Osborne Richardson are proud to be the go-to Specialist Recruitment Agency for Scientific and Technical roles in State Government, right across Queensland. On this occasion, our colleagues in the Department of Primary Industries have asked us to bring them a Scientific Officer to join their Panama TR4 laboratory team in Central Brisbane. The successful candidate will find themself taking on an initial 12 month, full-time role, with huge potential for this to be extended onwards after this.

In this fantastic role, you will be working within Biosecurity Queensland, Plant Biosecurity and Product Integrity, with the successful candidate being a part of the Plant Biosecurity Diagnostic Services Team. You will have a key role to play and your duties will include:

• Working independently to deliver scientific diagnostic services for Panama TR4 samples.
• Applying morphological, biological (VCGs) and molecular-based diagnostic techniques to enable the rapid and accurate identification of Panama Disease.
• Assisting with general plant health diagnostics to meet the biosecurity needs of Queensland.
• Supporting the high-throughput sequencing (HTS) team to develop and validate HTS-based diagnostic tests designed to detect Panama.
• Accurately performing scientific tasks in accordance with relevant standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instruction (WIs), protocols or methodologies to support the generation of valid data and ongoing compliance with the requirements of NATA accreditation, proficiency testing programs and Biosecurity Containment level 2 & 3, workplace health and safety requirements and legislative obligations
• Participating in the implementation and maintenance of a laboratory quality management system according to the principles of NATA accreditation ISO/IEC: 17025 and participate in internal and external review processes to ensure maintenance and continuous improvement of diagnostic standards.
• Recording and maintaining diagnostic records in the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), which manages data that critically supports the rapid and accurate diagnosis of endemic, exotic and newly emerging plant pests and diseases in Queensland.

As relevant, tasks undertaken independently may include the following:
• Maintain, undertake, check and arrange for calibration of laboratory equipment according to the equipment quality maintenance schedule.
• Preparing reagents, mixtures and media
• Monitoring and managing the supply of consumable resources
• Cleaning and sterilising work areas, equipment and materials
• Undertaking specialised observations such as recognising relevant species and identifying environmental conditions
• Preparing, collecting and managing specimens and samples
• Ensuring sample integrity via appropriate specimen/sample preservation, handling and transport
• Performing tests and conducting analyses
• Measuring and collecting analytical data
• Recording and documenting data using defined systems and methods

We are very keen to bring these roles to the best minds in this field in Queensland, combined with the most passionate and workers. Are reputation stands alone as providing only the best employees in the Scientific space to QLD State Government. In this respect, we are seeking the following key skills and experience:

Mandatory requirements for the role are:
1. It is a mandatory requirement for a technical officer to possess an Australian Diploma degree (AQF level 5 or equivalent) or higher in Science or equivalent in a field relevant to the position from a recognised tertiary institution.
2. For international qualifications, the applicant will need their qualification assessed, to determine comparability with the Australian Qualifications Framework. The Department of Employment, Small Business and Training can assist with these assessments for Queensland residents.
3. Knowledge, skills and experience in both traditional and molecular techniques to diagnose Panama and other plant diseases

Highly Desirable to this role are:
1. Experience operating within a Laboratory Quality Management System and using a Laboratory Information Management System is highly desirable.
2. Experience using high-throughput sequencing platforms such as Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION, Illumina MiSeq, etc. for plant health diagnostics is favourably desirable.

If you feel you have what it takes to excel in this role and within the wider team, please feel free to touch base with Owen Millar on 0414 706 605 or email Owen@osbornerichardson.com.au.

Always happy to chat.