EH&S Specialist

Gilder Search Group; Owensboro (KY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site health clinic

Year-end shutdown

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Gilder Search Group partners with an Owensboro, KY manufacturing operation to hire an Environmental, Health and Safety Specialist. This role emphasizes advancing OSHA compliance, hazard identification, and proactive risk reduction on a first-shift, on-site basis.

You will audit programs, train employees, investigate incidents, and collaborate with leadership to implement practical safety improvements. A strong analytical mindset and cross-functional teamwork are essential.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations and workplace safety requirements.
• Ability to identify hazards, assess risk, and recommend corrective actions.
• Experience conducting safety audits, inspections, and risk assessments.
• Experience with incident investigation and root cause analysis.
• Ability to train and engage employees at multiple levels.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and continually improve EHS programs and policies.
• Ensure OSHA compliance and effective safety practices across the facility.
• Conduct safety audits, inspections, and risk assessments to identify hazards.
• Investigate incidents, determine root causes, and implement corrective actions.
• Provide training on safety procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain accurate records for inspections, incidents, and regulatory reporting.
• Support environmental compliance and proper disposal of regulated waste.

Skills

OSHA regulations knowledge

Hazard identification & risk

Safety audits & inspections

Incident investigation

Training and employee engagement

Analytical and problem solving

Microsoft Office proficiency

Safety management systems familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science or Occupational Health & Safety

Tools

Microsoft Office

Safety Management Systems

Job description

Environmental, Health and Safety Specialist

Owensboro, Kentucky | On Site | Manufacturing

The Opportunity

We are partnering with an established manufacturing organization in Owensboro, Kentucky to identify an Environmental, Health and Safety Specialist who can bring technical EHS knowledge, fresh ideas, and outside perspective to an existing team.

This is an especially attractive opportunity for an EHS professional who wants to do more than administer established programs. The organization is specifically looking for someone who can evaluate current practices, identify opportunities the team may not have considered, and introduce proven safety practices from their education or experience with other organizations.

The position supports a sizeable manufacturing operation of approximately 700 employees across two shifts. While the organization has an existing EHS team, much of that team's experience has been developed internally. This hire is intended to add greater technical depth, particularly around OSHA requirements, safety best practices, regulatory compliance, hazard identification, and proactive risk reduction.

For someone early or established in an EHS career who wants the opportunity to contribute ideas and make a visible impact on workplace safety, this position offers significant exposure and hands on experience.

What You'll Do

The EHS Specialist will work closely with the EHS team, manufacturing leadership, and employees throughout the facility to strengthen safety programs and continuously improve the working environment.

• Help develop, implement, and continuously improve environmental, health, and safety programs and policies.
• Apply a strong working knowledge of OSHA regulations and workplace safety requirements to help ensure the facility remains compliant with applicable standards.
• Conduct safety audits, facility inspections, and risk assessments to identify hazards before they result in injuries or incidents.
• Recommend practical corrective actions that reduce risk while considering the realities of a manufacturing environment.
• Investigate workplace incidents and accidents, identify root causes, and help develop preventive actions designed to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
• Look critically at existing safety practices and bring forward new ideas, outside perspectives, and proven approaches that can make the facility safer.
• Partner with manufacturing leaders and employees to identify opportunities for safety improvement.
• Provide training and guidance to employees regarding safety procedures, emergency response, proper equipment use, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain accurate records related to inspections, incidents, corrective actions, training, and regulatory requirements.
• Assist with required regulatory reporting and documentation.
• Support environmental compliance activities, including appropriate handling and disposal of oils, compounds, paint related materials, and other regulated waste.
• Help coordinate emergency response activities and drills.
• Stay current on changes in OSHA requirements, safety practices, regulatory expectations, and emerging EHS technologies.
• Promote a culture where safety is viewed as a shared responsibility across the organization.

The formal position description similarly emphasizes EHS program development, safety audits, incident investigations, training, regulatory reporting, emergency preparedness, and environmental compliance.

Key Skills Needed for Success

OSHA and Regulatory Knowledge

Technical knowledge of OSHA and workplace safety requirements is one of the most important qualifications for this position.

The organization wants someone who understands the reasoning behind safety requirements rather than simply following an established checklist. The successful candidate should be able to recognize potential compliance issues, evaluate risk, and help determine appropriate corrective action.

Knowledge of OSHA, EPA, and other applicable safety and environmental regulations is important.

Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

The EHS Specialist should be comfortable spending time in the manufacturing environment, observing processes, identifying potential hazards, and asking questions.

The company is particularly interested in someone who can look at the operation with a fresh perspective and identify opportunities to improve safety that may not be immediately obvious to someone who has spent their entire career within the facility.

Bringing New Ideas and Outside Perspective

This is an important differentiator for the position.

The organization has successfully developed many employees internally. For this particular hire, however, leadership wants to add someone who brings formal EHS education, outside experience, or ideally a combination of both.

The goal is to introduce additional knowledge and best practices to the team. A candidate who can say, “Here is something I’ve seen work successfully elsewhere, and here’s how we could apply it here,” can make an immediate contribution.

Incident Investigation and Root Cause Analysis

The successful candidate should understand how to investigate workplace incidents beyond simply documenting what happened.

This includes identifying contributing factors and root causes, recommending corrective actions, and following through to help prevent similar incidents from occurring again.

Analytical and Problem Solving Skills

This position requires someone who can assess a situation, evaluate risk, identify the underlying issue, and develop a practical solution.

Strong analytical skills are important when reviewing incidents, safety trends, inspection findings, regulatory requirements, and potential hazards. The existing job description specifically identifies analytical and problem solving ability as a core requirement.

Communication and Employee Engagement

An effective safety professional needs to be able to communicate with employees at every level of the organization.

The EHS Specialist should be comfortable providing training, explaining why a safety requirement matters, working with production employees, and partnering with management to implement improvements.

The goal is not simply to enforce rules. It is to help employees and leaders understand risks and create greater ownership of workplace safety.

Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Occupational Health and Safety, Industrial Hygiene, or a related field is preferred.
• Equivalent relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Approximately 3 years of EHS experience in a manufacturing environment is preferred, although the organization is open to candidates with strong relevant education who may be earlier in their careers.
• Strong understanding of OSHA requirements and workplace safety regulations.
• Knowledge of EPA and applicable environmental regulations.
• Experience conducting safety inspections, audits, or risk assessments.
• Understanding of incident investigation and root cause analysis.
• Ability to identify hazards and develop practical corrective actions.
• Strong analytical and problem solving capabilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to train and engage employees at multiple levels of an organization.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to learn or utilize safety management systems.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with EHS, manufacturing, and leadership teams.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This position offers something particularly valuable for an EHS professional who wants to grow: the opportunity to bring knowledge and ideas into an organization that genuinely wants an outside perspective.

Leadership isn't looking for someone simply to maintain the status quo. They want an individual who can walk the facility, understand how work is being performed, identify opportunities for improvement, and help introduce safety practices that make the workplace better for everyone.

The environmental component of the position is present but is not expected to dominate the role. The facility has requirements involving materials such as oils, compounds, and paint related waste, but leadership described the opportunity as being primarily focused on safety, OSHA knowledge, and improving the overall safety environment.

The company also offers a strong benefits package with meaningful differentiators. Employees enrolled in the company's health insurance have access to an on site health clinic at no cost, and many medications available through the clinic are also provided at no cost. Employee only health insurance can be as low as approximately $15 per month, depending on coverage.

Employees have also historically benefited from an extended paid year end holiday shutdown around Christmas and New Year's, based on annual business and production requirements.

This is primarily a first shift, on site position, with occasional support of second shift as needed.

The Person Who Will Thrive Here

This opportunity should appeal to someone who is naturally curious and sees safety as more than compliance.

The organization is looking for an EHS professional who will walk the floor, ask questions, recognize risks, understand OSHA requirements, investigate problems, and bring forward ideas that can make the operation safer.

You do not necessarily need decades of experience. Formal EHS education and the ability to bring technical knowledge into a real world manufacturing environment can be highly valuable here. Leadership specifically indicated an openness to someone earlier in their career if that individual brings the educational foundation and perspective the existing team needs.

For an EHS professional who wants an opportunity to develop technically, gain experience in a large manufacturing operation, and have their ideas heard, this position offers the chance to make a meaningful impact.