Regional EHS Specialist

Position Summary

The Regional Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Specialist serves as the primary EHS resource for a region, providing day-to-day support, guidance, and problem-solving. This role travels frequently and is a highly visible, hands-on partner to managers and frontline employees, ensuring regulatory and cooperative compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary EHS resource for assigned locations, providing day-to-day support, guidance, and problem-solving.
• Implement and maintain cooperative-wide EHS programs, policies, procedures, and standards across the region, integrating into daily operations.
• Conduct regular site visits, field observations, and walkthroughs to identify hazards, assess risk, and verify compliance.
• Deliver EHS training tailored to operations, new-hire onboarding and task-specific instruction.
• Coach leaders and employees on safe work practices, hazard recognition, and risk mitigation.
• Facilitate safety meetings, toolbox talks, and leadership safety updates.
• Lead or support the investigation and management of workplace incidents, injuries, near misses, property damage, and environmental events.
• Develop corrective and preventive actions, track completion, and verify effectiveness.
• Prepare clear, timely incident reports and communicate lessons learned.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local EHS regulations (e.g., OSHA, EPA, DOT, grain handling standards).
• Support regulatory inspections, audits, and agency interactions, including preparation, participation, and follow-up.
• Aid locations with permit requirements, recordkeeping, reporting, and regulatory submissions.
• Monitor regulatory changes impacting agricultural operations and translate requirements into practical guidance.
• Assist locations with environmental inspections, spill response planning, and corrective actions, promoting responsible stewardship practices aligned with cooperative values and community expectations.
• Track, analyze, and report EHS metrics, trends, and key performance indicators for the region.
• Identify recurring issues and systemic risks and recommend improvements.
• Participate in corporate or cooperative-wide EHS initiatives, audits, and best-practice sharing.
• Contribute to the development and revision of EHS policies, procedures, and training materials.

Qualifications & Experience

• Required: Bachelor’s degree in safety, Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene, Agriculture, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience, or combination of degree and experience).
• Specialist Level: Degree (or equivalent experience) and up to 3 years progressive EHS experience.
• Senior Specialist Level: 5+ years of progressive EHS experience, preferably within agriculture, grain handling, manufacturing, industrial, or energy-related environments.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States without visa sponsorship.
• English proficiency.
• Must be 18 years or older.
• Travels frequently and extensively within the region.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working within an agricultural cooperative or multi-site organization.
• Professional certifications such as CSP, ASP, CHMM, or similar.
• Experience with grain handling safety standards, confined spaces, lockout/tagout, hot work, and mobile equipment safety.
• Familiarity with environmental permitting, spill prevention (SPCC), and emergency response planning.
• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence without direct authority; strong working knowledge of OSHA regulations and general environmental compliance requirements; hands-on, practical approach to safety that resonates with frontline agricultural employees; proven experience conducting incident investigations and implementing corrective actions; ability to work independently across multiple locations with minimal supervision; ability to translate regulatory requirements into clear, workable solutions; strong organizational and time-management skills in a fast-paced, seasonal environment; analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail; comfortable working in operational environments, including outdoor conditions, grain facilities, and industrial settings.

Physical & Work Environment Requirements

• Ability to walk, climb ladders and stairs, and work around grain facilities, equipment, and uneven surfaces.
• Ability to work in outdoor environments and varying weather conditions.
• Occasional lifting of materials up to established safety limits.