Environmental Health Specialist 2 - EHS (Coral Gables campus)

University of Miami•Coral Gables, FL

About The Position

The EHS Specialist assists in maintaining organizational compliance with all applicable standards and guidelines set for by environmental and health safety (EHS) regulations. The EHS Specialist provides expert technical consultation and is responsible for developing, implementing, coordinating, and maintaining a comprehensive safety program for all units of the University of Miami to ensure compliance with appropriate regulatory requirements for healthcare, research and teaching laboratories (University of Miami and the University of Miami Health System).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in relevant field
Minimum 3 years of relevant experience
Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form
Ability to recognize, analyze, and solve a variety of problems
Ability to exercise sound judgment in making critical decisions
Knowledge of business and management principles
Proficiency in computer software (i.e. Microsoft Office)
Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Nice To Haves

Preference for candidates with educational background in biological sciences

Responsibilities

Responsible for, under limited supervision, the applicable EHS program(s), i.e., Laser Safety, Biological Safety, Haz Mat etc.
Oversees procedures to safeguard employees and surrounding communities and to ensure that all facilities are in compliance with regulations.
Conducts comprehensive EHS evaluations and ensures appropriate control measures are in place as well as approving alternate controls.
Identifies potential safety and health hazards and reports to supervisor.
Works with team to develop and implement solutions to address hazards.
Proactively ensures the minimization of risk related to non-compliance with regulations and policies governing the conduct of the applicable EHS program(s).
Coordinates, conducts, and/or the delivery of EHS education and training to any and all University of Miami faculty, staff, and students who work with or have potential for exposure to harmful agents.
Performs EHS audits, inspections, and identifies recalls for compliance with regulations and guidelines on scheduled intervals or more frequent as deemed necessary.
Reviews and investigates accidents occurring on University campuses, and develops corrective action plans.
Communicates with federal, state, and local safety, health, and environmental agencies as a department representative concerning inspections, compliance issues and emerging standards.
Reviews, approves, and ensures contracted service companies, research grants, proposals or similar meet or provide evidence of documentation of appropriate training and recommends modifications to safe practices.
Provides technical guidance to faculty and staff in the development of EHS plans; advises facilities and pertinent staff regarding technical and programmatic issues involving design and maintenance.
Develops, updates and implements emergency response procedures for incidents involving hazardous agents and materials, and responds to incidents as appropriate.
Participates in and provides assistance to various internal committees and task forces, when appropriate.
Maintains continuing EHS education and communicates with other institutions and safety professionals in order to stay abreast of developments in the applicable environmental health and safety program.
Adheres to University and unit-level policies and procedures and safeguards University assets.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Conducts reviews of biological research proposals for safety.
Participates in reviewing research protocols for the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC), the Institutional Review Board (IRB), and the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC).
Prepares written risk assessment reports for hazardous materials used in biological or animal research protocols, considering the toxicological concerns and risks to research stakeholders.
Reviews and revamps existing biological and lab safety resources.
Reviews and writes standard operating procedures for work involving pathogens and/or animals in varied research procedures.
Assesses safety and regulatory compliance for microbiological and animal research facilities.
Helps establish oversight programs, guidance, and training for faculty, students, staff, and other research stakeholders.
Conducts investigations for incidents involving exposures to biological materials.
Oversees shared biosafety-related email boxes and provides guided responses as needed.