Senior Scientist

Merrick & Company•Manhattan, KS

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Merrick & Company, an employee-owned company, is seeking an experienced Science and Safety Professional with combined expertise in biological, chemical, and physical hazards to join our growing team. The person would become a crucial part of a key Merrick growth initiative in Life Sciences within the Academic, Public Health, Healthcare, and Biotechnology markets serving local, US, and international clients. This position is located at our client site in Manhattan, Kansas, not a Merrick office. The Scientist will coordinate and support a multifaceted series of projects related to laboratory planning, programming, and operations; facility transition planning and decommissioning; hazard, risk, and exposure assessment, control, and management; chemical safety, hazardous materials, and hazardous waste; biocontainment, biological safety, and biosecurity; and regulatory and code compliance, as well as the integration of guidance and consensus standards (e.g., BMBL, ANSI, ASHRAE), manufacturers’ use instructions, and industry best practices. The selected candidate will support the Science & Technology division with duties and coordination as part of an interactive team of scientists, engineers, and subject matter experts. This position will work interactively with Merrick architects, engineers, and commissioning agents responsible for the design and commissioning of high-containment, teaching, research, clinical, and biotech laboratories, and vivaria (i.e., small- to large-animal use programs and facilities) located at academic, public health, healthcare, and biotechnology institutions, as well as federal, state, and local government sites.

Requirements

Ability to be proficient not only in multiple safety disciplines, but also in public health, clinical, and academic laboratory operations, with an understanding of how laboratory activities, controls, and equipment function to support the containment, isolation, and safe use of chemical, biological, and physical hazards.
Must possess excellent communication and writing skills.
High level of demonstrated effectiveness in working with high-profile clients (e.g., federal and state entities, regulators, accreditation and certification organizations, and academic, public health, healthcare, and biotechnology administrators), internal team members, and outside consulting team members.
Candidates must be prepared to demonstrate excellence in team integration, participation, and operation.
The successful candidate will be required to engage a broad spectrum of clients and federal, local, and state government contacts for Life Sciences projects located anywhere within the U.S., U.K., and Canada.
Master’s degree or higher in a science or safety-related field from an accredited program.
Minimum of five (5) years of experience in government, academic, and healthcare facility and laboratory operations, chemical, biological, and physical hazard safety, as well as biocontainment and biosecurity operations.
Previous experience in high- and maximum-containment laboratories (CL/BSL-3 or higher).
Technical knowledge of regulatory requirements regarding chemical, biological, and physical hazard safety, OSHA regulated hazards, the Animal Welfare Act, select agents and toxins, and all federal and state agencies responsible for permitting, registering, or approving client facilities (e.g., U.S. Federal Select Agent Program).
Experience working with microorganisms or viruses classified under 7 CFR Part 331, 9 CFR Part 121, and 42 CFR Part 73 as select agents.
Ability to review, understand, and integrate pertinent information from regulations and state codes into client deliverables.
Experience performing facility and laboratory assessments for biological, chemical, and physical hazards within all types of laboratory facilities and assigned containment levels.
Ability to coordinate the collection of data from facility and laboratory assessments to determine gaps needed to meet design and operational requirements and to devise action plans to mitigate or resolve identified gaps.
Computer Skills: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, etc.).
Computer skills: Adobe Acrobat Professional.
Ability to work on multiple projects, including resourcing, tracking, follow-up, and follow-through to project completion.
Well-organized, detail-oriented, and self-motivated professional with strong verbal and written communication skills.
Flexibility/adaptability to work in a fast-paced, team oriented environment.
This position may require yearly vaccination as mandated by Merrick clients’ policies (e.g., flu, COVID-19, MMR, and Tdap).
Applicants must be willing to travel up to 50% domestically and internationally, as needed, to support client projects.
Client projects for this position require U.S. Citizenship.

Nice To Haves

Credentialed biosafety professional or other applicable safety professional.
Experience serving as the responsible official or alternate responsible official for an institutions registered select agent program.
Experience with infectious agents, hazardous materials, physical hazards, hazardous waste, and regulated medical waste.
Experience managing or serving on Institutional Biosafety Committees, Institutional Animal Use and Care Committees, and Chemical Safety Committees.
Technical knowledge of healthcare facility and clinical laboratory compliance standards (CLIA, CAP, and TCJ) is preferred.
Technical knowledge of biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, cleanroom, and GMP operations is preferred.
Technical knowledge of public health laboratory operations is preferred.
Technical knowledge of consensus standards (e.g., ANSI, ASHRAE, NFPA) is preferred.
General awareness of clinical laboratory operations and hazards associated with diagnostic, clinical microbiology, chemistry, blood bank, histopathology, and gross sectioning is preferred.
Experience in the following: BSL1-4 facility and laboratory operations (academic, clinical, public health, and biotechnology); Clinical laboratory operations; Vivarium operations (large and small animal facilities); Building automation and access control systems; Facility information technology and information security systems; Cyber and biosecurity; Data management systems; Quality management systems.

Responsibilities

Provide strategy, development, execution, and technical knowledge for project deliverables related to facility and laboratory operations, hazard and risk identification, assessment, characterization, and management, exposure assessment and control, general safety, public health and environmental management, occupational and industrial hygiene, pharmacy and healthcare compliance, consensus standards and industry best practices, domestic, exotic, and research animal housing, care, and use, insectaries and disease vectors, and regulatory and code compliance.
Possess strong oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.
Effectively interface with Merrick team members to prepare project deliverables (e.g., complex studies, reports, plans, specifications, and other products); ensure adherence to project quality; address regulatory and code compliance as it pertains to facility and laboratory operations, client safety, and the proper handling, storage, and disposal of chemical, biological, and physical hazards; support document preparation to aid clients in obtaining registrations and permits, maintaining required regulatory compliance (e.g., OSHA, EPA, FSAP, USDA, APHIS, CDC, NIH Guidelines, FDA, FAA, DOT, and CBP), and adhering to codes (e.g., NFPA), standards (e.g., ANSI), certifications (e.g., Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)) and accreditations (College of American Pathologists, The Joint Commission, and AAALAC); and support proposal development and marketing initiatives.
Support leadership to ensure that project schedules and budgets are met and communicate to leadership any issues and concerns.
Exercise initiative, judgment, and knowledge commensurate with the responsibilities of the position.
Adopt and apply all Merrick policies and procedures on assignments.
Educate clients on pertinent regulations, consensus standards, manufacturers’ use instructions, and best practices concerning their facilities, laboratories, operations, safety programs, hazard control systems, biocontainment, equipment, hazardous materials storage, waste treatment and disposal processes, and all associated document and recordkeeping.