Work in Washington Veterans Jobs

Req #: 226877

Department: WASHINGTON NATIONAL PRIMATE CENTER (WaNPRC)

Posting Date: 09/18/2023

Closing Info: Open Until Filled

Salary: $6278 - $9416 per month

Shift: First Shift

Notes: As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here. (https://hr.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academic-staff-20230119_a11y.pdf)

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

The values of diversity, equity and inclusion are integral to the success of our research enterprise and are embedded in the culture of who we are as an institution and employer. We create progressive change honoring the unique and diverse perspectives in the Office of Research and the UW research community. We strengthen our commitment to the core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion by fostering an environment of authenticity in support of our mission to provide an equitable and accessible community to all. Read more here: https://www.washington.edu/research/or/office-of-research-diversity-equity-and-inclusion/

The Washington National Primate Research Center has an outstanding opportunity for a Program Operations Specialist.

The primary purpose of this position is to work toward the mission of the WaNPRC to empower the delivery of leading edge scientific discoveries to improve human health while promoting the highest standards of care, health, well-being and conservation for primates around the world.

Under co-direction of the Director and the Associate Director for Animal Resources, this position provides occupational health and biosafety support to personnel working at the Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC) and it’s two locations, Seattle Washington and Mesa Arizona. This position serves as a leader in providing up-to-date information on how staff can protect themselves against injury and exposure to hazardous materials so that research with nonhuman primates (NHPs) can be conducted in a safe manner. The position requires strong teamwork and communication skills as interactions with diverse investigative groups, other WaNPRC staff and University of Washington Environmental Health and Safety Department and the Office of Animal Welfare will be frequent. The successful applicant will collaborate with WaNPRC management to implement changes in policy and practices to reduce potential injuries to employees or animals at WaNPRC.

Position Duties and Responsibilities Environmental Health and Safety Program Implementation, Coordination, and Compliance Monitoring (30%) • Keep up-to-date on the UW Environmental Health and Safety Department (EH&S) requirements and recommendations in all areas including biological, chemical, and radiological safety, industrial hygiene including respiratory protection, occupational health, fire and life safety, and physical safety. • Coordinate with relevant supervisors on implementing recommendations and requirements. • Identify opportunities for organization-wide changes or improvements to practices, infrastructure, or other program elements with the aim of minimizing exposure to workplace hazards. • Engage leadership in facilitating systemic changes • Communicate results of hazard assessments and exposure monitoring to Training and Orientation Coordinator and assist in developing appropriate and responsive training programs. • Develop a schedule and assure routine safety equipment and internal facility audits are completed as scheduled, and collaborate with EH&S to schedule formal audits. • Work collaboratively with Training and Orientation Coordinator to develop and deliver a safety training program for supervisors. As part of this training provide supervisors with methods of documenting and tracking safety checks. • Serve as a resource on health and safety issues. Keep current on occupational health and safety issues in the care and use of nonhuman primates and in the area of research safety practices, particularly biosafety. Use inspections and interview techniques as necessary to review issues of non-compliance and make recommendations to management in this area. • Implements and monitors the Hazardous Chemicals Program for designated personnel; including required documentation, reports and recommendations.

Occupational Health Program Implementation, Coordination, and Compliance Monitoring (35%) • Continually audit the effectiveness of the follow-up to potential exposures at both sites of WaNPRC to infectious agents, injuries, or near misses and coordinate follow up and documentation as per requirements. This includes maintaining the WaNPRC NHP exposure log as required, working directly with UW Employee Health Center staff, developing methods to evaluate injury trend data, and making recommendations to the UW Group 1 Health and Safety Committee as appropriate and needed. • Coordinate with (EH&S) to assure that UW occupational health recommendations and requirements are implemented programmatically at the WaNPRC. This includes assisting EH&S staff in individualized health-based risk assessments as well as coordinating annual visits to the WaNPRC by clinic staff and facilitating necessary medical screenings, surveillance, and testing. • Provide ongoing program development and oversee effective database documentation necessary for occupational health programs. In coordination with EH&S, track and analyze incident trends and work to implement and monitor prevention efforts • Compliance monitoring for occupational health requirements mandated by facility or protocol specifications. Work with Employee Health Center to do so. • Conduct root cause injury and incident investigations, recommend corrective actions and work with WANPRC leadership to support and ensure implementation. • Conduct root cause injury and incident investigations, recommend corrective actions and work with WANPRC leadership to support and ensure implementation. Manage the occupational health budget.

Training (20%) • Develop specialized training programs for WaNPRC as requested with special emphasis in the area of biosafety including bloodborne pathogens and biosafety orientation. • Work collaboratively with the Training and Orientation Coordinator and UW EH&S to develop the content and delivery of the health and safety training. • Work with EH&S on administering the Respiratory Protection program at the WaNPRC.

Security (5%) • Issue and track facility access in Seattle WA and Mesa AZ sites coordinating with appropriate staff members.

Emergency Response and Operations (10%) • Perform the duties required of Essential Personnel members in the event of an emergency. • Stay current on all required training. • Perform other duties as assigned. • Serve as fire safety director for I wing of the Health Sciences Building and lead fire safety director for the WaNPRC. • Assist Training and Orientation Coordinator in the recruitment of floor wardens and first aiders and serve as lead for ordering supplies for emergency response.

Required Experience • A bachelor's degree in science with major study in industrial hygiene, environmental, public health or occupational health and safety, microbiology or related field and four years of work experience in Occupational Health and Safety or equivalent combination of education/experience. • Experience with health and safety program development and implementation. • Ability to work effectively and with sensitivity and discretion in animal model research setting. • Excellent written and oral communication skills. • Ability to work well independently and in collaboration with a diverse staff and with research investigators. • Proficient in Microsoft Office software suite. • Ability to identify needs and show initiative toward resolution and implementation of practices • Strong organizational skills.

Desired Experience • Familiarity with research laboratory and animal facility and husbandry operations • Familiarity with biosafety containment. • Registration with the National Registry of Microbiologists as a Specialist Microbiologist in the area of Biological Safety Microbiology. • Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP) • Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) • Certified Safety Professional (CSP)

Terms and Conditions for Employment Due to the nature of this professional position and the complexities inherent in an academic, multi-site environment, a typical week may exceed 40 hours depending on current priorities and activities.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of health assessment at the UW's Employee Health Clinic. The health assessment may include but is not limited to tuberculosis clearance, measles clearance, immunizations such as tetanus and vaccinia, physical exam and/or review of work health history, x-rays, and/or assessment to wear positive or negative respiratory protective equipment. These health assessments will be repeated periodically during work assignment.

This position may be required to work with and take specific precautions against and/or be immunized against potentially infectious agents. Specific precautions may include wearing respirators and/or protective clothing. Employee is personally responsible for following health & safety and security policies/procedures, and staying current on all required training. Bloodborne pathogen training and compliance with all WaNPRC and UW security policies is also mandatory. The ability to work in an ABSL 2 with 3 practices containment facility is required.

Develop a working knowledge of non-human primate behavior and health and disease.

This is an essential position. The employee is expected to report to work under conditions that other employees are not required to report to work, such as inclement weather and UW campus suspended operations.

Since this position requires management of sensitive information and potential access to controlled substances, the successful candidate will be required to pass a criminal background check.

Application Process: The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.

University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.