Health, Safety, and Environment Lead

UL Research Institutes • Skokie, IL

6d • $89,602 - $123,203 • Onsite

About The Position

We have an exciting opportunity for a Health, Safety, and Environment Lead at UL Research Institutes, based in our Skokie, IL office. The Health, Safety, and Environment Lead will be responsible for serving as the subject matter expert and embedded safety lead for UL Materials Discovery Research Institute (MDRI) research, laboratory, engineering, and pilot-scale operations. The role provides advanced technical expertise and strategic guidance on complex HSE matters, partnering across functions to proactively identify risks, influence operational decisions, and implement best practices that support safe, compliant, and efficient research activities. The position operates with a high degree of autonomy and serves as a trusted advisor to researchers, engineers, Facilities, and leadership on HSE programs, policies, and risk management initiatives.

UL Research Institutes: At UL Research Institutes (ULRI), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have studied the unintended consequences of innovation, designed solutions to mitigate risk and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking the tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge. Build a safer, more secure, and sustainable future with us. Join us and work with our Chemical Insights Research Institute, teams who conduct the research required to produce that knowledge and put it into practice.

Materials Discovery Research Institute: The Materials Discovery Research Institute (MDRI) works to develop and deploy new materials with the potential to address current global safety challenges. Pursuing materials that will help produce transformational safety breakthroughs, MDRI harnesses the power of advanced computing and high-throughput experimental methods to create innovative materials that will produce resilience for a sustainable future and protect individual and societal health. We focus on today’s critical challenges, working to create new and better materials that will support renewable energy and environmental sustainability. Among our top priorities is research into materials capable of carbon capture and energy storage, with an eye toward reducing the adverse impacts of humanity’s reliance upon fossil fuel resources and enabling a transition to renewable energy sources. Above all, our research builds on our commitment to a safer, more sustainable future.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Physical Sciences, Public Health, Environmental Science, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 8 years of professional HSE, occupational safety, laboratory safety, engineering safety, industrial hygiene, facilities safety, manufacturing safety, or environmental compliance experience in a research, laboratory, engineering, pilot-scale, prototype development, or R&D environment.
• Experience conducting workplace inspections, hazard assessments, audits, incident reviews, corrective action follow-up, or compliance activities.
• Working knowledge of OSHA regulations and occupational safety principles.
• Experience delivering training or communicating technical safety information to non-HSE stakeholders.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and the ability to use electronic systems for documentation, reporting, and tracking.

Nice To Haves

• Strong understanding of occupational safety and health principles in research, laboratory, engineering, or R&D environments.
• Advanced knowledge of laboratory safety, chemical safety, industrial hygiene, engineering safety, emergency preparedness, and environmental compliance practices.
• Ability to identify hazards, evaluate risk, and recommend practical risk-control measures.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical requirements into clear operating expectations.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with researchers, engineers, facilities professionals, vendors, contractors, and all levels of management.
• Excellent organization, follow-through, project coordination, and documentation skills.
• Analytical problem-solving capability, sound professional judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic research environment.
• Customer-service orientation, constructive coaching style, and commitment to continuous learning and professional development.

Responsibilities

• Lead, support, and document key HSE activities across MDRI operations, including active participation in work planning and day-to-day research, laboratory, engineering, and pilot-scale activities.
• Lead and support hazard identification, risk assessments, multidisciplinary reviews, and practical risk-control strategies that protect personnel, facilities, and the environment while supporting research and engineering objectives.
• Conduct operational readiness reviews to verify that appropriate controls, training, and safeguards are implemented and maintained.
• Investigate incidents and near misses, identify causes, drive corrective actions, and support continuous improvement in HSE performance.
• Partner with MDRI leadership, researchers, engineers, Facilities, Corporate HSE teams, vendors, contractors, and site partners to integrate HSE requirements into work planning, design, startup, and execution.
• Develop and deliver HSE training, onboarding, coaching, and safety communications that promote safe work practices.
• Lead safe facility, laboratory, and contractor operations through HSE coordination, infrastructure oversight, and emergency preparedness activities.
• Lead HSE compliance and management systems through inspections, audits, records, corrective-action tracking, emergency preparedness, and environmental programs.
• Promote a positive safety culture that encourages hazard recognition, risk awareness, open communication, and proactive intervention.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• bonus compensation
• comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans
• 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay
• additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment
• flexible working arrangements
• paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior