Biosafety Manager

The Biosafety Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, strategic planning, finances and management of UCLA's comprehensive biosafety, high containment and vivarium safety programs. The Biosafety Manager works closely with faculty, staff and students, ensuring safety and compliance with applicable federal and state regulations or requirements, and UC Office of the President's mandates related to biological safety, high containment and vivarium safety. This position directly oversees six Environmental, Health & Safety (EH&S) professionals and ensures the safety and compliance of biological research, high-containment facilities and vivarium environments.

The Biosafety Manager will act as the campus Biosafety Officer (BSO), which serves as the campus subject matter expert for biological safety/biosecurity at UCLA. The Biosafety Manager will be ex-officio member of the UCLA Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and is tasked with advising the committee on best management practices for mitigating biological hazards.

The Biosafety Manager will:

- also act as the Alternate Responsible Official to the High Containment Director and Associate Biosafety Officer for the Select Agent Program;

- support and oversee the High Containment Director in managing the BSL-3 facilities & operations;

- support and oversee the Vivarium Safety Officer in providing safety services to vivarium staff and researchers working with animals and plants;

- set schedules and assignments of biological use authorization reviews;

- set inspection assignments of laboratories with biological hazards including animal biocontainment facilities;

- function as point of contact during regulatory inspections (NIH, CDC USDA, etc.);

- review and manage the campus medical waste program;

- provide input for Research Safety Plan Reviews;

- manage biosafety training development; and

- develop and maintain campus documents and policies such as the UCLA Biosafety Manual, Exposure Control Plans, Standard Operating Procedures/Policies, etc.

The Biosafety Manager is expected to function independently with minimal supervision and provide full personnel administration (Hiring, Performance Evaluation, Work Assignments, Merit Increases & Reclassifications, Discipline & Discharge, Complaint & Grievance Resolution) for up to six EH&S Specialists - three Assistant Biosafety Officers (EHS SPEC 3), an Associate Biosafety Officer (EHS SPEC 4), the Vivarium Safety Officer (EHS SPEC 4) and the High Containment Director (EHS SPEC 4).

The Biosafety Manager will oversee comprehensive financial management for their unit, ensuring accountability for all allocated resources. They will administer the day-to-day budget with particular focus on specialized laboratory equipment acquisition, inventory management, personnel training programs, and required certifications. The role includes monitoring regulatory compliance expenditures, implementing systematic expense tracking protocols, and producing detailed financial reports. Additionally, they will develop, maintain, and forecast fiscal documentation for research initiatives when pursuing supplementary funding opportunities.

The successful incumbent may also be called upon to lead or participate in campus hazardous materials spill response efforts for regular and off-hour emergencies.