Senior Manager, Research Facilities and Infrastructure

• UQ Biological Resources

• Our facilities are primarily located within Schools and Institutes to support research involving animal models

• Be part of an organisation with a meaningful purpose and impact

• Plan for your future with a generous 17% superannuation allowance

• Based at the Translational Research Institute in Woolloongabba

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world.

Everyone here has a role to play. As a member of our professional staff cohort, you will be actively involved in working towards our vision of a better world. By supporting the academic endeavour across teaching, research, and the student life, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to activities that have a lasting, real-world impact.

Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as:

• 26 weeks paid parental leave or 14 weeks paid primary caregiver leave

• 17% superannuation contributions

• 17.5% annual leave loading

• Access to flexible working arrangements including hybrid on site/WFH options, flexible start/finish times, purchased leave, and a condensed fortnight

• Health and wellness discounts – fitness passport access, free yearly flu vaccinations, discounted health insurance, and access to our Employee Assistance Program for staff and their immediate family

• Salary packaging options

About This Opportunity

We are seeking an enthusiastic Senior Manager with experience in biological infrastructure to manage the Biological Resources core facility at the Translational Research Institute (TRI).

You will develop and manage all aspects of the operations and services provided by the facility, lead a large team of specialised coordinators and animal technicians while also playing a broader role in facilitating research.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a proven track record of successful leading a team is essential.

Some key responsibilities include:

• Manage a large biological research facility (capacity ~10,000 rodent cages) for the purposes of medical research, including specialised areas such as PC2, PC3, quarantine, infectious, cytotoxic and gnotobiotic facilities.

• Responsible for managing the TRI BRF budget and expenditure including salaries, equipment, consumables, technical services and other items.

• Play an active role at the industry level, networking and furthering the development of laboratory animal science.

• Facilitate research projects involving laboratory animals from a wide range of organisations including the University of Queensland, partner organisations of the Translational Research Institute as well as external research groups.

• Ensure animal import, health monitoring and screening practices maintain the facility’s existing Specific Pathogen Free Status, minimising the risk of introduction and spread of excluded pathogens, whilst maximising opportunities for the utilisation of the facility.

• Participate in the animal ethics consultation and approval process, providing advice to both researchers and animal ethics committees to ensure that animal welfare standards meet industry best practice.

This is a full-time, fixed-term position for up to 5 years located at Woolloongabba.

At HEW level 9, the full-time equivalent base salary will be in the range $123,496.74 - $130,685.52, plus a generous super allowance of up to 17%. The total FTE package will be up to $144,491.19 - $152,902.06 annually. 

About You

• Postgraduate qualifications (or progress towards completion) in in animal production/technology, veterinary science or another research related field utilising laboratory animals; or extensive management and proven management experience, or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education/training to the industry.

• Significant experience in managing a large team, including leadership, recruitment, professional development, conflict resolution and performance evaluation.

• Demonstrated experience in managing biological infrastructure, as well as financial, human and animal resources.

• Demonstrated experience in using and managing animals in a research environment.

• Demonstrated experience in ensuring animal health monitoring and welfare in a research environment, including resolution of concerns/issues.

• Demonstrated experience in providing professional development, training and skills acquisition opportunities to staff members.

• Demonstrated ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including students, researchers, professional/operations staff and senior executives.

• Demonstrated strong communication and report writing skills, catering to a diverse audience.

• Proficient in using electronic software programs and hardware.

• Demonstrated commitment to continual improvement of facility systems and operations.

In addition, the following mandatory requirements apply:

• Work Rights: You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment. 

• Background Checks: All final applicants for this position may be asked to consent to a criminal record check. Please note that people with criminal records are not automatically barred from applying for this position. Each application will be considered on its merits.

• Mandatory Immunisations: It is a condition of employment for this role that you will be required to provide evidence of immunisation against certain vaccine preventable diseases.

• Medical Clearance: It is a condition of employment for this role you complete a satisfactory medical clearance(s), including disclosure of relevant medical history, to undertake such work without unreasonable risk to your health and safety. Additionally, you are required to fully comply with necessary ongoing health monitoring procedures and control measures.

Questions? 

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Kevin Wathen-Dunn at k.wathendunn@uq.edu.au . For application queries, please contact recruitment@uq.edu.au stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line. 
 

All applicants must upload the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Cover letter

• A separate document addressing the ‘About You’ section  

• Resume 

Please note that you will be asked to add all documents into the one upload box labelled ‘resume’, which is step one of the application form.
 

At UQ we know that our greatest strengths come from our diverse mix of colleagues, this is reflected in our ongoing commitment to creating an environment focused on equity, diversity and inclusion .  We ensure that we are always attracting, retaining and promoting colleagues who are representative of the diversity in our broader community, whether that be gender identity , LGBTQIA+ , cultural and/or linguistic , Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples , or people with a disability . Accessibility requirements and/or adjustments can be directed to recruitment@uq.edu.au . 

If you are a current employee (including casual staff and HDR scholars) or hold an unpaid/affiliate appointment, please login to your staff Workday account and visit the internal careers board to apply for this opportunity. Please do NOT apply via the external job board.

Applications close Monday, 5 June at 11.00pm AEST (Job Reference Number - R-25713).