icipe Laboratory Manager and Biosafety Officer Job

icipe wishes to urgently recruit a suitable person to fill the position of Laboratory Manager and Biosafety Officer to work in our Martin Lüscher Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Laboratory, Human Health Division, based at Duduville campus, Kasarani, Nairobi.

This is a national (local) position that offers two-year contracts that are renewable.

A competitive compensation package will be offered to the right candidate.

Responsibilities

i. Overall duties

• Maintain the EID laboratory and ensure that good laboratory practices (GLP) are maintained.
• Maintain and update EID lab records including standard operating procedures (SOPs) and equipment maintenance and sample storage records.

ii. Specific Duties

• Establish, implement, maintain and lead a robust QA/QC and safety programme for all laboratory work.
• Ensure that the available laboratory space is utilised appropriately with full adherence to safety standards and regulations.
• Ensure that all laboratory personnel and students admitted to the laboratory are trained and qualified for the work at hand.
• Monitor the conduct of all laboratory staff and students (adherence to set lab safety, security and QA/QC procedures) and report to the lab director.
• Ensure that every laboratory personnel or student (anyone performing any work in the lab) receives annual training on lab safety, biosecurity and all lab SOPs and that such training is documented.
• Cross-train periodically with established regional and international laboratories’ SOP and QA/QC programmes to update such programmes where necessary in the laboratory.
• Delegate specific duties to lab personnel and students to ensure the accomplishment of all lab duties/responsibilities with respect to QA/QC and safety (e.g. equipment routine maintenance and cleaning, SOP writing and revision, etc.).

In consultation with PIs of ongoing projects, ensure proper storage and management of laboratory equipment, consumables, supplies and records.

• Ensure that SOPs are developed for all procedures in all projects in the lab and are adhered to and filed in appropriate labs, maintained/updated as necessary.
• Put in place and manage the LIMs for microbial agent and specimen biobank/storage for ongoing and concluded projects, ensuring full adherence to biosafety and biosecurity.
• Ensure that all pieces of laboratory equipment are in good working order and are closely and continuously monitored according to the set equipment SOPs.
• Facilitate the timely procurement of necessary laboratory supplies.
• Manage the laboratory in the event of a disease epidemic or other public health emergency in consultation with relevant national programmes and ministries.
• Comply with any other necessary duties and responsibilities as instructed by the Lab Director and Director General.

iii. Other duties

• Advise on matters relating to biological safety to other laboratories at icipe.
• Provide support, as appropriate, to researchers and students.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications

• Masters level of education or comparable laboratory experience in biomedical sciences.
• Knowledge and experience with virological/microbiological procedures including serological, molecular and culture laboratory techniques with flexibility to adopt both standard and emerging technologies.
• Knowledge and experience with laboratory quality standards, biosafety and biosecurity.
• Good interpersonal and management skills.
• Good attitude and communication skills.
• Database computer skills.

Applications will be accepted up to 14th April 2012, or until the position is filled, whichever is earlier.

Only applications of shortlisted candidates will be acknowledged.

Please send an application with current remuneration package, and a detailed CV with names and addresses of 3 referees (including telephone, e-mail and fax numbers), to:

icipehr@icipe.org

icipe is an Equal Opportunity Employer