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The Biosafety Specialist is responsible for ensuring compliance with biological safety regulations, supporting the Senior Biological Safety Officer (SBSO) in overseeing all aspects of biological safety, and fostering a culture of safety across all campuses within the University of Maine System (UMS). This role requires close collaboration with faculty, professional, and classified staff for required biocontainment and biosafety needs related to animals, plants, and disease vectors. The Biosafety Specialist provides technical expertise and regulatory guidance to promote safe and compliant laboratory practices across the system. Typical hiring salary for this position is up to $64,500 commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Complete Job Description

About the University:

The University of Maine is a community of more than 11,900 undergraduate and graduate students, and 2,500 employees located on the Orono campus, the regional campus in Machias, and throughout the state. UMaine is a land, sea and space grant university, and maintains a leadership role as the University of Maine System's flagship institution. UMaine is the state's public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, dedicated to providing excellent teaching, research and service for Maine, the nation and the world. More information about UMaine is at umaine.edu.

The University of Maine offers a wide range of benefits for employees including, but not limited to, tuition benefits (employee and dependent), comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and short and long term disability as well as retirement plan options.

UMaine is located in beautiful Central Maine. Many employees report that a primary reason for choosing to come to UMaine is quality of life. Numerous cultural activities, excellent public schools, safe neighborhoods, high quality medical care, little traffic, and a reasonable cost of living make the greater Bangor area a wonderful place to live. Visit the Maine Office of Tourism (https://themainehighlands.com/places-to-visit/greater-bangor-region/) to learn more about what the Bangor region has to offer.

Qualifications:

Required:

+ Bachelor’s degree in biology, microbiology, environmental health, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

+ One to three years of relevant professional experience in biosafety, laboratory safety, or environmental health and safety.

+ Experience conducting risk assessments of biological research activities, facilities, and equipment to identify potential hazards and evaluate risk levels.

Preferred:

+ Master’s degree in biology, microbiology, environmental health, or a related field.

+ Comprehensive knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations governing biological safety, including but not limited to the CDC’s Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL) guidelines, NIH Guidelines, and OSHA standards.

+ Strong Understanding of biosafety practices, principles, and risk assessment methodologies.

+ Working knowledge of laboratory safety, including chemical hygiene, personal protective equipment (PPE) usage, engineering controls, and emergency response procedures.

+ Knowledge of handling, storage, and disposal practices for chemical, biological, and radiological materials.

+ Ability to identify and assess laboratory hazards associated with research activities, procedures, and biological agents and to recommend appropriate hazard mitigation and control methods (engineering, administrative, and work-practice controls).

+ Knowledge of procedures for incident and spill response, including implementation of administration controls and safe work practices.

+ Demonstrated ability to design, deliver, and adapt training programs on biosafety and laboratory safety for diverse audiences and varying levels of technical expertise.

+ Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical and regulatory information clearly, concisely, and effectively to a broad range of stakeholders.

+ Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to evaluate complex situations, determine root causes, and recommend practical risk mitigation strategies.

+ Proven interpersonal skills with the ability to establish and maintain collaborative working relationships with researchers, faculty, staff, regulatory agencies, and external partners.

+ Commitment to professional ethics, integrity, and confidentiality in the conduct of laboratory safety work and compliance oversight.

+ Previous experience working in a university or research environment.

+ Proficiency in categorizing biological agents by risk group and recommending appropriate containment measures.

Other Information:

To be considered for this position you will need to “Apply” and upload the documentation listed below:

1.) a cover letter which describes your experience, interests, and suitability for the position

2.) a resume/curriculum vitae

Candidates selected to proceed to the final stages of the search process will be requested to provide a list of names and contact information for references.

Incomplete application materials cannot be considered. Materials received after the initial review date will be reviewed at the discretion of the University.

For full consideration, materials must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. EST on November 30, 2025.

For questions about the search, please contact search committee chair Andrew Holmes at [email protected].

The successful applicant is subject to appropriate background screening and post offer physical.

The University of Maine System (the System) is an equal opportunity institution committed to fostering a nondiscriminatory environment and complying with all applicable nondiscrimination laws. Consistent with State and Federal law, the System does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability (physical or mental), genetic information, pregnancy, or veteran or military status in any aspect of its education, programs and activities, and employment. The System provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. If you believe you have experienced discrimination or harassment, you are encouraged to contact the System Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Services at 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, Orono, ME 04469-5713, by calling 207.581.1226, or via TTY at 711 (Maine Relay System). For more information about Title IX or to file a complaint, please contact the UMS Title IX Coordinator at www.maine.edu/title-ix/.

Clery Act

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or Clery Act, mandates that all Title IV institutions, such as the University, prepare, publish and distribute an Annual Security Report, (ASR) and provide notice of the availability of the ASR to all prospective employees. This report consists of two basic parts: disclosure of the University’s crime statistics for the past three calendar years; and disclosures regarding the University’s current campus security policies. You may view the University’s Annual Security Report (https://umaine.edu/police/clery-annual-safety-report/) . If you wish to have a paper copy of the ASR or you need to have a copy of the ASR in an accessible format, the University will provide such a copy upon request. Please contact: UMaine Police Department, 81 Rangeley Rd., The University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5794, or call 207.581.4053.