Senior Process Safety Chemist

The Senior Process Safety Chemist is responsible for managing Curia’s Process Safety Laboratory and supporting project process safety activities across Curia sites, including new business opportunities, development projects, and production activities at manufacturing locations. The role works closely with the Corporate Process Safety Team on both daily and strategic initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Perform desktop‑based review of current projects and new business opportunities, providing feedback on potential hazards and necessary testing to technical & bid writing teams.
• Conduct literature searches for relevant process safety information (e.g., hazardous properties of materials).
• Design tailored testing protocols for unique reactive chemical hazards as needed.
• Perform and/or direct experiments internally (or externally as appropriate).
• Interpret results through application of process safety principles (e.g., explosive properties, TMR, Stoessel’s Criticality Index, dust explosivity).
• Infer safe chemical handling conditions to address physical hazards based on experimental results.
• Propose risk‑reduction measures to control identified hazards to acceptable levels.
• Author, review, and communicate test reports to project teams.
• Manage data collection to ensure accessibility across Curia.
• Occasionally participate in PHAs (or educate the core team) as a reactive chemical hazards SME.
• Work with the Corporate PS team to further develop guidance and implement it at sites.
• Develop and deliver training packages pertinent to the process safety program.
• Manage and prioritize multiple projects to ensure timely completion of testing and reports.
• Perform regular maintenance of lab equipment, coordinating vendor service/repair as needed.
• Collaborate with Corporate Process Safety to develop and implement a long‑term laboratory improvement plan supporting evolving business needs.
• Perform other related duties as reasonably assigned.
• Ensure all laboratory operations are conducted safely in accordance with the Chemical Hygiene Plan.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with 1–2 years of process‑safety‑focused experience, or M.S. in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with 2–3 years of such experience.
• Hands‑on experience with thermal stability (e.g., DSC, ARC), calorimetry (e.g., RC1), and gas generation.
• Knowledge of chemical explosivity screening (e.g., transport regulations), dust explosivity testing (e.g., MIE), flammability (e.g., Flash Point, LEL/UEL), and electrical conductivity.
• Experience applying process safety data within a chemical batch scale‑up environment.
• Preferred: Knowledge of synthetic chemistry and pharmaceutical development.
• Ability to contribute to PHAs (e.g., HazOp, FMEA, What‑If).
• Management/leadership experience and knowledge of business operations.
• Must pass a background check.
• Must pass a drug screen.
• May be required to pass Occupational Health Screening.

Benefits

• Generous benefit options (eligible first day of employment).
• Paid training, vacation and holidays (vacation accrual begins on first day of employment).
• Career advancement opportunities.
• Education reimbursement.
• 401K program with matching contributions.
• Learning platform.
• And more.

Pay

$97,300 – $118,700 per year. Education, experience, location, tenure, and internal equity may affect the final offer.