Biosafety Compliance Officer US

Flyttr

16d•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking an experienced Biosafety Compliance Officer to lead and oversee Arthropod Containment Level 3 (ACL3) biosafety operations within our Texas-based insectary facilities housing genetically modified (GM) insects. This role is critical to ensuring robust containment, personnel safety, environmental protection, and full compliance with U.S. federal, State, and local biosafety regulations governing high containment arthropod work. The successful candidate will act as the primary authority for ACL3 biosafety, providing hands-on oversight of containment practices, advising scientific and operations teams, approving protocols, and maintaining continuous inspection readiness. This position plays a pivotal role in enabling advanced research while minimizing biosafety and environmental risk. Reporting into the Head of Global Quality, this will be a key role managing the biosafety requirements of our US facility and you will also need to work closely with colleagues with responsibility for labs and health & safety.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Entomology, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Environmental Health, or a related life science field.
Demonstrated experience operating in or overseeing ACL3 or equivalent high containment environments.
Strong working knowledge of: ACL3 arthropod containment principles.
CDC/NIH BMBL guidance.
NIH rDNA / GM organism regulations.
USDA APHIS requirements for insectaries and GM organisms.
Proven ability to lead regulatory inspections and manage corrective actions in high containment settings.
Excellent communication skills with authority to enforce biosafety requirements.
High consequence risk assessment and mitigation.
Strong attention to containment detail and operational discipline.
Ability to assert biosafety authority while enabling research progress.
Commitment to environmental protection, public trust, and ethical research.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Biology, Entomology, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Environmental Health, or a related life science field.
Direct experience with GM insects, vector biology, or biocontrol programs.
Professional biosafety certification (e.g., Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP), Registered Biosafety Professional (RBP), or equivalent).
Experience supporting USDA permitted ACL3 insectary facilities.
Familiarity with environmental release risk modelling and emergency response planning.
Experience working with or within Texas DSHS oversight frameworks.
Knowledge of quality systems (SOP control, deviation management, audit readiness) applied to biosafety programs.
Commitment to, and passion for, the Flyttr mission and values.
Responsive to the needs of an international business working across different time zones, adapting working patterns in-line with business requirements.
Positive, humble, co-operative and professional always.
Works with urgency and solves things promptly.
Resilient and persistent in an innovative and constantly changing environment.
Proactive, resourceful, and comfortable building processes from scratch.
Values collaboration and works effectively with global colleagues.

Responsibilities

Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of an ACL3-compliant biosafety program for GM insect research and production.
Establish institutional standards for arthropod containment, personnel practices, and facility operations consistent with ACL3 expectations.
Serve as the senior biosafety subject matter expert for high containment insectary operations.
Ensure alignment with: CDC/NIH Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) – Arthropod Containment guidance.
Ensure full compliance with applicable ACL3 relevant regulations, including: USDA APHIS (7 CFR Parts 330 & 340) governing GM insects, plant pests, and containment facilities.
NIH Guidelines for recombinant DNA and GM organisms.
CDC/NIH BMBL arthropod containment requirements.
EPA regulations related to environmental protection, waste handling, and pesticide use (as applicable).
Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) laboratory and biosafety requirements.
Maintain and manage permits, registrations, and inspection documentation related to ACL3 insectary activities.
Act as the primary liaison for USDA, NIH, state, and local inspections, audits, and regulatory correspondence.
Oversee day-to-day compliance with ACL3 physical and operational containment requirements, including: Facility integrity, directional airflow, and access control.
Arthropod-proof barriers, procedures, and monitoring systems.
Secure transport, storage, and disposal of GM insects.
Review, approve, and periodically audit SOPs, experimental protocols, and facility practices for ACL3 suitability.
Partner with facilities, engineering, and EHS teams to support design, validation, maintenance, and modification of ACL3 insectary infrastructure.
Conduct and document formal biosafety and environmental risk assessments for all ACL3 projects and GM insect strains.
Approve project initiation from a biosafety and containment standpoint.
Lead investigations into biosafety incidents, containment breaches, escapes, or near misses.
Develop and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) related to ACL3 operations.
Support emergency preparedness, response drills, and contingency planning specific to ACL3 risks.
Develop and deliver ACL3 specific training programs, including: Arthropod containment practices.
Personnel entry/exit procedures.
Incident response and emergency protocols.
Authorize personnel access to ACL3 spaces based on training, demonstrated competency, and risk suitability.
Promote a strong culture of biosafety ownership, accountability, and regulatory compliance.
Participate in or support Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) reviews and ongoing oversight activities.
Support health & safety colleagues across the organisation.