Associate Director, Research, Laboratory, Chemical Safety and Biosafety Officer at InsideHigherEd

Job Title: Associate Director, Research, Laboratory, Chemical Safety and Biosafety Officer Location: Kennesaw, Georgia Regular/Temporary: Regular Full/Part Time: Full-Time Job ID: 288706 About Us Are you ready to transform lives through academic excellence, innovative research, strong community partnerships and economic opportunity? Kennesaw State University is one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. With growing enrollment and global reach, we continue to expand our institutional influence and prominence beyond the state of Georgia. We offer more than 190 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to empower our 47,000 students to become thought leaders, lifelong learners, and informed global citizens. Our entrepreneurial spirit, high-impact research, and Division I athletics draw students from throughout the region and from more than 100 countries across the globe. Our university's vibrant culture, career opportunities, rich benefits, and values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity, and accountability make us an employer of choice. We are part of the University System of Georgia . We are searching for talented people to join Kennesaw State University in our vision . Come Take Flight at KSU! Location Our Kennesaw campus is located at 1000 Chastain Road NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144. Our Marietta campus is located at 1100 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060. Job Summary Responsible for the strategic development, implementation, and continuous improvement of the University's Research Safety, Laboratory Safety, Chemical Safety, Biosafety and Industrial Hygiene team and programs to ensures the safety and well-being of faculty, staff, students, and visitors and compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and University policies. Operates as a senior member of a multidisciplinary EHS team, with a particular focus on research and teaching laboratory safety, encompassing chemical, biological, radiation, and laser safety. Requires proactive engagement with the campus community, including direct consultations, technical guidance, training sessions, risk assessments, and incident management to foster a culture of safety and compliance throughout the University. Provides critical emergency response support for laboratory-related incidents. Responsibilities KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Oversees a team responsible for leading and managing comprehensive safety programs for research, laboratory, biosafety, radiation, and laser safety, ensuring alignment with federal, state, and local regulations and University policies 2. Leads and manages the industrial hygiene (IH) programs including, exposure assessment plans to evaluate exposure to noise, gases, vapors, dust, biological, and other workplace health hazards in various university-related activities 3. Partners with academic departments to assess and mitigate risks associated with chemical, biological, and radiological materials, including review and approval of high-risk materials and development of safe work practices 4. Provides expert advice and training to Principal Investigators (PIs), laboratory personnel, and students, promoting best practices in laboratory safety and risk reduction 5. Conducts routine inspections across various research and teaching laboratories, radiation areas, and laser work zones, providing actionable recommendations to address identified risks and improve safety standards 6. Conduct periodic review and audits of the safety programs, to ensure effectiveness of the hazard and risk measures, and regulatory compliance 7. Oversees the management, maintenance and calibration of portable and fixed monitoring equipment and systems, ensuring prompt resolution of any deficiencies 8. Supports University departments and PIs in implementing the Environmental and Occupational Safety Management System (EOSMS), advancing a proactive safety culture 9. Plays a key role in the University's emergency response, organizing and participating in drills, hands-on training, and real-time hazard mitigation exercises 10. Collaborates with PIs and lab supervisors, managers, supervisor, and other subject matter experts to investigate and resolve safety-related incidents, ensuring adherence to emergency protocols and mitigating future risks 11. Conducts investigations into accidents and incidents, identifying root causes to develop prevention strategies 12. Participates in and contributes to the planning and implementation of laboratory-related capital projects, and new equipment purchases to ensure that the environmental health and safety aspects and impacts are identified, evaluated, considered, and addressed 13. Participates in interdepartmental and cross-functional teams to promote and enhance University EHS initiatives and compliance efforts 14. Serves as a technical advisor to compliance committees including, Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Radiological Safety Committee), providing expertise on safety and regulatory questions Required Qualifications Educational Requirements Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene, Safety Science, Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, or related fields. Other Required Qualifications Current, valid, and unrestricted driver's license Required Experience Seven (7) years of relevant work experience, with demonstrated progressive management responsibilities. Preferred Qualifications Additional Preferred Qualifications Relevant certifications e.g., Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH); Certified Safety Professionals (CSP); Certified Health Physicist (CHP); Professional Engineer (PE); Certified Biological Safety Professional (CBSP), Registered Biological Safety Professional (RBP) Preferred Educational Qualifications An advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in Environmental Health, Industrial Hygiene, Safety Science, Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, or related field Preferred Experience Experience working in a higher education environment Progressive work experience in laboratory, research, chemical or biological safety Proposed Salary The midpoint of the salary range is $96,000. Offers are based on relevant experience. Comprehensive benefits to include Medical, Dental, Vision, 13 paid holidays, vacation, generous retirement plans, tuition waiver, wellness options, and much more! Visit hr.kennesaw.edu/benefits. Knowledge, Skills,