Safety Engineer - Research Safety/Chemical Safety

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Job Summary

This position reports directly to the Director of Research Safety/Chemical Hygiene Officer, within the Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) Research Safety Team. This position requires a combination of scientific expertise, practical laboratory experience including bench-level research experience, and a strong commitment to safety and compliance. The ideal candidate will be able to effectively communicate with researchers while implementing and enforcing necessary safety protocols. The position adapts best practices in laboratory and workplace safety to the specific needs of the Institute and will assist the Institute community by providing training, consultation, evaluations, and hazard assessments to reduce or eliminate laboratory and workplace conditions that may lead to injury or loss of Institute resources. Through regular laboratory reviews and incident investigations, identifies research safety and occupational health issues and formulates measures for mitigating hazards. May serve as Assistant Chemical Hygiene Officer and support the implementation of the Chemical Hygiene Plan as assigned.

This is a Campus Critical position. An employee designated as Campus Critical is expected to be aware of the campus emergency management plans and to report to Campus as soon as possible to assist in campus wide response and recovery efforts. An employee designated as essential reporting has essential job skills that are needed for disaster response and recovery and is expected to report to Campus as soon as possible.

Essential Job Duties

• Under general direction, works on complex projects and implements programs, systems, and procedures necessary to ensure the overall safety and health of the campus and research community.
• Relies on personal expertise, advanced problem-solving skills, exceptional customer service skills, and a deep understanding of scientific processes to conduct risk assessments. Tailors safety solutions to specific research needs and implements risk mitigation strategies in service of the research community.
• Applies specialized technical knowledge of procedures and equipment used in monitoring hazardous conditions for evaluating campus workplace and research laboratories; recommends and follows-up on corrective actions to achieve risk mitigation.
• Performs complex investigative/technical work on a wide range of campus and research safety issues to maintain Institute safety and compliance with all internal and external EH&S protocols and requirements; works within one or more operational areas, including chemical and engineering research laboratory activities.
• Develops and/or delivers employee and researcher training, covering research safety topics (chemical, physical, and general safety) using a variety of platforms (online, hands-on, and through written guidance).
• Maintains accountability of assigned areas and tracks performance metrics; issues regular reports to internal and external stakeholders on various EH&S and research safety metrics.
• Performs technical and administrative duties related to general safety and research safety, principally chemical safety in nature, and in support of research compliance, emergency response, environmental programs, and waste management.
• Conducts comprehensive annual and periodic laboratory inspections to ensure adherence to safety protocols and regulatory requirements.
• Provides expert guidance to Planning, Design and Construction operations during the design and renovation of laboratory spaces and collaborates closely with stakeholders to ensure that safety, functionality, and compliance standards are integrated into laboratory designs. Offer insights into best practices for laboratory layouts, equipment placement, and safety features to enhance operational efficiency and research effectiveness.
• Assists the Institute Chemical Hygiene Officer (CHO) in implementing and maintaining the Chemical Hygiene Plan, as well as conducting chemical risk assessments and providing ongoing laboratory support and review, as assigned.
• Provides hazardous material shipping services to the campus according to DOT and IATA regulations.
• Serves as an incident responder to Institute incidents such as response to chemical or biological spills and exposure, disaster recovery efforts, including on-call rotations.
• Comprehensive knowledge of relevant safety regulations, including OSHA standards, EPA guidelines, and other applicable local, state, and federal regulations, while staying current with EH&S practitioners and/or organizations to ensure regulatory interpretation, sound technical advice, and compliant Institute policies.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant science discipline (e.g., Chemistry, Engineering).
• A minimum of 2-3 years of experience in bench-level scientific research and ability to contribute to meaningful research outcomes.
• Working knowledge of training development software (PowerPoint, Articulate 360, etc.).
• Must be able to stand and walk across campus for moderate durations and regularly lift and carry tools and equipment weighing up to 30 pounds.
• Must be able to wear a respirator and other protective equipment when working under hazardous conditions and as required.
• Must be able to enter research laboratory settings replete with various hazardous materials, including biohazardous and radioactive material.
• Must be able to use protective equipment including gloves, respirators (N95), lab coat, coveralls, and more.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least one year of professional experience in a comprehensive environmental, health and safety program, preferably in a university setting.
• A PhD degree in a relevant science field.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of synthetic chemistry techniques and laboratory procedures.
• HAZWOPER 40h certification, or ability to obtain within 6 months of hire.
• Proficiency in EH&S management systems and related software platforms.

Required Documents

• Resume.