Hazardous Waste & Safety Operations Specialist

Washington University in St. Louis; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Washington University in St. Louis is seeking an Environmental Health and Safety team member to assist in maintaining a safe work environment and ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

The role involves labor to collect, transport and document infectious/medical waste on the Medical School campus. The position also handles collection and management of chemical waste, universal waste, white goods and recyclable streams, performs data entry into waste management software, and

Responsibilities

• Collect, transport, document and assist in shipping University infectious and medical waste.
• Collect and transport universal waste, equipment, electronic waste and other regulated materials.
• Assist in the collection, transportation and management of chemical waste as needed. Assist (as available) with the labor portion of bulking unwanted material after hazardous waste and compatibility decisions are made by higher level Environmental Compliance Professionals.
• Maintain inventory and records including data entry.
• Serve as a member of the WU Hazardous Materials Spill Response Team (HAZWOPER).
• Other duties as assigned.

Job description

Position Summary

Location

ST. LOUIS, MO 63110

Scheduled Hours

40

Position Summary

This position assists the Environmental Health and Safety Department in providing a safe work environment, fostering a safety culture among University staff and helps to maintain the institution’s compliance with federal, state and local environmental regulations. This position is expected to provide labor to collect, transport and document infectious/medical waste on the Medical School campus. This position also requires collection and management of other regulated materials including chemical waste, universal waste, white goods and recyclable streams, and data entry into waste management software. Serves on hazardous materials emergency spill response team. Must be able to work independently without direct supervision and also in team situations.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Collect, transport, document and assist in shipping University infectious and medical waste.
• Collect and transport universal waste, equipment, electronic waste and other regulated materials.
• Assist in the collection, transportation and management of chemical waste as needed. Assist (as available) with the labor portion of bulking unwanted material after hazardous waste and compatibility decisions are made by higher level Environmental Compliance Professionals.
• Maintain inventory and records including data entry.
• Serve as a member of the WU Hazardous Materials Spill Response Team (HAZWOPER).
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

Working Conditions:

Job Location/Working Conditions

• Potential exposure to chemicals, radioactive materials, and potentially infectious materials in a laboratory and hazardous waste facility environment.
• Will need to carry an on-call (24/7) phone for spill response approximately once a quarter.
  
  

Physical Effort

• Must be able to pass pre-employment physical which includes an Essential Function Test.
• requent moderate to occasional heavy lifting and pushing up to and including 50 pounds, but typically 25 pounds or less.
• Move equipment and drums greater than 50 pounds, some weighing approximately 500 pounds, use lifting equipment including but not limited to carts, bins, flat beds, drum carts, lift and roll dollies, appliance hand trucks, lifting tables, powered and manual pallet jacks. Use specialized equipment (mercury vacuum, SCBA, air monitoring equipment, etc.).
  
  

Equipment

• Need to wear personal protective equipment during inspections, spill remediation, routine hazardous waste operations, and biological safety laboratory disinfection procedures, including encapsulating suits, gloves and boots, powered air purifying respirators, full face respirators, and self-contained breathing apparatus.
  
  

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Education:

Required Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent high school certification or combination of education and/or experience.

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.

Work Experience:

Relevant Experience (2 Years)

Skills:

Not Applicable

Driver's License:

A commercial driver's license and good driving record are required for this position.

Required Qualifications:

More About This Job

• Good driving record.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• OSHA 40-hour HAZWOPER certification and research laboratory experience.
• Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with Hazmat (H) endorsement or ability to obtain CDL with H endorsement within 6 months of hire.
• Chemical spill remediation experience.
• Bachelor's degree with coursework in chemistry or related field.
• Ability to get Certified Hazardous Waste Manager certification.
• Individual must be physically able to wear personal protective equipment and lift and move while wearing self-contained breathing apparatus and fully encapsulating suits.
• Knowledge and ability to prepare hazardous waste manifests and shipping documents (or ability to develop within 3 months of hire date).
• Ability to communicate well with a wide variety of people across many departmental levels.
  
  

Education:

Preferred Qualifications

Associate degree - Science, Bachelor's degree

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) - Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM), Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) 40 Hour - Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Work Experience:

No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Skills:

Environmental Regulations, Environment Health and Safety, Microsoft Office, Oral Communications, Sound Judgment, Written Communication

Grade

G08-H

Salary Range

$21.17 - $32.85 / Hourly

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [e-mail] or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
• Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.
  
  

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!
  
  

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We’ve got you covered.
• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.
  
  

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/

EEO Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.