitors chemical and radiation programs systems procedures, and training in laboratory safety, hazard communication and chemical hygiene training.
• Reviews and develops standards operating   procedures, fact sheets, and guidance documents for hazardous (chemical and radioactive) materials and processes.
• Develop chemical and radiation hazards assessment tools, train the research teams on carrying out chemical and radiation hazards assessments.
•  Develop tools for carrying out PPE selections for specific jobs, train the research team and guide them in carrying out adequate PPE selection to mitigate the hazards identified. Researches appropriate hazard control and mitigation strategies, including engineering controls, administrative controls and PPE, and support research staff in the implementation of these control strategies.
• Provide guidance and direction on development implementation, and continuous improvement of lab safety manuals, chemical hygiene plan and various other forms, procure and documents to ensure ILRI research operations meet highest standards and remain a benchmark.

3. Inspections

• Develop tools for carrying out, recording, follow-up, closing and ensuring continues improvement of laboratory inspections.
• Inspect labs, recommends corrective Action, and perform follow up verification of deficiency correction status. Schedules and conducts inspections to identify and evaluate lab safety hazards and compliance deficiencies.

4. Legal register

• Maintains knowledge/ expertise on existing/ proposed changes in all regulations ;interprets and applies  relevant laws,  regulations  codes and standards,  including  making  recommendations  for work environment changes based  on interpretations and principles  of professional  practices.

5. Biological materials management

• Coordinate a quarterly inventory and audit of all biological materials with the principal investigators.

6. Risk assessments

• Review protocols and perform risk assessment for all research protocols submitted through the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).
• Manage and assists with safety programs within the purview of the EOHS department and assess physical and health risk associated with infectious agents.

7. Training

• Develop and implement safety training curricula and databases to ensure effective training, support, and hazard communication for all staff involved in biological research.
• Coordinate  online safety training  for all research staff at ILRI

8. Emergency response

•  Assist in developing and reviewing emergency response plans, designing disaster response exercises, transportation plans, and biosecurity plans related to the bio containment facility and biosafety level 2 and above work.

9. Waste management

• Review and manage programs associated with infectious waste disposal and handling coordinating programs development and ensuring consistency with infectious waste disposal and handling programs outside of the laboratory research environment.

10. Liaison.

• Liaise with regulatory agencies and other external stakeholders to ensure that EOHS practices are up to date.

11. Shipping of biological materials

• Manage and review programs requirement associated with infectious/bio hazardous material shipping requirements, serving as a technical resource, and development training programs as appropriate.

12. Incident management

• Ensure all accidents are investigated, corrective and preventative actions recommended and reviewed.

13. Permits and licences

• Coordinate application of various permits and licences for research in Biosciences.

14. Coordinate activities of the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) to ensure compliance with the relevant regulatory requirements.

Requirements

• Master of Science degree in any of these fields in microbiology, biochemistry, genetics molecular biology, industrial hygiene, chemistry, environmental science or related field required with training in Biosafety and Biosecurity).
• Five years’ experience in a similar role.
• Training in occupational safety and health certification, EOHS auditing, fire aid and fire safety.
• Good communication skills, including writing skill in English.
• Good interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multicultural skills environment.
• Highly effective multi-tasking skills, with ability to coordinate, prioritize, delegate, and organize workloads, meet deadlines and work under pressure.
• Capacity to take initiative, demonstrates good judgment and work under minimal supervision.

Terms of Appointment

This is a Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) position based at ILRI’s Nairobi campus. The position is on a 2 year contract with the possibility of renewal, contingent upon individual performance and continued funding.

Job level and salary

This position is job Grade 3A level 3.  This is exclusive of other benefits provided by ILRI.

Location: The position will be based at the ILRI campus.

How to Apply

Applicants should send a cover letter and CV explaining their interest in the position, what they can bring to the job and the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. Applications should be submitted online to the Human Resources by clicking on the APPLY NOW tab on http://ilri.simplicant.com before 16thDecember, 2013. Only online applications will be considered, and only short listed candidates will be contacted. The position title and reference number is EOHS-OR/HR/11/13 and should be clearly marked on the cover letter.