ABOUT THE LOOP AUSTRALIA

The Loop Australia is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2018 to develop sustainable drug checking services in Australia. We are a sister organisation to The Loop UK, which was founded in 2013 and has provided drug checking services to the public since 2016. Our team includes scientists, health professionals, and researchers working across Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland.

BACKGROUND

In 2024, the Victorian Government announced its commitment to fund drug checking services across the state. The Department of Health invited proposals from service providers to deliver services from both fixed and mobile locations, including music festivals. A consortium led by Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS), in partnership with Harm Reduction Victoria (HRVic), Melbourne Health, Youth Projects (YP), and The Loop Australia (TLA), was successful and contracted to deliver the Victorian Pill Testing Service (VPTS). Service delivery commenced in late 2024, with the current contract running through to 30 June 2028.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Loop Australia is looking for analytical chemists who want to put their skills to work in the field of harm reduction. As a casual Scientist, you’ll run the analysis at the heart of our drug checking service; operating our mobile and fixed-site laboratories, identifying substances, and preparing results for the health and harm reduction team who provide personalised harm reduction advice to service users.

Working with techniques including Paper-Spray Mass Spectrometry, ATR-FTIR, portable GC-MS, colourimetric reagent tests and immunoassay test strips, you’ll guide service users through providing samples, log and analyse those samples in line with our standard operating procedures, and communicate results clearly. You’ll join a small pool of casual scientists working a rotating roster across both event-based mobile operations and shifts at our Fitzroy fixed site from Thursday to Saturday.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCIENTIST INCLUDE:

• Operating the fixed site and mobile laboratory in line with the standard operating procedures and the Poison Control Plan
• Instructing service users in providing samples of substances for analysis
• Logging each sample in the data collection system to ensure accurate records are maintained at all times
• Performing chemical analysis and providing results to Health and Harm Reduction Workers or to service users
• Working alongside a multidisciplinary team including people with lived and living experience of drug use, health workers and other support staff

HOURS

• Casual shifts ranging from 7.5 to 22.5 hours per week (up to 3 shifts)
• Shifts often extend into early evenings or weekends
• Some service delivery occurs at remote festival locations
• Availability to work Thursday (9am-5pm) and/or Friday (12-8pm) shifts at the fixed site is required

MANDATORY QUALIFICATIONS

• A tertiary qualification in science with a major in an approved area (see note below)
• Candidates must undergo a police check and a Working with Children Check as part of the recruitment process

KEY SELECTION CRITERIA

• Experience in analytical chemistry, including knowledge and/or use of FTIR, mass spectrometry and wet laboratory techniques
• Ability to work independently and quickly troubleshoot issues
• Ability to communicate technical information and results to people from diverse backgrounds
• Experience working in multidisciplinary teams
• Experience following standard operating procedures
• Experience applying strong data management practices

HIGHLY DESIRABLE

• Knowledge of current and emerging drug trends
• Experience working with scheduled poisons and under a Poison Control Plan
• Experience with ambient ionisation techniques or Thermo Fisher mass spectrometry software

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

We encourage applications from people who have lived and living experience of drug use. We also encourage First Nations people, people with a disability, LGBTIQA+ and other sexuality, gender and bodily diverse people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to apply. We are committed to removing barriers for people from these communities, so please let us know if there’s something we can do to make it more possible for you to apply by confidentially contacting April at [email protected] using the subject line: Scientist - Analytical Chemistry enquiry via EthicalJobs.

You can contact Jacob on [email protected] using the subject line: Scientist - Analytical Chemistry enquiry via EthicalJobs, with questions about the role.

To submit your application, please click 'Apply Now' by COB on the closing date.

*Note on qualifications: the regulations require a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree in, or with a major in, any of the following areas, however described – Chemistry, Pharmacology, Forensic science, Forensic toxicology, Applied chemistry, Medicinal chemistry, Industrial chemistry, Psychopharmacology, Biochemistry, Physiology, Biotechnology, Medical science, Molecular biology, Pharmaceutical science, Bio-nanotechnology, Nanotechnology, Biomolecular science, Analytical science, or Chemical engineering.

A position description is attached.