Senior Specialist, Safety & Environment

MSD; Rahway (NJ); On-site; USD 106,000 - 167,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid holidays and vacation

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ, seeks a Sr. Specialist Industrial Hygiene & Biosafety to lead IH and biosafety programs, assess risks, and implement compliant technical solutions across operations. The role drives EHS improvements, laboratory safety, and project leadership for IH studies.

The candidate will provide expert IH/biosafety support, lead studies, and collaborate with site stakeholders to deliver compliant controls. Requires 8+ years in IH/biosafety and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years applied professional experience in industrial safety, environmental, industrial hygiene, biosafety, laboratory safety, and/or general EHS roles, with demonstrated experience leading technical projects.
• Proven ability to lead technical assessments and project work while collaborating with EHS program owners and operations stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills; able to prepare clear technical reports and present findings.
• Critical thinking, analytical, and logical problem-solving abilities.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently on projects while escalating program-level decisions to program owners.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, drive to completion, and focus on delivering business-aligned results.
• Flexibility to perform varied technical tasks to support the business and respond to operational needs.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical guidance to EHS program owners to implement and maintain IH and biosafety programs, and create/deliver policies, procedures, and training curricula for operations and laboratory personnel.
• Lead assigned industrial hygiene and biosafety project studies, technical assessments, and risk evaluations.
• Deliver general EHS support for site operations - including safety inspections, hazard assessments, corrective-action implementation, contractor oversight, and participation in safety committees, and provide coaching to operations, laboratory staff, and contractors.
• Provide hands-on laboratory support: laboratory safety assessments, SOP and containment reviews, biosafety cabinet oversight, biological waste handling guidance, and lab-specific training and coaching.
• Support capital projects, R&D operations, and incident investigations with IH, biosafety, and general EHS expertise and recommended controls.
• Complete industrial hygiene monitoring (airborne agents, chemical exposures, noise, heat stress, etc.), analyze data, and prepare technical reports prioritizing IH risks.
• Conduct biosafety technical assessments and contribute to development of biosafety SOPs, containment recommendations, and biological waste handling controls; support Institutional Biosafety Committee as needed.

Skills

Industrial Hygiene

Biosafety

EHS Program Ownership

Risk Assessment

Training & Coaching

Education

BS in Occupational Safety or similar

Tools

Microsoft Office

EHS data systems

Job description

Basic Functions and Responsibility

As a member of the Site Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) team, the Sr. Specialist Industrial Hygiene & Biosafety will provide technical leadership and project ownership to operating departments at the Rahway site with a focus on identifying and anticipating industrial hygiene hazards, supporting biosafety activities, assessing risks, and partnering with operating departments to implement compliant technical solutions. This role provides expert technical support to EHS program owners, leads assigned IH and biosafety projects and studies, and delivers general EHS and laboratory safety support across the site.

Integrate EHS programs into daily operations to assure regulatory compliance, achieve continuous performance improvement, and meet EHS performance objectives. Partners with key stakeholders in manufacturing, laboratory and facility support to develop priorities to achieve these goals in alignment with site business priorities. Performs responsibilities and addresses challenges.

Primary Activities

• Provide technical guidance to EHS program owners to implement and maintain IH and biosafety programs, and create/deliver policies, procedures, and training curricula for operations and laboratory personnel.
• Lead assigned industrial hygiene and biosafety project studies, technical assessments, and risk evaluations.
• Deliver general EHS support for site operations - including safety inspections, hazard assessments, corrective-action implementation, contractor oversight, and participation in safety committees - and support implementation of EHS compliance initiatives by providing technical coaching to operations, laboratory staff, and contractors.
• Provide hands-on laboratory support: laboratory safety assessments, SOP and containment reviews, biosafety cabinet oversight, biological waste handling guidance, and lab-specific training and coaching.
• Support capital projects, R&D operations, and incident investigations with IH, biosafety, and general EHS expertise and recommended controls.
• Complete industrial hygiene monitoring (airborne agents, chemical exposures, noise, heat stress, etc.), conduct related data analysis, and prepare technical reports that prioritize IH-related risks and recommend corrective and preventive actions.
• Conduct biosafety technical assessments and contribute to development of biosafety SOPs, containment recommendations, and biological waste handling controls as assigned. Support Institutional Biosafety Committee or equivalent, as needed, under program owner direction.
• Manage EHS information and compliance activities using the site EHS management systems including data collection, modeling, trending, tracking and communication of relevant EHS metrics.
• Review processes, facilities, and procedure documents to assure conformance to recognized EHS regulations, standards and guidelines; provide technical recommendations to program owners and stakeholders.
• Support management of change (MOC) reviews, incident investigations, inspections, and audits from a technical IH/biosafety/general EHS perspective.
• Perform hazard assessments, process hazard analyses, and participate in life safety and containment reviews as assigned.

Position Qualifications

Education Minimum Requirement

• BS with preference for Occupational Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering, Environmental Science, or Science, relevant MS degree a plus.

Required Experience and Skills

• Minimum 8 years applied professional experience in industrial safety, environmental, industrial hygiene, biosafety, laboratory safety, and/or general EHS roles, with demonstrated experience leading technical projects.
• Proven ability to lead technical assessments and project work while collaborating with EHS program owners and operations stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills; able to prepare clear technical reports and present findings to varied audiences.
• Critical thinking, analytical, and logical problem-solving abilities.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently on projects while escalating program-level decisions to program owners.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, drive to completion, and focus on delivering business-aligned results.
• Flexibility to perform varied technical tasks to support the business and respond to operational needs.
• Service-and results-oriented mindset and ability to handle potentially stressful situations with a positive attitude.

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Demonstrated performance in a highly regulated industry with strict standards adherence and compliance initiatives.
• Direct experience performing exposure monitoring (airborne particulates, gases/vapors, noise, heat stress) and respiratory protection program support (fit testing, selection guidance).
• Hands-on experience with biosafety technical work in laboratory and pilot-scale settings (biosafety risk assessments, containment recommendations, biosafety cabinet oversight, biological waste handling).
• Practical experience providing general EHS support in manufacturing and laboratory environments, including safety inspections, contractor oversight, emergency response support, and corrective action tracking.
• Experience with regulatory inspections and responding to technical inquiries from regulators.
• Strong systems and IT knowledge including Microsoft applications and EHS data systems.
• Demonstrated performance in a highly regulated industry with strict standards adherence.
• Relevant professional certifications preferred: CIH, ASP/CSP, CBSP/RBP or equivalent. Note: certification requirements can be adjusted based on hiring needs.

Required Skills

Accountability, Capital Projects, Environmental Health, Environmental Protection, Environmental Regulations, Hazard Analysis, Health and Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Industrial Hygiene Sampling, Laboratory Safety, Occupational Hygiene, Occupational Safety and Health, Oral Communications, Prioritization, Regulatory Compliance, Regulatory Inspections, Safety Management, Safety Practices, Safety Procedures, Safety Programs, Safety Standards, Self Motivation, Technical Leadership, Technical Projects, Worker Safety

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

Equality and Inclusive Workplace Statement

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

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We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

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Salary

The salary range for this role is $106,200.00 - $167,200.00

The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.

San Francisco Residents Only

We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only

We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully

Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status: Regular

Relocation: No relocation

VISA Sponsorship: No

Travel Requirements: 10%

Flexible Work Arrangements: Not Applicable

Shift: Not Indicated

Valid Driving License: No

Hazardous Material(s): n/a

Job Posting End Date: 10/1/2026*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.