Employers

Biosecurity monitors work for government agencies (including state departments of agriculture and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense, and Homeland Security), large corporate farms, livestock companies, private companies that provide pest and disease management services, and hospitals, laboratories, and medical research facilities. They also work at airports, ports, and other places of entry to the United States. The U.S. Postal Service employs biosecurity monitors to investigate potentially dangerous substances that pass through its mail system. Some biosecurity monitors are self-employed.

Starting Out

Aspiring biosecurity monitors can learn about job openings via contacts made during internships and co-ops, by attending careers and participating in networking events, by joining and using the career development resources of professional associations, by using job-search and professional networking Web sites such as LinkedIn, and by contacting employers directly about potential job opportunities.

An experienced biosecurity monitor who completes additional education can become a biosecurity specialist, who develops and implements new safety measures and protocols that can be activated in a specific geographic area should a biological risk or emergency occur. Biosecurity specialists can advance to become managers or executives. Some open their own consulting firms, while others become college professors.

A strong background in science is helpful in this field; take classes in this area.

Read Applied Biosafety: Journal of ABSA International (https://absa.org/publications) to learn more about the field.

Visit https://absa.org/job-board and https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/biosecurity-jobs for job listings.

Attend the annual Biosafety and Biosecurity Conference (https://absa.org) to network and participate in continuing education opportunities.