Lab Safety Specialist

California State University, San Bernardino•San Bernardino, CA

4d•$5,877 - $8,561•Onsite

About The Position

The Lab Safety Specialist supports California State University, San Bernardino’s research enterprise by administering chemical hygiene, biosafety, radiation safety, and laser safety programs. The position serves, when formally authorized, as Chemical Hygiene Officer, Biosafety Officer, and Radiation Safety Officer, and provides day-to-day technical consultation and field services to faculty, staff, and students. It evaluates research activities and grant applications, applies University and applicable federal and state requirements, recommends controls, coordinates corrective actions, and supports regulatory compliance and safe research practices. The role operates within approved policies, licenses, and delegated authority; matters that are disputed, novel, significant, unusually high-risk, or outside established procedures are referred to the appropriate director, committee, or institutional authority. The position administers and maintains program plans, inventories, records, inspections, training, risk assessments, surveys, and compliance follow-up across chemical, biological, radiation, laser, and general research safety. It evaluates routine and moderately difficult hazards, develops corrective-action plans with laboratory personnel, coordinates hazardous and regulated waste activities, and responds to small-scale incidents within approved plans and assigned scope. It also evaluates research proposals, supports institutional committees and investigators, and recommends program or procedural improvements. The role develops and delivers audience-appropriate training, evaluates training effectiveness, and provides indirect lead work direction and task-specific training to employees or students assigned to projects, without formal supervisory authority. The work includes field duties at University locations and may involve transporting equipment, hazardous-material exposure potential, respiratory protection, and occasional evening or weekend work. Employees must reside in California while performing CSU-related work. The position is full-time, exempt, and probationary.

Requirements

Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in a related field and two years of relevant experience; additional qualifying experience may substitute for education year for year, and an advanced degree in a related field may substitute for required experience year for year.
A valid California driver’s license at appointment, maintained throughout employment; driving is required between campus locations and for field duties.
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds in alignment with safe lifting requirements.
Ability to work in environments with potential hazardous-material exposure while wearing required personal protective equipment.
Ability to wear respiratory protection, including a self-contained breathing apparatus.
Ability to work in inclement environments as needed.
Ability to exercise discretion in handling sensitive matters and information.
Ability to implement and assist in developing environmental health and safety strategies, initiatives, and procedures aligned with applicable regulations.
Ability to conduct facility, equipment, and process inspections and risk assessments, document findings, and develop corrective-action plans.
Ability to develop and potentially deliver training in specific program areas and contribute to development, implementation, and maintenance of EHS programs, systems, and procedures.
Ability to investigate incidents, accidents, and near misses; identify root causes; document findings; recommend corrective actions; and monitor implementation.
Ability to monitor changes in laws, regulations, and industry standards and assess their impact on programs.
Ability to collaborate with management on policy and procedure updates, report on EHS activities and trends, and evaluate program effectiveness.
Ability to perform emergency response to small-scale incidents.
Ability to reside in California while performing CSU-related work.
Satisfactory completion of a background check, including a criminal records check, is required.
Must complete employment eligibility verification upon hire and be lawfully authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Certifications in relevant specialties, such as CHO, RBP, CLSO, or CHP.
Experience within the CSU system and with research compliance committees.
Ability to complete training necessary for Radiation Safety Officer approval within 18 months of appointment.
A bachelor’s degree in environmental health and safety, biology, chemistry, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience demonstrating ability to perform the duties.

Responsibilities

Administer the Chemical Hygiene Program, Chemical Hygiene Plan, chemical inventory, and Safety Data Sheet system; conduct inspections and risk assessments and evaluate laboratory practices.
Provide technical direction on chemical storage, labeling, use, controls, personal protective equipment, and standard operating procedures, and develop corrective-action plans with laboratory personnel.
Respond within established plans to small-scale chemical spills, exposures, incidents, and near misses; implement initial protective measures and coordinate reporting.
Administer the Biosafety Program and evaluate BSL-1 and BSL-2 laboratories, vivarium activities, field research, protocols, and grant applications involving biological materials.
Recommend biosafety containment practices, controls, training, and corrective actions; coordinate biological, sharps, and medical-waste compliance and monitor corrective-action implementation.
Develop biosafety program procedures, training, inspection tools, and technical procedure guidance within approved policy; refer matters outside established criteria to appropriate authorities.
When formally authorized, serve as Radiation Safety Officer and administer assigned radiation and laser safety activities, including licensing, registration, permitting, surveys, inventories, training, and compliance follow-up.
Maintain radiation, dosimetry, survey, training, waste, and compliance records; conduct inspections and radiation, contamination, x-ray, and laser surveys; develop routine corrective actions.
Evaluate research proposals and moderately difficult radiation or laser safety issues, select controls under established requirements, and refer matters outside delegated authority.
Respond within approved plans to small-scale radiation or laser incidents and transfer authority when emergency responders, incident command, management, or an agency assumes control.
Evaluate grant applications, sponsored projects, and multidisciplinary research activities for environmental health, safety, and regulatory implications; coordinate with investigators and institutional committees.
Coordinate hazardous-waste pickups, accumulation-area inspections, storage, and disposal; evaluate ventilation, fume hoods, biosafety cabinets, emergency showers, and eyewashes.
Maintain compliance databases and records; conduct field inspections and surveys; operate portable monitoring, sampling, survey, fit-testing, and spill-response equipment.
Provide backup or cross-program coverage for respiratory fit testing, ergonomic evaluations, incident investigations, and general inspections using established protocols.
Develop and deliver training; assess its effectiveness, update materials, and recommend program improvements.
Provide indirect lead work direction and task-specific training to student employees, interns, or staff assigned to projects, without formal supervisory authority.
Travel between University locations and transport inspection, monitoring, sampling, spill-response, and training equipment.
Perform other classification-related duties as assigned.