Senior Specialist Safety & Environment

Merck • Rahway, NJ

9d • $96,200 - $151,400 • Onsite

About The Position

As a core member of the Site Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) team, the Senior Specialist of Safety & Environment provides technical leadership, risk management, and project ownership for operating departments at the Rahway site. The role focuses on identifying, assessing, and mitigating biosafety and industrial hygiene hazards across research, development, and pilot-scale operations. The specialist partners with laboratory and clinical manufacturing departments to design, implement, and maintain compliant biological containment and technical safety solutions.

The role serves as the site's primary technical resource for biological safety compliance, helping ensure daily operations meet site and regulatory standards. It involves collaboration with scientists, facilities engineering, and site leadership to strengthen the safety culture, improve biological material handling, and align biosafety protocols with site business priorities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biosafety, Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Health & Safety, or a closely related scientific or engineering discipline.
• At least 8 years of applied professional EHS experience, including at least 4 years directly dedicated to biosafety, biological containment, or laboratory safety within a pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic research, or clinical environment.
• Demonstrated expertise implementing biosafety containment strategies, conducting biological risk assessments, and managing laboratory safety protocols.
• Hands-on experience with industrial hygiene monitoring practices, including airborne particulate sampling, chemical exposure assessment, and ventilation measurements.
• Outstanding technical writing and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex microbiological and chemical risk data into clear, actionable advice for non-EHS stakeholders.
• Critical thinking and analytical skills to resolve complex containment and process safety challenges.
• Self-motivated ability to lead site-wide biosafety initiatives independently while escalating program-level decisions appropriately.

Nice To Haves

• A relevant master's degree.
• Hands-on biosafety technical experience in laboratory and pilot-scale settings, including biosafety risk assessments, containment recommendations, biosafety cabinet oversight, and biological waste handling.
• Practical experience providing general EHS support in pilot-scale and laboratory environments, including safety inspections, contractor oversight, emergency response support, and corrective action tracking.
• Relevant professional certifications such as CBSP/RBP, CIH, ASP/CSP, or equivalent.
• Experience preparing for and hosting regulatory inspections, such as OSHA inspections, and drafting technical responses to regulatory inquiries.
• Experience using specialized EHS data systems, incident tracking software, and occupational health databases.

Responsibilities

• Lead implementation and continuous improvement of site Biosafety programs, policies, and standard operating procedures.
• Develop and deliver specialized biosafety training curricula, including bloodborne pathogens and biological waste management.
• Conduct biological risk assessments for new research projects, material use, and pilot-scale processes.
• Participate in industrial hygiene monitoring, including airborne agents, chemical exposures, and noise, and prepare reports pairing industrial hygiene and biological risk mitigation strategies.
• Provide hands-on oversight for biological containment systems, including Biosafety Cabinets (BSCs), laminar flow hoods, and custom containment engineering controls.
• Perform routine laboratory safety audits, containment reviews, and technical coaching for laboratory personnel and contractors.
• Support and participate in the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), implement site policies, review biological risk assessments, and implement committee directives.
• Partner on capital projects and facility modifications to ensure appropriate HVAC, pressure cascades, and waste systems are integrated into biological spaces.
• Support management of change (MOC) reviews, incident investigations, and Process Hazard Analyses (PHA) involving biological and chemical hazards.
• Provide technical guidance on the handling, inactivation, and disposal of biological and hazardous waste.
• Support site emergency response planning for potential biological spills or exposure incidents.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision healthcare and other insurance benefits for employees and family.
• Retirement benefits, including 401(k).
• Paid holidays.
• Vacation.
• Compassionate and sick days.
• Eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

What This Job Offers

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