Job Description
Assistant Biosafety Officer, aBSO (5303C) - 83152 About Berkeley
At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.
As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.
We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles , Principles of Community , and Strategic Plan .
At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.
Departmental Overview
The Office of Environment, Health & Safety's (EH&S) mission is to provide guidance and services to the campus community that promote health, safety, and environmental stewardship.
EH&S is a highly dynamic, fast paced, committed organization focused on promoting workplace safety and environmental protection for the campus community. We are comprised of many scientific, technical, and administrative professionals, working in an evolving, learning, and sometimes challenging environment with a unified goal of supporting the University's mission of teaching, research and public service. EH&S strives to be an inclusive, service oriented, and operationally excellent organization and is seeking highly motivated individuals who want to learn, be creative, seek continuous competency development, and contribute to our mission.
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Position Summary
The Assistant Biosafety Officer (aBSO) serves as a technical associate to the Campus Biosafety Officer, ensuring the safe use of campus biological agents, recombinant DNA and biohazards in accordance with NIH Guidelines and other applicable regulations. The aBSO reviews research, teaching, and biological use authorization (BUA) protocols and procedures for use in chemical safety and biosafety, and ensures compliance with federal, state, and university mandated laws, regulations and policies.
They also monitor compliance by conducting initial and follow-up on-site inspections of laboratory research facilities that conduct biosafety research; and provides support to other research and laboratory safety programs.
Application Review Date
The First Review Date for this job is: 12/30/2025. For full consideration, please apply by 01/05/2026. This position is open until filled.
Responsibilities
Develops, implements and monitors biosafety compliance of biological research labs on campus that work with toxins and/or human or nonhuman blood, body fluids, tissues, cell or cell lines, recombinant DNA, plant and animal pathogens, and transgenic species, including but not limited to:Reviews Biological Use Authorizations (BUAs) and procedures to ensure compliance with CDC, NIH and other applicable university, state and federal regulations and requirements.Communicates with BUA holders regarding their BUA and regulatory training compliance status, monitors biosafety cabinet certification status, monitors Material Transfer Agreements, as well as other dynamic lab specific information.Designs new and / or recommends improvements to existing processes and procedures.Performs outreach and communication to organization within relevant field, and performs training to clients and colleagues.Supports Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).Serves as a technical associate to the Campus Biosafety Officer, ensuring the safe use of campus bioagents and biohazards via development of program improvements to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and guidelines.Performs technical work related to field(s) of expertise: Animal Research BiosafetyConducts biosafety inspections of animal research facilities, including vivaria and procedure rooms, to assess compliance with relevant regulations, and institutional policies.Identifies corrective actions and writes detailed inspection reports documenting findings, risks, and recommendations.Responsible for inspection follow-up, verifying implementation of corrective actions, and elevating issues to the Biosafety Officer (BSO) or appropriate leadership when needed.Assists in investigating biological or animal-related incidents, contributing to root cause analyses, documentation, and development of corrective and preventive action plans.Supports ongoing development and refinement of the animal biosafety program, including SOP creation, risk assessment tools, and training materials.Supports controlled substances program components in animal research to ensure proper authorization, secure storage, accurate recordkeeping, and compliant disposal.Provides guidance to animal researchers and husbandry staff on safe work practices, engineering controls, PPE, workflow optimization, and implementation of animal biosafety level (ABSL) requirements.Coordinates with veterinary, environmental health and safety, and research oversight groups to maintain a consistent, compliant, and risk-aware animal research environment.Reviews Animal Use Protocol (AUP) submissions for accuracy and completeness from a biosafety perspective, confirming alignment with hazard mitigation strategies, facility capabilities, and species-specific considerations; ensures timely communication of biosafety-related stipulations back to investigators.Serves as a liaison to the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) by providing biosafety-specific expertise during protocol review cycles, attending designated meetings as needed, and helping interpret how biosafety requirements intersect with animal welfare standards. Supports cross-committee communication to strengthen oversight continuity and reduce gaps between biosafety and animal care expectations.Collaborates with ACUC administrative staff to track trends in protocol-related biosafety issues, contribute to committee and PI educational initiatives, and assist in developing process improvements that streamline the integration of biosafety considerations into the animal research review framework.Performs technical work related to field(s) of expertise: BiosafetyConducts biosafety inspections of laboratories that work with human, plant or animal pathogens and recombinant DNA, including defining corrective actions and writing reports.Responsible for inspection follow-up and recommending to BSO appropriate corrective actions and elevating as needed.Investigates biological incidents, which may result in writing regulatory incident reports, root cause analysis, and devising recommendations for corrective actions as needed.Conducts periodic audits of agent inventory to verify BUA accuracy.Provides guidance to researchers in the field or laboratory regarding safe work practice alternatives, such as safe sharp implementation or workflow design changes.Provides safety consultation and workplace hazard assessment based on need by campus clients.Investigates incidents, complaints, and assists with follow-up action items.Consults with researchers in their labs, and involves EH&S SMEs as needed to reduce hazards and support safer research operations.Adjusts methodologies to meet changing regulatory and scientific environment.May provide support to other EHS programs, including Lab Safety Program, Respiratory Protection Program, and Controlled Substances Program, and any other program per business needs.May work with the Office of Technology Licensing and EH&S Shipping Specialist on bio-related shipping requests to ensure compliance with DOT and IATA guidelines.Within specific field of biosafety, 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. (See Governing Laws and Regulations below)Completes and maintains compliance on campus/systemwide training requirements, as well as any training necessary per role.Staff development: Works on professional committees and assignments, participates in professional training and attends relevant conferences, and/or is mentored or coached on a formal or informal basis.Member of Designated Spill Response Team (Regular rotation, 24/7, every 6-8 weeks, or more frequently as needed.)Provide technical support to the Dedicated Spill Response Team (DSRT) program by serving as a "Designated Responder". Must be accessible via telephone and readily available to respond on-scene to emergencies (e.g., a chemical spill) during business hours . click apply for full job details