Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Chemical Hygiene & Safety Officer)
Richmond, VA - USA
Job Summary
Chemical Hygiene & Laboratory Safety Officer
Location: Richmond CA
Employment Type: Full-Time Contract
Schedule: Day Shift On-Site
Contract: 12-month initial contract with strong potential for extension or permanent employment
Pay: $55$65/hr based on experience
Travel: Up to 10%
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Chemical Hygiene & Laboratory Safety professional to support a large public health laboratory in Richmond California.
This is a unique opportunity for a safety laboratory environmental health or compliance professional to take on a broad role focused on laboratory safety chemical hygiene regulatory compliance risk management employee safety training and program development.
The Chemical Hygiene & Laboratory Safety Officer will serve as a key resource for laboratory leadership and staff helping ensure that laboratory operations are safe compliant and aligned with applicable regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
You will work across multiple laboratory divisions and facilities and collaborate with clinical laboratory professionals public health microbiologists research scientists laboratory managers and organizational leadership.
This role is particularly well suited for someone who enjoys working at the intersection of laboratory operations safety compliance and program management and wants to have a meaningful impact on laboratory safety across a large organization.
Why This Role May Be a Great Fit
Take on a broad laboratory safety and compliance role supporting a large public health laboratory.
Work beyond day-to-day bench responsibilities and have an organization-wide impact.
Develop expertise in chemical hygiene laboratory safety regulatory compliance and risk management.
Work with a variety of laboratory environments scientific disciplines and specialized operations.
Serve as a trusted technical resource for laboratory leadership and staff.
Develop and deliver safety training to laboratory professionals and other employees.
Help develop and implement laboratory safety programs and procedures.
Opportunity for contract extension and/or transition into a permanent position.
What Youll Do
Laboratory Safety & Chemical Hygiene
Develop implement and maintain laboratory safety and chemical hygiene programs across multiple laboratory facilities.
Evaluate laboratory procedures workflows equipment and work environments to identify potential safety hazards and risks.
Conduct hazard exposure and risk assessments and recommend appropriate controls.
Provide guidance on the safe handling storage transportation and disposal of chemicals clinical specimens environmental samples and other hazardous materials.
Help develop and maintain procedures related to hazardous chemicals controlled substances select agents radioactive materials and other high-risk materials.
Research applicable regulatory requirements and industry best practices and translate them into practical laboratory procedures.
Identify opportunities to improve laboratory safety reduce risk and minimize hazardous waste.
Help standardize safety practices across multiple laboratory departments and facilities.
Participate in laboratory inspections audits and safety assessments.
Incident Investigation & Risk Management
Assist with investigations involving laboratory accidents exposures injuries near misses and other safety incidents.
Conduct or support root-cause analyses and develop investigation reports and corrective action plans.
Partner with laboratory leadership to identify contributing factors and implement corrective actions.
Monitor follow-up activities to ensure corrective actions and safety improvements are effectively implemented.
Maintain appropriate safety documentation and records.
Stay current on regulatory and safety requirements affecting clinical research and public health laboratories.
Laboratory Leadership & Program Development
Serve as a safety resource and technical advisor to laboratory managers branch leadership research scientists and laboratory staff.
Support laboratory safety committees and organization-wide safety initiatives.
Develop review and update laboratory-specific policies procedures and safety programs.
Coordinate safety projects drills emergency response planning and other laboratory safety initiatives.
Collaborate with internal departments and external public health partners.
Provide consultation regarding hazardous materials incidents exposure prevention and laboratory safety concerns.
Participate in laboratory safety and health committees and professional workgroups.
Help identify and implement opportunities to continuously improve laboratory safety programs.
Training & Education
Develop and deliver laboratory safety training for laboratory scientists microbiologists research scientists technicians and other personnel.
Conduct new employee safety orientations and ongoing safety education.
Train staff on chemical safety hazardous materials PPE exposure prevention emergency response packaging/shipping and other laboratory safety topics.
Help laboratory personnel understand and implement new safety procedures associated with laboratory methods equipment and technologies.
Monitor required safety training and help identify and address compliance gaps.
Develop training materials presentations and other educational resources.
Occupational Health & Employee Safety
Partner with laboratory leadership HR and other internal teams on laboratory-specific occupational health and employee safety programs.
Provide guidance regarding PPE exposure prevention emergency response and safe laboratory practices.
Assist with employee exposure monitoring and occupational health initiatives.
Support annual occupational health planning and coordination with outside vendors.
Assist with programs related to employee exposures injuries and laboratory-related health and safety concerns.
What Were Looking For
Required Qualifications
Bachelors degree or higher in environmental health occupational health and safety chemistry biology laboratory science public health or another relevant scientific or safety-related field.
Professional experience in laboratory safety environmental health & safety chemical hygiene occupational safety laboratory operations regulatory compliance or a related field.
Experience working in a clinical public health research academic industrial or high-complexity laboratory environment.
Strong understanding of laboratory safety principles and practices.
Knowledge of chemical hygiene hazardous materials exposure prevention hazard assessment and risk management.
Familiarity with applicable regulatory and safety requirements such as OSHA/Cal-OSHA CLIA DTSC EPA or ISO standards.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work effectively with laboratory professionals managers scientists and organizational leadership.
Ability to independently identify safety concerns develop practical solutions and follow projects through implementation.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in one or more of the following areas is highly desirable:
Laboratory Safety Officer
Chemical Hygiene Officer
Environmental Health & Safety (EHS)
Laboratory quality or compliance
Public health laboratory
Clinical laboratory
Research or academic laboratory
Chemical safety or hazardous materials
Occupational health and safety
Incident investigation
Risk assessment
Corrective and preventive actions (CAPA)
Employee exposure monitoring
Laboratory safety training
Safety committee leadership
Hazardous materials shipping and regulatory compliance
Emergency response planning
Regulatory inspections or audits
Backgrounds That May Be a Good Fit
We are open to candidates from a variety of professional backgrounds. You do not need to hold a California CLS license to be considered for this position.
Strong candidates may come from backgrounds such as:
Laboratory Safety
Chemical Hygiene
Environmental Health & Safety
Occupational Health & Safety
Laboratory Management
Laboratory Quality/Compliance
Public Health Laboratories
Clinical Laboratories
Research or Academic Laboratories
Industrial or Pharmaceutical Laboratories
Hazardous Materials Management
You dont need to have the exact Chemical Hygiene & Laboratory Safety Officer title on your resume. Were particularly interested in professionals who have hands-on experience identifying laboratory hazards managing safety programs working with regulatory requirements conducting risk assessments investigating incidents and training laboratory personnel.
Additional Requirements
Reliable attendance and ability to work full-time on-site.
Ability to work in laboratory environments that may involve hazardous chemicals biological materials controlled substances and other regulated materials.
Ability to wear specialized PPE as required.
Successful completion of required background and security clearances.
Medical clearance may be required based on job responsibilities.
Occasional after-hours or emergency response may be required.
Ability to travel to other laboratory facilities as needed up to approximately 10%.
Compensation & Benefits
$55$65/hr depending on experience
Day shift
Full-time on-site position
12-month initial contract
Strong potential for extension and/or permanent employment
Health dental and vision insurance
PTO
Paid holidays
About Lighthouse Lab Services
At Lighthouse Lab Services we specialize in helping clinical laboratories start grow and operate successfully. Our recruiting team has more than 22 years of experience connecting laboratory professionals with opportunities ranging from entry-level Medical Technologists to experienced Laboratory Directors.
We recruit nationwide for permanent and contract positions with clients ranging from community hospitals to large reference and public health laboratories.
If youre an experienced laboratory safety EHS chemical hygiene occupational safety or laboratory professional looking for an opportunity to make a broader impact apply today.
#LLS2
Required Experience:
Unclear Seniority
About Company
We provide comprehensive solutions to the clinical and medical lab industry through recruiting, consulting, lab management services, and more.