Laboratory Safety Specialist - Environmental Health & Safety

The Environmental Health and Safety unit at West Virginia University is currently seeking applications for a Laboratory Safety Specialist.

About the Opportunity:

The incumbent will design, develop policies, implement, and manage programs related to laboratory safety management on the main campus in Morgantown, all regional campus locations, including our farms and any other areas being operated by the University. This position will be responsible for the administration of institutional policies with minimal supervision related to laboratory and chemical safety.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

What you'll do:

• Design, develop policies, implement, and manage programs related to laboratory safety management on the main campus in Morgantown, all regional campus locations, including our farms and any other areas being operated by the University.
• Responsible for the administration of institutional policies with minimal supervision related to laboratory and chemical safety.
• Provide program services, leadership, and options for decision making to institutional groups required to comply with program policies.
• Clearly articulate the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders. Work with faculty and staff to embed safety communication in laboratories, classes, departments and throughout the wider campus.
• Work to create a trusting and safe culture with faculty and staff. Encourage the development of a generative culture based on open dialogue, reporting, and learning from near misses, as described by the National Academy of Sciences.
• Oversee annual safety shower/eye wash and fume hood testing throughout the University.
• Regularly conducts assessments and benchmarking of activities and operations to minimize risk, identify deficiencies, and provide written corrective measures to ensure program efficiency, effectiveness and a safer culture.
• Implements a process to report incidents and near misses so that the campus community can learn from these incidents.
• Set goals to reduce incidents and abate hazards in collaboration with administrators, managers, chemical hygiene officers, faculty, PI's, etc.
• Develops a continuous improvement system that provides feedback, reassessment, and on-going training and learning opportunities.
• Network with other professionals in local, state, federal, industrial, and academic institutions to benchmark programs to evaluate best practices.
• Correspond with regulatory agencies pertaining to laboratory safety and chemical hygiene activities.
• Respond to institutional emergencies.
• Provide laboratory safety education and training to WVU faculty, staff, students, and visitors.
• Remain current with laboratory safety issues to assure WVU maintains awareness of emerging regulatory issues.
• Set goals and provide supervision to Graduate Student employees.
• Responsible for other duties as requested and or assigned.
• Assist in the operation of all other Environmental Health and Safety programs as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in Safety Management, Environmental Health and Safety, Chemistry, Microbiology, or other laboratory science field or equivalent experience is required.
• Master's degree in Safety Management, Environmental Health and Safety, or other laboratory science field preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to understand and interpret federal, state and local health and safety regulations and communicate quantitative and qualitative information. Knowledge of OSHA Lab Standard; 29 CFR1910.1450 - Occupational Exposures to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with, provide leadership, and coordinate program implementation with professional level employees utilizing skills to negotiate, explain and persuade.
• Demonstrate ability to adapt to a wide variety of work environments.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in oral and written format.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize a personal computer.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate complex issues, be creative and provide short-term and long solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to complete assigned tasks in a very limited time frame.
• Demonstrated ability to establish rapport and maintain a good working relationship with various local, state and federal regulatory agency personnel.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate and work effectively within project reams and committees.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and administrate assigned health and safety programs as necessary for WVU to maintain a safety and health environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and reason logically and strategically.
• Demonstrated ability to review, interpret, and provide recommendations on architectural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical drawings.

• Valid Driver's License
• Hazmat Awareness, Operations, Technician or Certified Chemical Hygiene Officer preferred

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values - service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation - unite us as Mountaineers.

We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and engaging working environment and actively seek candidates who bring diverse ideas, approaches and experiences.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and received an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity. We value diversity among our faculty, staff and students and invite applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, genetics, disability, or Veteran status.