Job Responsibilities

• Develops, maintains and disseminates information on the Research Biosafety Programs and serves as a focal point of contact for biosafety procedures and containment.
• Coordinates with labs on the maintenance, repair, testing and decontamination of critical containment equipment.
• Maintains inventory of consumable safety supplies (PPE, decontaminating chemicals, etc.) and undertakes purchasing to ensure compliance and meet end user research needs.
• Provides biosafety and bloodborne pathogens exposure control training and/or refresher to all WCM-Q faculty, staff and students who may be exposed in research.
• Conducts risk assessment to determine the appropriate biosafety level and personal protective equipment requirement for handling and disposing of biohazardous materials.
• Provides technical information and support to PIs and research team members in developing plans for preventing and handling accidental spills and personnel contamination.
• Reviews protocols/grants/reports to ensure effective risk management practices and applicable ethical approvals are in place prior to research conduct.
• Conducts periodic inspections of the research laboratories to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and reports the findings to the appropriate stakeholders.
• Participates in emergency response procedures for the research facility, including biohazardous material emergencies as required.
• Administers the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and interfaces with various stakeholders and other committees (e.g., IACUC, IRB) on issues and procedures related to biosafety and research compliance.
• Maintains documentation for annual BSL re-verification and assists in the preparation of user reports, Institutional Biosafety Committee registration, assurance and amendments with Ministry of Public Health (MoPH).
• Works with the Vivarium team to ensure animal facilities adhere to safety standards and are prepared for inspections and certification.
• Maintains database relating to biohazardous materials holdings around the college and receives, collates and disseminates incident reports to the appropriate stakeholders as required.
• Liaises and works collaboratively with FHSS and Qatar Foundation on the safe usage, shipment and disposal of biohazardous research material.
• Coordinates access for visitors, contractors and other stakeholders to research lab, vivarium etc. as needed for meetings.
• Builds effective partnerships with staff, faculty, and students throughout the college by sharing appropriate information and providing assistance when needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.