Job Description

What the role is:
As a Branch Head reporting to the Director of Food Science Rapid Response Department in the National Centre for Food Science (NCFS), you will supervise three Specialist Teams in the areas of Food Microbiology, Food Virology, and Food Bioengineering to support the operational needs of SFA in food safety programmes, risk assessment and foodborne outbreak investigation.
What you will be working on:

• To oversee the daily operations of the three Specialist Teams to ensure that accurate and timely diagnostic results are produced to meet the needs of SFA in food safety programmes, risk assessment and foodborne outbreak investigation. This will involve coordination of work across departments within NCFS and across SFA.
• To supervise and lead operational review and implement strategies for improvement and optimisation of laboratory workflows to enhance work processes. This will include driving lab testing capability development such as automation and new diagnostics technologies.
• To keep abreast of the latest food safety regulatory developments (e.g. food safety standards) in the three specialist fields and provide up-to-date scientific assessment to inform SFA's needs (e.g. to support food safety regulatory review).
• To mentor food scientists in the branch by planning and guiding their scientific professional development.
• To explore research grants, propose and lead food safety scientific research projects with other stakeholders and collaborators.

What we are looking for:

• PhD in the related specialist areas, e.g. microbiology, virology, molecular biology and microbial genomics.
• At least 5 years of working experience in supervising a diagnostic laboratory with ISO 17025 accreditation or a research group in the related specialist scientific areas, e.g. microbiology, virology, molecular biology and microbial genomics.
• Familiarity with international food safety regulatory standards and good track records in scientific publications would be advantageous.

About Singapore Food Agency:
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is a new Statutory Board formed under the 'Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) to oversee food safety and security. The SFA will serve as the single point of contact for public feedback on food-related issues, and strengthen management of foodborne disease outbreaks to protect public health. The SFA will also facilitate more business-friendly regulations with oversight of all food safety policies and consolidation of food laboratory capabilities to deepen competencies in food diagnostics, and research and development in food safety.