Small Animal Facility, Manager

Acknowledgement of Country 

CSIRO acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land, sea and waters, of the area that we live and work on across Australia. We acknowledge their continuing connection to their culture and pay our respects to their Elders past and present. View our vision towards reconciliation. 

Role highlights

• Bring your expertise in animal sciences and care within a research setting
• Draw on your people skills in this unique leadership role on our Small Animal Facility site
• Work within a supportive, rewarding, and collaborative team environment

About CSIRO

As Australia's national science agency, CSIRO is solving the greatest challenges through innovative science and technology. Many of our iconic innovations were once considered impossible until someone, just like you, joined us and took on the challenge. 

Visit CSIRO.au for more information.

The opportunity 

The Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), formerly the Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL), our national biocontainment research facility, is a vital part of Australia’s biosecurity infrastructure. Our team works closely with researchers and animal and human health agencies to protect Australia’s multi-billion-dollar livestock and aquaculture industries and the general public from emerging infectious disease threats. We seek to appoint an experienced animal facility manager to provide leadership in the provision of small animal services to CSIRO science and research teams in our Geelong site. The Small Animal Facility (SAF) operates 365 days of the year. 

 As the SAF Facility Manager, you will lead a small, skilled technical staff in supporting scientific research in a diverse range of laboratory and field situations. The SAF team provides critical expertise to support ACDP’s world-leading capability in disease pathogenesis, most notably in the area of emergency animal diseases (including serious zoonoses), animal infection models, genetically modified animals, and the development and testing of vaccines and therapeutics to prevent and/or mitigate the impact of infectious diseases. 

You will maintain a disease-free environment at the SAF and provide the highest standard of animal husbandry, ensuring adherence to animal ethics and welfare protocols. Using effective management skills, you will provide leadership to animal technicians and husbandry staff and provide training as required to other facility users. 

The appointee must meet relevant ACDP microbiological security and security assessment requirements.

Your high-level duties will include: 

• Oversee the daily operations of the SAF, implementing quick solutions when problems arise.
• Provide leadership over all aspects of the SAF, including staff training and technical assistance to research activities within and outside CSIRO.
• Direct and coordinate the completion of complex technical procedures and undertake development, implementation and standardisation of procedures and techniques within the SAF.
• Conduct animal husbandry procedures and collection of biological samples.
• Liaise with scientific staff, ensuring the SAF supports scientific projects and is involved across all stages.
• Maintain the highest possible levels of animal welfare.
• Ensure that SAF's facilities and equipment are maintained in a state compliant with all relevant regulations.
• Lead and manage SAF staff and their safety requirements, and lead a strong culture of health, animal welfare, safety and environmental requirements

Role particulars

Location:  Geelong, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), VIC

Salary: AU$131K – AU$153K per annum (pro-rata for part-time) plus up to 15.4% superannuation

Tenure & work schedule: Indefinite/Full-time (5dpw with some weekend overtime).

Reference: 100321

As the successful candidate, you will bring:

• At least 5 years of people management experience.
• A tertiary degree in animal science (or related field) or equivalent relevant experience.
• A demonstrable understanding of genetics and breeding strategies relating to animals in a research environment.
• A demonstrable understanding of the Victorian Animal Code of Practice for Animal Welfare, and the Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes and how these are applied in a research setting.
• Proven ability to understand animal welfare issues and rectify any identified issues without delay.
• Demonstrated understanding working within a compliance framework. Including regulatory and environmental processes, biocontainment, and Animal Ethics Committees.

• Proven ability to work effectively in a team environment, collaborate widely both internally and externally, and establish effective interpersonal relationships with a wide variety of people.

• Proven ability to effectively lead and manage a diverse work team, delivering animal research studies using a variety of species.
• The ability and willingness to undertake a wide range of tasks, from hands-on animal handling and husbandry through to more complex technical tasks.

For full details about this role, and other desirable criteria, please review the Position Description. 

Not sure if you meet all the criteria?

While it is CSIRO policy that the successful candidate must meet all the essential criteria, there are many ways to demonstrate this. Don’t let the list discourage you. If you are unsure about applying, please reach out to the contact person in the Position Description.

 

Setting You Up for Success

We are committed to providing a recruitment process that is fair, equitable and accessible to everyone. We recognise that it may be helpful for us to adjust our process to make it equitable for your individual situation. Please contact Talent Partner and let us know how we can support you.

 

Life at CSIRO and flexible work arrangements

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. We can discuss flexible work arrangements with you during the recruitment process. CSIRO also offers a range of leave entitlements, benefits and career development opportunities. To find out more, visit Careers at CSIRO.

Inclusion and belonging

Solving Australia's greatest challenges takes a diversity of minds and lived experiences. We know diverse teams are more effective and deliver more innovative outcomes. As an equal employment opportunity organisation, we are committed to creating diverse and inclusive teams where people feel they belong. We recognise true diversity encompasses all ages, abilities, cultures, faiths, levels of education, genders, sexualities, diversity of thought and much more. We focus on hiring people who share our values of People First, Further Together, Making it Real and Trusted.

CSIRO holds Gold Status for the Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and a Science in Australia Gender Equity Bronze Award.

Eligibility 

Applications for this position are open to Australian/New Zealand Citizens, Australian Permanent Residents only. Appointment to this role is subject to the provision of a national police check and may be subject to other security/medical/character requirements.

Child safety 

CSIRO is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in our activities and programs. View our Child Safe Policy. 

How to apply 

Please apply online and submit a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) and CV that demonstrates your motivation and ability to meet the essential requirements of this role.  

Applications close 

6 July 2025, 11:00 pm AEST

We strongly encourage you to apply early, as we will review applications as they come in. CSIRO reserves the right to withdraw this ad prior to the closing date if necessary.