The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is seeking to expand its pool of External Scientific Reviewers (ESRs) to support the scientific assessment of agricultural and veterinary (agvet) chemical products.
The APVMA is the independent regulator of agvet chemicals in Australia, operating under the National Registration Scheme. Our role is to ensure these products are safe, effective, and meet trade requirements before they can be legally manufactured, imported, supplied, sold or used in Australia. We invite expressions of interest from professionals with expertise in:
- Environmental toxicology
- Human health toxicology
- Efficacy and target animal/crop safety
As an ESR, you will be engaged under contract to independently assess technical information submitted by applicants. These assessments may relate to new product registrations, variations to existing approvals, or chemical reconsiderations (reviews) undertaken to ensure that registered products continue to meet contemporary scientific standards. Your role will involve:
- Evaluating submitted data using recognised scientific and regulatory frameworks
- Applying best-practice methodologies relevant to your discipline
- Preparing structured, evidence-based assessment reports aligned with APVMA requirements
- Ensuring that evaluations address all relevant statutory criteria under the Agvet Code
Work is allocated through a quotation system based on expertise and value for money. When engaged, reviewers are provided with relevant application material, regulatory guidance and report templates.
All reports submitted by ESRs undergo a rigorous peer review process by APVMA scientific staff. This review ensures consistency with agency standards and regulatory guidance. The process is comparable in its critical scrutiny to that used in peer-reviewed academic publishing. This is an opportunity to contribute to the regulation of chemical products used across Australia’s agvet sectors, and to play a direct role in maintaining the safety and effectiveness of these products in the market.
If you are interested in joining the pool of ESRs, please submit your resume to esr@apvma.gov.au.