Senior Research Safety Specialist - Industrial Hygiene

Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association, Inc.; Winston-Salem (NC); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Advocate Health is seeking an EH&S Research Industrial Hygiene Senior Specialist to lead and support industrial hygiene, occupational health, and environmental safety programs in research settings. You will partner with researchers, faculty, students, and leaders to identify, evaluate, and control hazards, ensuring a safe and compliant research environment.

The role requires 5+ years of IH-related experience, a bachelor’s degree, and strong regulatory knowledge.

Qualifications

• Familiarity with NIH, BMBL, EPA and OSHA requirements.
• Knowledge of industrial hygiene principles and hazards.
• Experience with exposure prevention and assessment techniques.
• Ability to analyze programs and plan strategically.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills.
• Excellent communication with diverse stakeholders.
• Customer service mindset and teamwork.
• Ability to act decisively in emergencies.
• Work in labs and hazardous environments with PPE.

Responsibilities

• Perform safety and industrial hygiene assessments for hazards and exposures.
• Develop and manage IH programs, policies, and procedures for compliance.
• Design sampling strategies and evaluate personnel exposures.
• Lead investigations and recommend corrective actions.
• Analyze monitoring data and prepare reports with recommendations.
• Support medical surveillance and occupational health programs.
• Conduct IAQ, accessibility, and ergonomic assessments in research environments.
• Interact with regulators during inspections and audits.
• Train and develop educational resources for researchers and staff.

Skills

Regulatory knowledge

Industrial hygiene

Exposure assessment

Analytical thinking

Time management

Interpersonal skills

Customer service

Crisis response

Problem solving

Laboratory safety

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Physical/Environmental Science or Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Office

Database applications

Job description

Be a Part of Something Remarkable

At Advocate Health, we are committed to advancing scientific discovery and innovation while maintaining the highest standards of safety and compliance. We are seeking an experienced Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Research Industrial Hygiene Senior Specialist to lead and support industrial hygiene, occupational health, and environmental safety programs within our academic and research environments.

In this role, you will partner with researchers, faculty, students, and operational leaders to identify, evaluate, and control workplace hazards, ensuring a safe and compliant environment that supports world‑class research.

Major Responsibilities

• Performs comprehensive safety and industrial hygiene assessments to identify and control potential health hazards including exposures to hazardous chemicals, noise, vibration, biological, radiological or other physical hazards that may potentially expose faculty, staff, and students.
• Develop, implement, and manage comprehensive industrial hygiene programs, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and industry best practices.
• Develop comprehensive sampling strategies for specific projects and work areas and performs sampling to evaluate personnel exposures and engineering controls.
• Leads or participates in incident investigations related to occupational illnesses or exposures and recommends corrective actions to prevent future occurrences through recommendation of appropriate engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Analyze and interpret data collected from monitoring activities and prepare detailed reports documenting findings and recommendations for corrective actions.
• Provide necessary support and guidance for medical surveillance and occupational health programs.
• Conduct assessments for indoor air quality, ADA, and ergonomic concerns in Research and Academic environments.
• Directs and interacts with regulatory agency personnel during compliance inspections for research.
• Understands and shares technical expertise with others, including leaders, peers, and teammates while utilizing problem solving skills for complex situations that arise.
• Serves as the technical resource and subject matter expert for Environmental, Health and Safety.
• Serve as a member of the hazardous materials spill response team, which may include response on weekends and after regular business hours.
• Assist with the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), Chemical Safety Committee, and other various committees.
• Develop and implement comprehensive industrial hygiene programs, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and industry best practices
• Stay current with new regulations, industry trends, and advancements in industrial hygiene practices, and recommend appropriate changes to existing programs and practices.
• Develop and administer training or educational resources for Research and Academic teammates.

Education Required

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Physical Science, Biological Science, Environmental Science/Engineering, Occupational Safety, or related degree.

Experience Required

• 5 years of related minimum experience.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required

• Familiarity with regulatory agency code requirements, and the progressive application of this standards, including, National Institute of Health, Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories, EPA, and OSHA requirements preferred.
• Knowledge of the principles, fundamentals, and best practices of industrial hygiene and the risks associated with hazards materials.
• In depth experience of exposure prevention and assessment techniques, understanding of mechanical systems and able to apply this knowledge to mitigate health and safety concerns.
• Ability to analyze multiple programs, identify areas needing improvements, and prioritize needs for effective short and long-term strategic planning.
• Detail-oriented, demonstrated organizational and time management skills, and ability to manage/prioritize, track, and complete tasks/projects within established deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills and able to interact professionally and effectively with wide variety of individuals (researchers, staff, students, administrators, and regulators), behaving in accordance with institutional values.
• Committed to customer service, timely response, collaboration, cooperative professional relationships, and diversity.
• Ability to use sound judgment and act decisively in high-stress or emergency situations.
• Ability to demonstrate critical thinking and analytical skills.
• The position involves presence in research labs, health care environments, animal facilities, and hazardous waste facilities. These locations may result in occasional occupational exposure to ionizing radiation, chemicals, and biological agents.
• Competent using PC, office productivity applications, presentation applications, and database applications

Physical Requirements And Working Conditions

• This position requires travel, therefore, will be exposed to weather and road conditions.
• Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job.
• Ability to lift and carry heavy materials and equipment.
• Ability to climb/descend ladders and enter confined spaces to perform evaluations.
• Physically able to serve on hazardous materials spill response team, including ability to wear respiratory protection.
• May be subject to hazards (e.g., chemicals, mechanical conditions, etc.) and atmospheric conditions (e.g., dust, fumes, etc.)
• Responsible for setting a strong example of safety by working in a safe manner and utilizing personal protective equipment (PPE), as appropriate.

Preferred Job Requirements

• Master’s degree preferred.
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP) preferred.

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