Environmental Health & Safety Technician

UMass Boston; Massachusetts; On-site; USD 60,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

UMass Boston seeks an Environmental Health and Safety Technician to support OEHS in implementing safety, compliance, and emergency management programs. The role involves inspections, audits, assisting with corrective actions, and providing status reports to management.

You will work with faculty, staff, students, contractors, and facilities teams to address IAQ concerns, fume hood inspections, hazardous materials handling, and training support, emphasizing regulatory compliance and campus safety.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or degree in a relevant scientific discipline with <1 year EHS experience; or alternatives per minimum qualifications.
• Associate's degree with 3-5 years EHS experience.
• High school diploma with 5-7 years EHS experience; IH/CSO certifications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist in campus fire safety program: building inspections, fire extinguisher checks, drills, AED maintenance.
• Support a broad range of EHS services in labs and facilities.
• Respond to IAQ concerns; interview occupants, inspect areas, and prepare reports.
• Perform regular fume hood and eye wash/safety shower inspections.
• Inspect renovation/construction sites and monitor dust/noise containment.
• Assist OEHS staff with hazardous materials handling and safety trainings.

Skills

MS Office

Communication skills

Safety regulations

Inspection skills

Emergency management

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant science

Associate's degree + 3-5 years EHS

High school diploma + 5-7 years EHS

Tools

Electronic instrumentation

Job description

General Summary of Position

The Environmental Health and Safety Technician will work, in conjunction with the other members of the OEHS Office, with faculty, staff, students, contractors, and the administration, in the implementation and execution of UMass Boston's safety, environmental compliance, and emergency management programs. The OEHS Technician will assist University personnel in understanding UMass Boston plans, procedures and guidelines, as well as federal, state and local requirements; will be responsible for conducting and assisting facility managers and supervisors with inspections and audits; will assist in the implementation of corrective action strategies; and will provide periodic status reports to management.

General Summary of Position

The Environmental Health and Safety Technician will work, in conjunction with the other members of the OEHS Office, with faculty, staff, students, contractors, and the administration, in the implementation and execution of UMass Boston's safety, environmental compliance, and emergency management programs. The OEHS Technician will assist University personnel in understanding UMass Boston plans, procedures and guidelines, as well as federal, state and local requirements; will be responsible for conducting and assisting facility managers and supervisors with inspections and audits; will assist in the implementation of corrective action strategies; and will provide periodic status reports to management.

Examples of Duties

• Assist in the campus fire safety program including: building fire safety and fire extinguisher inspections, campus hot work permits, fire drills, AED inspections and maintenance
• Assist with a wide variety of EHS services in support of research and teaching laboratories;
• Respond to indoor air quality (IAQ) concerns throughout the campus; interview occupants, inspect the area to identify the cause and take basic IAQ measurements, when appropriate; prepare a written inspection report;
• Perform regular fume hood and eye wash/ safety shower inspections
• Inspect renovation and construction sites and assist in monitoring dust and noise containment;
• Assistant other staff with Facilities maintenance worker safety programs, including Confined Space Entry, Fall Protection, Respiratory Protection, Personal Protective Equipment, Asbestos Operations and Management and Fork Lift safety, among others;
• Provide support/back up to other OEHS staff with receipt and transport of hazardous materials to end user; collect and transport laboratory waste and other hazardous materials to central accumulation sites;

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's or degree in a relevant scientific discipline and less than one (< 1) year of environmental health and safety work experience required or the following substitutions:Associate's degree in a relevant scientific discipline and a minimum of three-five (3-5) years of environmental health and safety work experience; or o High school diploma and a minimum of five-seven (5-7) years of environmental health and safety work experience. Specific experience with laboratory, office and facility based populations required Ability to obtain a Certification in Industrial Hygiene, Certified Hazardous Materials Manager or Certified Safety Professional required. Occasional lifting and moving of heavy drums and other materials may be required. Occasional use of level C chemical protective clothing and respiratory protection will be required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the public sector and with diverse populations preferred;

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and other administrative databases;
• Thorough knowledge of federal, state and municipal codes and standards that pertain to typical OEHS activities found at a research institute of higher education;
• Knowledge and understanding in the use and limitations of electronic instrumentation and the interpretation of results;
• Ability to interact effectively with a broad range of constituents, in a diverse and multicultural environment;
• Ability to assess chemical hazards, containing chemical spills and following appropriate emergency response procedures;
• Ability to use respiratory protective equipment and wear Level C protective clothing;
• Ability to lift and move heavy drums, up 50 pounds;
• Strong written and oral communication skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills and attention to detail;
• Strong problem solving skills;
• Strong commitment to customer service.

For Professional Unit Positions

• Is this job required to be on-call? No.

Background Check Information

• Criminal Felony & Misdemeanor - 7 years (a) - Unlimited # of counties as revealed by SSN Trace
• Federal Criminal
• Massachusetts CORI
• Education Report - highest degree (b)
• Employment Report - 7 years, previous employer
• National Sex Offender Search
• Professional Licenses Report - per license
• SSN Trace
• SSN Validation

Supervision Received

The OEHS Technician works under the general supervision of the Director, OEHS, and the direct supervision of the Associate Director; however, the position entitles independent activity in the field, and the exercise of analytical expertise and judgment.

Supervision Exercised

May supervise graduate student/work-study employees and outside contractors. The incumbent may also assist in providing support to in-house and outside contract staff and will work closely with university-wide departments to provide training, safety education and procedure guidance for all OEHS programs.

Number of non-student employees directly supervised: Average number of student employees supervised at any given time: 0-5

Salary Ranges for the appropriate Pay Grade can be found at the following link

Grade: 30

Salary Ranges

This is an exempt union position.

All official salary offers must be approved by Human Resources.

UMass Boston is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact [e-mail] or 617-287-5150.

Departments: Environmental Health & Safety