Safety Specialist I (Assistant Biosafety Officer

Position Information

Hiring Department
:
Environmental Health and Safety

Reports To
:
Associate Director

Job Location
:
On-site;
El Paso, TX

Posting End Date
:
Open until filled. This posting may close once a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.

Hours
: 40 hours per week, standard Monday
- Friday 8:00am- 5:00pm, flexibility is required on evenings and weekends

FLSA status
:
Non-exempt

Earliest Start Date
:
As soon as possible.

Salary
: $42,000 annually

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of three references

Under the direction of management, incumbent will be responsible for providing technical assistance associated with biological safety, chemical safety, general laboratory safety, respiratory protection, hazardous waste, medical waste, and occupational health program projects. The individual will work with campus researchers, academic programs, and external regulators to ensure a safe and compliant environment. The Assistant Biosafety Officer (ABSO) serves as a technical associate to the University’s Biosafety Officer (BSO), ensuring the safe use of biological agents, recombinant DNA and biohazards in accordance with NIH Guidelines and other applicable regulations.

The ABSO is responsible for reviewing research and instructional protocols, including submissions to the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), to ensure compliance with biosafety and chemical safety standards, as well as all applicable federal, state, and university regulations and policies. The ABSO also monitors compliance by conducting initial and follow‑up on‑site inspections of laboratory research facilities that conduct biosafety research;

and provides support to other research and laboratory safety programs.

• Serves as a technical associate to the University’s Biosafety Officer, ensuring the safe use of campus biological agents and biohazards via development of program improvements to ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and guidelines.
• Assists with the development, implementation, and maintenance of programs and procedures for laboratory inspections, safety equipment inspections, hazardous waste handling, hearing conservation, respiratory protection, and occupational health.
• Develops, implements, and monitors biosafety compliance of biological research laboratories across campus, including, but not limited to, those working with toxins; human or nonhuman blood, body fluids, tissues, cell or cells lines; recombinant DNA; and plant, animal and human pathogens.
• Conducts safety assessments and inspection of campus offices, classrooms, laboratories and mechanical rooms. Performs inspections of areas and spaces to identify hazards. Proposes methods to manage hazards and reduce risk. Recommending to BSO appropriate corrective actions and elevating as needed.
• Works with faculty, staff, and students to promote awareness of biological and laboratory safety, respiratory protection, hearing conservation and occupational health hazards.
• Investigates biological and/or laboratory incidents, which may result in writing regulatory incident reports, root cause analysis, and devising recommendations for corrective actions as needed.
• Provides guidance to researchers in the field or laboratory regarding safe work practice alternatives, such as safe sharp implementation or workflow design changes.
• Designs and delivers the safety training programs through in‑person and on‑line training systems to educate laboratory personnel, building occupants, and service personnel in biological safety, laboratory safety, , respiratory protection, and hearing conservation.. Maintains training records.
• Investigates biological and/or laboratory incidents, which may result in writing regulatory incident reports, root cause analysis, and devising recommendations for corrective actions as needed.
• Provides guidance to researchers in the field or laboratory regarding safe work practice alternatives, such as safe sharp implementation or workflow design changes.
• Assists with the packaging, pick‑up, transport and disposal of…