Hyperbaric Safety Director

University of South Florida•Tampa, FL

About The Position

The USF Health Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Center is a state-of-the-art facility housed within the Department of Neurosurgery, Brain, & Spine at the Morsani College of Medicine. Equipped with six monoplace hyperbaric chambers, the Center combines clinical care with large-scale research and is funded by a $28M state appropriation to support a landmark randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial investigating hyperbaric oxygen therapy for veterans and active-duty service members with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Its mission includes delivery hyperbaric oxygen therapy in compliance with regulatory and UHMS standards for commercial and investigational protocols; training and certifying technical staff, maintaining rigorous safety oversight, and translating findings from studies into improvements in patient care. The Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Center thus plays a key role in USF Health's tripartite mission of research, education, and patient care, particularly in neurological injury and recovery. Responsibilities The Hyperbaric Safety officer is a mangerial-level postiosn responsible for supervising daily hyperbaric operations and serving as the designated safety authority delegate during assigned shifts. This role ensures compliance with NFPA 99, UHMS, FDA IND, and IRB standards by overseeing technical staff, directing emergency preparedness and response, and enforcing institutional safety policies. The Hyperbaric Safety Officer functions as the operational safety lead for chamber activities, providing guidance, training, and oversight to technicians while collaborating with the Hyperbaric Safety Director to maintain compliance, optimize workflows, and support the Center's mission in research, education, and patient care. Shift-Level Safety Oversight - Supervise and monitor hyperbaric operations during assigned shifts, serving as the safety authority on duty. Apply NFPA 99, UHMS, FDA IND, and IRB standards to ensure safe chamber operations and protect patients, research participants, and staff. This requires advanced knowledge of hyperbaric safety standards and the ability to interpret and enforce them in real time. Independently operate and oversee hyperbaric chambers for both clinical care and complex research protocols. Adjust pressurization/decompression rates to patient tolerance, manage multiple chamber operations simultaneously when needed. Emergency Preparedness and Incident Response - Direct emergency procedures during adverse events, including patient evacuation, stabilization, and chamber shutdown. Lead and evaluate shift-level safety drills and act as incident commander during real emergencies. Staff Supervision and Training - Supervise Technicians I-III during shift operations. Mentor staff in chamber operations, enforce safety policies, and evaluate performance in real time. Train staff in advanced safety protocols and ensure team readiness. Safety Audits and Compliance Monitoring - Conduct shift-level audits of treatment records, safety logs, and equipment checklists. Identify deficiencies and enforce immediate corrective actions, escalate systemic issues to the Safety Director. Equipment Oversight - Conduct shift-level preventive maintenance checks, verify oxygen system integrity, and ensure fire suppression systems are operational. Coordinate with Safety Director and vendors for complex repairs. Qualifications Requires completion of a high school diploma or equivalent, with additional coursework or degree in health sciences, biomedical engineering, or a related technical field strongly preferred. Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree. Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S. SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed: (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree; (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree; (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree; (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment. Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310. Must hold CHT/CNS or equivalent credential, BLS/ACLS certification, and completion of a UHMS-approved Hyperbaric Safety Director course. Several years of progressively response experience in hyperbaric medicine, including chamber operations, emergency response, and compliance with NFPA 99 and UHMS standards, are required. Prior leadership or supervisory experience in a clinical or research hyperbaric setting is preferred, demonstrating the ability to manage staff, enforce safety protocols, and act as the designed safety delegate during shift operations.

Requirements

Requires completion of a high school diploma or equivalent, with additional coursework or degree in health sciences, biomedical engineering, or a related technical field strongly preferred.
Must hold CHT/CNS or equivalent credential, BLS/ACLS certification, and completion of a UHMS-approved Hyperbaric Safety Director course.
Several years of progressively response experience in hyperbaric medicine, including chamber operations, emergency response, and compliance with NFPA 99 and UHMS standards, are required.

Nice To Haves

Prior leadership or supervisory experience in a clinical or research hyperbaric setting is preferred, demonstrating the ability to manage staff, enforce safety protocols, and act as the designed safety delegate during shift operations.

Responsibilities

Supervise and monitor hyperbaric operations during assigned shifts, serving as the safety authority on duty.
Apply NFPA 99, UHMS, FDA IND, and IRB standards to ensure safe chamber operations and protect patients, research participants, and staff.
Independently operate and oversee hyperbaric chambers for both clinical care and complex research protocols.
Direct emergency procedures during adverse events, including patient evacuation, stabilization, and chamber shutdown.
Lead and evaluate shift-level safety drills and act as incident commander during real emergencies.
Supervise Technicians I-III during shift operations.
Mentor staff in chamber operations, enforce safety policies, and evaluate performance in real time.
Train staff in advanced safety protocols and ensure team readiness.
Conduct shift-level audits of treatment records, safety logs, and equipment checklists.
Identify deficiencies and enforce immediate corrective actions, escalate systemic issues to the Safety Director.
Conduct shift-level preventive maintenance checks, verify oxygen system integrity, and ensure fire suppression systems are operational.
Coordinate with Safety Director and vendors for complex repairs.