Environmental Health and Safety Senior Specialist

About the role

In support of the occupational health and safety of employees, protecting the environment, and emergency management for The Jackson Laboratory, this role is independently responsible for assessing risks, developing standards, administering policies and programs, and leading employee engagement to ensure continuous improvement and compliance with federal, state, local regulations, and internal framework. This cross-functional role partners closely with research, production, facilities, and leadership to lead the assessment and mitigation of risks, investigate incidents, and positively influence a problem-solving culture. Success in this role requires strong follow-through, clear communication, and the ability to independently address safety concerns directly and professionally.

Responsibilities

• Independently develops, implements, and administers complex or Laboratory-wide EHS programs; establishes metrics and benchmarks and evaluates program effectiveness with minimal oversight.
• Leads or represents the Laboratory during regulatory inspections and audits; interprets findings, negotiates corrective action timelines, and briefs senior leadership on regulatory exposure and remediation plans.
• Establishes standards and procedures to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local safety regulations and internal standards; interprets emerging or ambiguous regulatory requirements for senior management.
• Researches and benchmarks external best practices and emerging regulatory trends; recommends and drives adoption of improvements to keep Laboratory programs current and defensible.
• Designs and oversees delivery of employee training programs for assigned area(s); mentors and coaches EHS staff on technical practice, investigation methods, and stakeholder engagement.
• Leads investigations of complex, high-severity, or recurring incidents; performs root cause analysis and directs the development and tracking of corrective and preventive actions.
• Analyzes trends across inspection, audit, incident, and training data to identify systemic risks and recommend program-level or organizational improvements to senior leadership.
• Leads or serves as a key responder during emergency situations involving hazardous materials, confined space rescue, or fire/smoke incidents, and leads after-action discussions.
• Leads cross-functional EHS initiatives and projects, coordinating resources, timelines, and communications across departments.
• Contributes to EHS program budgeting and may assist in evaluating and procuring EHS equipment, services, or consultants.
• Independently engages and builds trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders without requiring day-to-day direction.
• Serves as a designated delegate for the Site EHS Leader, representing the EHS function's priorities and making sound, timely decisions in that capacity when the Site EHS Leader is unavailable.
• Works directly with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies, often as the Laboratory's primary point of contact for assigned program area(s).

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required (Master's degree preferred) in Occupational Health & Safety, Public Health, Environmental Health, Environmental Sciences, or a related field such as chemistry or