Lead teams performing mosquito surveillance activities at border locations to prevent the establishment of exotic mosquitoes within Australia.

• The Vector Monitoring Program is one of the department’s longest operating and most important surveillance programs.
• Work on the frontline protecting Australians from exotic mosquitoes
• Have a varied leadership operational management role which still gets out into the field in exciting locations throughout Australia

The Job

The Senior Surveillance Officers will under the direction of an Assistant Director – Surveillance, lead teams of staff conducting border surveillance (Vector Monitoring Program), with key duties including but not limited to:

• supervising and managing the performance of multiple nationally dispersed teams, including building and sustaining productive, positive, respectful relationships among team members and facilitating regular, constructive feedback and communication
• supervising and providing direction to border surveillance staff, including providing scientific guidance, to help ensure consistent and sound delivery of border surveillance activities
• assisting communication between policy and border surveillance operational staff
• assisting with organising and chairing border surveillance operations conferences and workshops
• co-ordinating and participating in border surveillance activities, noting that this will involve working outside, conducting field surveillance throughout the year
• working as part of the broader Surveillance networks, which includes officers located in other states around Australia
• providing scientific advice and training to OSS border surveillance staff
• liaising with clients, stakeholders and government agencies to manage surveillance operations and mitigation of biosecurity risk, as necessary
• providing technical, administrative and managerial guidance to border surveillance staff regarding mosquitoes and in implementing border surveillance activities
• ensuring effective and accurate implementation of surveillance methods and recording and reporting of border surveillance activities
• participating in regional and national strategic and operational projects and reviews
• coordinating providing information to Biosecurity Operations Division management, Policy Divisions and other key stakeholders
• promote and ensure effective implementation of APS Values, Employment Principles and Code of Conduct, WHS and Rehabilitation policies.

What we are looking for

Knowledge and experience

• Experience in managing multiple nationally dispersed teams of surveillance officers
• experience in mosquito surveillance
• experience in planning, managing and conducting surveillance activities
• strong field and laboratory-based identification experience
• experience interpreting and applying technical knowledge
• working knowledge of the impacts and management of mosquitoes in managed or natural environments
• an understanding of the scientific, technical and policy aspects of mosquito surveillance, including the planning, delivery and reporting
• well-developed communication skills in liaising with industry and agency clients
• an understanding of threats from exotic mosquitoes to Australia and the policy framework that supports implementation of measures to mitigate the risk of new incursions
• an understanding of the application of Work Health and Safety principles in office and field-based contexts.

Mandatory qualifications

A tertiary qualification in a relevant scientific field and demonstrated relevant experience (5 years minimum).

Security Clearance - This position requires a Baseline Vetting security clearance. You will be required to obtain and maintain a clearance at this level.

Flexible employment arrangements are available with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.