Vacancy Details

POSITION SUMMARY

The Risk Assessment Capability (RAC) Program of the APVMA works closely with internal stakeholders and external service providers and is responsible for the assessment of the environmental safety aspects of applications for the approval of chemical substances, registration of chemical products, approval of permits to use a chemical for a specific purpose, or the review of an existing chemical product and its uses.

As part of the RAC program the Environment Team focuses on:

  • Managing all aspects of the environmental assessment of Agvet chemicals including the evaluation of data and risk assessments;
  • Providing expert advice to other areas of the APVMA and external stakeholders on matters affecting environmental safety matters of Agvet chemical; and
  • Establishing technical policies associated with the environmental assessment of Agvet chemicals.

Under broad guidance, the Senior Evaluator will be responsible for providing advice in relation to environmental safety assessments. The Senior Evaluator will provide expert assistance to team managers within the APVMA through the conduct, peer review and quality checks of environmental assessments, as well as providing pre-application assistance to prospective registrants and expert technical assistance to staff, as required.

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

To be a strong contender for the role you will be a resilient, outcome driven person with an ability to:

  • Provide high level technical advice on the assessment of environmental matters relating to the regulation of agricultural chemicals, veterinary medicines and other chemicals;
  • Assist in the development and implementation of strategies, operational policies, priorities and work practices for the Risk Assessment Capability program to achieve results in line with APVMA operational goals;
  • Identify the appropriate scope and regulatory strategy for risk assessments to be undertaken in accordance with the legislation, APVMA principles of regulatory science quality and relevant international best practices;
  • Assist in making regulatory decisions in accordance with the legislation and delegations;
  • Assist in developing the technical capacity within the evaluation teams to build a greater understanding of environmental assessments;
  • Use project management and implement efficient workflow and related practices with a focus on continuous process improvement;
  • Prepare high level written material incorporating scientific/technical considerations into briefs to decision makers, ministerial correspondence and other corporate documents as required;
  • Undertake special projects related to environmental safety under the direction of the Director or Executive Director; and
  • Coach, mentor and guide team members in day-to-day work activities, and undertaking peer-review activities to ensure the quality of outputs by the Section.

 

SELECTION CRITERIA

To be considered for these roles you will need: 

  • A comprehensive knowledge of the regulatory framework in which the APVMA operates in the assessment and approval of agricultural and veterinary chemicals and knowledge and/or experience of the use of chemicals within the context of current agricultural and veterinary practices in Australia;
  • Highly developed analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate, provide pragmatic advice and make decisions on complex information, with demonstrated experience in the conduct of risk assessment particularly relating to environmental safety of agvet chemicals, in a regulatory setting consisting of data-rich and data-poor environments;
  • Demonstrated high level communication skills, including the ability to prepare documents and reports, ability to communicate clearly and confidently with clients, staff and service providers to establish and maintain internal and external networks, and to represent the APVMA in a variety of forums;
  • Demonstrated experience in building and sustaining relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, including promoting collaboration and information sharing;
  • Demonstrated ability in managing and establishing team priorities and outcomes, through the effective use of project management skills, showing initiative in identifying learning opportunities, prioritising workloads, and delegating tasks as appropriate to deliver high quality outcomes in a timely manner;
  • Appropriate tertiary qualifications in Environmental Toxicology or another relevant scientific discipline; and
  • Willingness to abide by the APS Values, Code of Conduct and Employment Principles, and a demonstrated commitment to applying the principles and practices of WHS, equity and diversity in the workplace

Desirable:

  • Experience in environmental fate and ecotoxicological risk assessment;
  • A relevant postgraduate qualification.