Safety & Compliance Officer

Organizational Unit

Research Integrity & Compliance (RIC) is a unit within the USF Research, vice presidential area. The main function of RIC is to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations pertaining to the responsible conduct of research.  RIC is responsible for such programs as the Human Research Protection, Animal Safety, Diving Safety, Radiation Safety, Biosafety, Scientific Misconduct, Conflicts of Interest in Research, and HIPAA, among others.  The department has 32 employees and an annual budget of nearly $3 million.  Clients are USF research faculty, students, and staff, as well as researchers at affiliated institutions.

Position Summary

This position is to support compliance-assurance activities related to the Institutional Biosafety program (IBC) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use (IACUC) program. Perform duties required to ensure the Institutional compliance with federal, state and local regulations. He/she will conduct lab/facility inspections in support of both the programs; assist in investigating incidents related to biological exposures or releases and potential non-compliance reports/events. The selected candidate will provide general biosafety and laboratory specific biosafety training. Responsibilities include developing lesson plans and preparing presentations for BSL-2, BSL-3 and ABSL-3 training. He/she will also assist in the development of internal laboratory standards, procedures and practices to ensure compliance with Biosafety regulations and industry best practices. She/he coordinates the Semi- annual IACUC inspections and will be responsible for writing IACUC reports and documentation.

The duties and responsibilities for this position include:

30% - Conduct training: promote fundamental knowledge and compliance with biosafety regulations; prepare teaching materials; ensure timely and smooth operation of the training presentations; planning, leading, supervising, and overall management of a biosafety training initiative. Plan, implement, and evaluate a variety of biosafety general and technical development programs for all USF faculty, staff, and students using biohazardous materials in research and testing activities. Assess training needs in consultation with biosafety program manager to accomplish the strategic goals of the department and university; oversee curriculum development and training programs to ensure customer needs are met; plan, organize, implement, and evaluate continuing education programs, in-services, skills training, and other training programs as needed.

30% - Inspect laboratories/facilities, processes, procedures, and ensure safety practices; Perform on-site regulatory/policy compliance reviews of facilities to be used for biohazardous agent manipulations; inspect, assess, and report on suitability for use; interface with lab personnel, investigators, and others as needed to ensure follow up and correction of problems. Conduct inspections of BSL-2 laboratories (biomedical facilities utilizing moderate level microbial pathogens) prior to approval of IBC protocols. Conduct routine inspections of BSL-3 laboratory and animal facilities (biomedical facilities utilizing high level microbial pathogens, biotoxins, and Select Agents). Work as part of a team inspecting animal facilities for the semi-annual IACUC program and facility inspections; investigate accidents and complaints.

15% - Assist the Institutional BioSafety Officer in ensuring USF's compliance with Select Agent (SA) regulations. Serve as the alternate Responsible Official for the SA program in absence of Institutional Biosafety Officer. Maintain current understanding of regulations pertaining to Select Agent Use. Provide on-call emergency response assistance for biohazardous materials releases/spills. Develop and maintain confidential files of information related to USF Select Agent holdings and legal filings in reference to regulatory compliance with the US Patriot Act.

15% - Assist the IACUC program manager by providing administrative support (e.g. scheduling dates and reserving rooms, copying reports, providing previous inspection report and data) for the semi-annual inspection of the institution's program review for humane care and use of animals. Participate and document the inspections of all animal facilities, including animal study areas/satellite facilities. Assist in preparing reports for IACUC evaluations.

10% - Ensure coordination with the IACUC administrator where animal care and use protocols have bio-safety components and with the IRB administrator where human participants are involved and assist in coordination between the relevant committees. Provide support in the submission, maintenance, and renewal of regulatory permits. Assist in coordinating and preparing various IBC and IACUC correspondence/reports. Participate in special projects and assist in provision of Research Integrity and Compliance services as requested by the Biosafety Manager/IACUC Program Manager.

Minimum Qualifications

This position requires a Bachelor’s degree and 1 year of experience in safety or research compliance; or a Master’s degree.
•    Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
•    Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
•    SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
•    A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
(a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
(b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
(c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
(d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
(e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
•    Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
•    Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Preferred Qualifications 

A Bachelor's degree in the biological/behavioral/social sciences, or an equivalent combination of training and experience, along with 2 years laboratory experience with data input/retrieval (including spreadsheets) and record management is highly preferred. Ideal candidates will also have a working knowledge of the federal regulations governing biosafety, animal care and welfare, and biosafety containment practices in addition to experience working in a biomedical research facility in a BSL-2 lab setting involving animal use and associated application of health and safety standards in this environment. Presentation and instruction experience, including experience in designing classroom and web-based courses, and a high level of administrative experience is desirable.

Additional Information for Applicants 

This position requires a Level I background check. 

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in the highest tier, placing it as one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation and inside the top 10 among public universities. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.