Environmental Health & Safety(EHS)- Safety Professional (Healthcare and Research)

Working closely with our Safety Officers, this role is responsible for developing and maintaining environmental health and safety (EHS) programs, policies, procedures, and compliance processes that support safe healthcare and research operations. Key responsibilities include conducting risk assessments, safety inspections, occupational exposure monitoring, and ventilation evaluations to identify hazards and implement effective control measures. The position also investigates employee safety concerns and workplace injuries, performs root cause analyses, and develops detailed reports with recommendations to ensure compliance with institutional policies and regulatory requirements.

Job Description

• Coordinate and perform, with guidance, day-to-day workflow of program and operational responsibilities within safety area (e.g., industrial hygiene, infection prevention).
• Respond to or escalate safety-related questions and issues raised by cross-departmental stakeholders.
• Assist leaders within safety areas with preparation of reports around work progress and identified areas of improvement.
• Assist departmental safety teams with institutional education and training.
• As directed, execute tasks related to assessment and remediation of risks within safety area including data gathering, analysis, and trending.
• Assist in clarification and implementation of safety policies and procedures for assigned teams/areas.
• Support departmental processes to enhance the quality and safety of patient care.
• Perform other duties as assigned to meet the goals and objectives of the department and institution.
• Maintains regular and predictable attendance.

Minimum Education and/or Training

• Bachelor's degree in liberal arts, science, engineering or related safety discipline required.
• Hazardous Materials Technician training (24-hour) preferred (or obtain training within 1 year of hiring).
• DOT/IATA Dangerous Goods training preferred (or obtain training within 1 year of hiring).

Minimum Experience

• Prior relevant experience in applicable area preferred (e.g., applied health physics in radiation safety programs; infection prevention and control; EHS).
• Prior experience in implementation of federal and state regulations and license conditions preferred.
• At least one year of experience working in an Environmental Health & Safety role strongly preferred.

Additional Responsibilities

• Develop EHS operating procedures, policies and process guidelines.
• Conduct risk assessments for clinical and research activities.
• Develop and steer implementation of control measures.
• Conduct and/or lead PETRA Physical Environment risk assessment rounds, under the direction of the General Safety Officer.
• Conduct multi-disciplinary safety inspections of laboratories and other work areas (including NIH biosafety inspections and PETRA Physical Environment risk assessment rounds) to identify safety risks and ensure compliance with SJCRH safety policies and regulatory standards.
• Develops risk assessment reports containing observations, commentary and recommendations.
• Respond to employee safety concerns (including those reported in the EERS system).
• Investigate hazards and generate reports, as needed, in the EERS system.
• Investigate employee injuries and conduct root cause analyses as deemed necessary.
• Develop and accurately apply a strong working knowledge of health and safety standards and guidelines, such as those set by TOSHA (Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration), DNV (Det Norske Veritas), EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), NSF (National Sanitation Foundation), TDEC (Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation), ACGIH (American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists) and NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health).
• Conduct occupational exposure assessments using industrial hygiene air and noise sampling equipment.
• Conduct ventilation assessments of air handling equipment and other engineered systems.
• Develop and deliver safety training programs for clinical and research staff.
• Serve as a member and Incident Commander of the institutional Hazardous Materials Response Team.
• Serve as an authority and resource regarding Dangerous Goods/Hazardous Materials shipping practices.
• File and maintain regulatory permits and other compliance documents.
• Maintain records and documents, evaluate/interpret data, and resolve related issues.

Preferred Analytical Skills

Demonstrates strong communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills while effectively translating complex technical information for diverse audiences. Applies safety and quality standards, evaluates risks, supports investigations and corrective actions, and develops innovative solutions to improve safety performance. Builds collaborative relationships across teams, executes safety assessments and technical tasks with limited guidance. Effectively manages priorities, resources, timelines, and deliverables while continuously seeking opportunities to improve quality and efficiency.