Laboratory Safety Specialist

Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) partners with the VCU community to promote and facilitate a positive, campus‑wide attitude of safety excellence and environmental stewardship to protect university assets and reduce risks. The primary mission of OHS and Environmental Health & Safety is to advance and support a safe and healthy environment at VCU and VCU Health through surveys, consultation, teaching, advising, auditing, and environmental monitoring. As the University liaison for safety and compliance, the team works with outside agencies and organizations to address all applicable standards.

Responsibilities

• Conduct safety inspections and evaluations across VCU and VCU Health Systems laboratories to identify and address safety concerns.
• Support faculty, staff, and students in identifying, evaluating, and mitigating laboratory safety risks.
• Enforce the University’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) policy, utilizing 30‑60‑90 day escalation procedures to ensure timely resolution of safety issues.
• Maintain, update, and enforce the OHS Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) to ensure comprehensive laboratory compliance.
• Serve as an ambassador for safety culture change by engaging with research programs, conducting risk‑based assessments, and collaborating with laboratory staff on practical mitigation strategies.
• Assist departmental leadership in maintaining and delivering comprehensive laboratory safety training modules.
• Provide technical and operational support, including industrial hygiene surveys, respiratory fit testing, hazardous waste management, indoor environmental quality investigations, laboratory closeouts, and incident response (regular hours and on‑call rotation).
• Maintain accurate reports, documentation, and records within shared drives, spreadsheets, and the EHS‑OHS management system (SciShield).
• Continuously expand expertise in Environmental Health and Safety, focusing on laboratory safety and chemical hygiene.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local safety and environmental codes applicable to academic, research, and clinical laboratory settings.
• Solid understanding of general laboratory processes, clinical/research best practices, and ability to apply chemical hazard categorization and risk mitigation strategies.
• Proven capability to collaborate with key stakeholders to identify operational risks, propose innovative solutions, and serve as an ambassador for safety culture change.
• Strong technical writing skills with experience producing reports (e.g., incident reports, indoor environmental quality assessments, and lab safety reviews).
• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, paired with a strong commitment to customer service.
• Advanced analytical and critical thinking skills to evaluate and resolve complex safety issues effectively.
• Excellent organizational and time‑management skills, with a track record of prioritizing tasks to consistently meet individual and team deadlines.
• Willingness to acquire new professional skills and adapt to evolving compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a diverse population of faculty, staff, and students.

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimal to moderate understanding of industrial hygiene monitoring techniques and use of monitoring equipment.
• Minimal to moderate understanding of federal, state, and local fire safety regulations.
• Minimal to moderate understanding of federal, state, and local occupational safety regulations.
• Minimal to moderate understanding of CDC and NIH Biological Safety Principles.
• Certification in a 40‑hour HAZWOPER course.

Pay

Salary Range: $59,400 – $72,000

Benefits

All VCU employee types are eligible for a wide array of benefits to support you during your employment at VCU. Consult the benefits website for information on benefits eligibility according to employee type.

Schedule

• Hours per Week: 40
• Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Onsite
• FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt