Who we are

The Biosecurity Plant and Science Services Division (BPSSD) safeguards Australia’s plant health status to achieve, maintain and expand overseas markets while protecting the economy and environment. The division includes four branches which together focus on providing scientific analysis and technical advice, facilitating the safe importation of plants and plant products, improving systems, market access, capacity building and stakeholder engagement. The division provides diagnostics, with advice on biosecurity risk and measures, and biosecurity training. The division conducts surveillance and response at first points of entry and approved arrangements sites nationally and delivers plant, animal and aquatic health surveillance in northern Australia. The division works closely with communities and Indigenous rangers and regulates biosecurity risk in the Torres Strait.

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.

Within Operational Science and Surveillance are the National Border Surveillance (NBS) Program and the Hitchhiker Surveillance Program (HSP). The NBS program conducts surveillance in the vicinity of international ports and import facilities, with the primary objective being the early detection of pests that have escaped biosecurity control before they reach production areas or establish in the natural environment. The NBS program began operations in late 2016 is now one of the department’s largest plant pest surveillance programs. The 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 Job

The duties will include but not limited to the following:

• 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 (up to date) 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.

For the HSP role you will also:

• Undertake a broad range of activities associated with the delivery and implementation of HSP projects.

Please note that this recruitment process will be used to fill two existing ongoing vacancies. One vacancy is in the National Border Surveillance Program and one vacancy is in the Hitchhiker Surveillance Program both in Sydney.

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.
• An understanding of the application of Work Health and Safety principles in office and field-based contexts.

Mandatory qualifications

• A tertiary qualification in the areas of biological science, environmental science, agriculture, entomology, botany or plant pathology.

The successful applicant must:

• Hold a current Apply First Aid Certificate or have the ability to obtain this qualification.
• 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 may be required to perform occasional out-of-hours and weekend work.
• Note that you will be required to complete specific training (including refresher training) related to the role including remote area training, defensive driving, first aid and CPR courses.
• 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.
• Wear appropriate protective personal equipment and clothing to comply with departmental Work Health & Safety policies and procedures.
• Note that you must satisfactorily complete the department’s Biosecurity Foundation Program and meet the minimum requirements in order to be appointed as a Biosecurity Officer under the Biosecurity Act 2015.