Deputy Departmental Safety Officer

University of Oxford; Oxford; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious university in Oxford is seeking a Deputy Departmental Safety Officer to enhance safety and risk management within the Computer Science and Materials Departments. This role involves supporting academic staff, promoting a strong safety culture, and managing a diverse portfolio of safety risks in a dynamic research environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication skills and a commitment to facilitating innovative teaching and research.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable ability to manage risk in a laboratory-based environment.
• Strong dedication to facilitating innovative, safe teaching and research.
• Ability to explain complex technical information to non-experts.

Responsibilities

• Support the Department Safety Officer with advisory responsibilities.
• Provide dedicated safety support for Materials researchers.
• Work closely with academic staff to provide advice and training.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Interpersonal and observational skills

Ability to manage risk in a laboratory environment

Promoting a strong safety culture

Job description

This newly-created role offers an excellent opportunity for a highly skilled safety professional to help lead a comprehensive project to strengthen and broaden the culture of safety and risk management in a cutting-edge university department. This position is also split between the Department of Computer Science at 40% and the Department of Materials at 60%, which are two departments with very different safety risk profiles.
As Deputy Departmental Safety Officer for Computer Science, you will support the Department Safety Officer (DSO) with advisory responsibility for a growing portfolio of risks in a rapidly evolving area of research. As Materials has a higher and more varied risk profile, you will support their DSO in advising on the wide range of risks created by their teaching and research, and will provide dedicated safety support for Materials researchers in the Rex Richards Building. You will have the opportunity to apply what you learn in one department to the other, and you will be a core member of the MPLS Divisional Safety Network.
You will work closely with academic staff, providing them with support, advice and training in all relevant areas of health and safety. As part of this you will require excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly the ability to explain complex technical information to non-experts.
You will have a demonstrable ability to managing risk in a laboratory-based environment and a strong dedication to facilitating innovative, safe world-leading teaching and research. You will actively promote a strong safety culture and facilitate innovative, safe teaching and research across the Departments. Excellent interpersonal and observational skills are essential, along with the ability to meet strict deadlines.

Department of Materials & Department of Computer Science, Parks Road, Oxford