Job Summary:
The Lab Safety Specialist supports the University’s research enterprise by administering specialized programs in chemical hygiene, biosafety, radiation safety, and laser safety and by serving in formally designated Chemical Hygiene Officer, Biosafety Officer, and Radiation Safety Officer roles, as authorized. The position evaluates research activities and grant applications, interprets and applies CSU and federal and state regulatory requirements, recommends appropriate safety controls, coordinates corrective actions, and provides technical consultation and field-based services to faculty, staff, and students. This work supports regulatory compliance, maintains institutional authorizations, and promotes the safe conduct of research. These technical designations do not authorize the position to establish or approve institutional policy, depart from regulatory or licensing requirements, or make final institutional decisions concerning disputed, novel, significant, or unusually high-risk matters, which are referred to the Director, responsible institutional committee, or other appropriate authority. The role of the position is to support a safe working and learning environment for the campus community.
Responsibilities:
Chemical Hygiene:
- Serve as the formally designated campus Chemical Hygiene Officer and primary day-to-day technical resource for the Chemical Hygiene Program under general supervision.
- Administer the Chemical Hygiene Plan, campus chemical inventory, and Safety Data Sheet system by maintaining accurate records, conducting inspections and risk assessments, and evaluating laboratory practices for compliance with Cal/OSHA Title 8, hazard communication requirements, CSU policy, and approved campus procedures.
- Independently evaluate routine laboratory conditions and proposed activities; determine appropriate controls and corrective actions; and provide technical direction regarding chemical storage, labeling, use, engineering controls, personal protective equipment, and standard operating procedures.
- Develop corrective-action plans with laboratory personnel and refer unresolved, disputed, sensitive, novel, significant, or high-risk matters to the Director of Environmental Health and Safety or other appropriate institutional authority.
- Address moderately difficult or non-routine issues, including incompatible chemical storage, incomplete hazard information, changes to experimental procedures, mixed chemical and physical hazards, recurring inspection findings, and unusual waste streams, by applying existing regulations, consensus standards, Safety Data Sheets, manufacturer information, and approved University procedures.
- Respond within training and established plans to small-scale chemical spills, exposures, laboratory incidents, and near misses; stop immediate activities, isolate affected areas, initiate evacuation or exposure procedures, select initial protective measures, and coordinate reporting as appropriate.
- Travel between University locations to conduct field inspections, monitoring, sampling, training, and incident-response activities.
- Load, unload, lift, carry, and transport inspection, monitoring, sampling, spill-response, and training equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
Biosafety:
- Serve as the formally designated Biosafety Officer and primary day-to-day technical resource for the Biosafety Program under general supervision.
- Apply approved institutional requirements and established NIH, CDC, Cal/OSHA, and CSU guidance to BSL-1 and BSL-2 laboratories, vivarium activities, and field research.
- Independently evaluate routine protocols and laboratory conditions and recommend containment practices, engineering controls, work practices, personal protective equipment, training, and corrective actions.
- Review research protocols and grant applications involving biological materials; conduct risk assessments, document findings, develop corrective-action plans, and monitor implementation.
- Coordinate compliance related to biological, sharps, and medical waste.
- Address moderately difficult issues, including uncertain biological agent or procedure hazards, aerosol-generating activities, mixed biological and chemical hazards, containment deficiencies, and proposed changes to previously reviewed work.
- Resolve issues using existing risk-group information, biosafety guidance, approved program procedures, and committee criteria; elevate matters outside established criteria or involving significant disagreement to the Institutional Biosafety Committee and Director of Environmental Health and Safety.
- Develop and implement program procedures, training, inspection tools, and technical standard operating procedure guidance within approved policy.
- Recommend institutional policy or program-plan changes to management and the Institutional Biosafety Committee for approval.
- Support responses to small-scale biological spills and exposures within established plans and transfer authority when conditions exceed the position’s assigned response scope.
Radiation Safety-Ionizing, Nonionizing, and Lasers:
- Serve as the Radiation Safety Officer when formally authorized under the University’s radioactive-materials license and institutional approval process, and serve as the primary day-to-day technical resource for assigned radiation- and laser-safety activities under general supervision.
- Exercise the authority granted by the license, approved Radiation Safety Program, and Radiation Safety Committee to conduct routine reviews, surveys, inventories, training, and compliance follow-up.
- Administer institutional licensing, registration, and permitting requirements by applying CDPH Radiologic Health Branch requirements, license conditions, CSU standards, and applicable ANSI Z136 requirements.
- Maintain inventories, dosimetry, survey, training, waste, and compliance records; conduct inspections and radiation, contamination, x-ray, and laser surveys; develop routine corrective-action plans; and monitor completion.
- Evaluate research proposals and moderately difficult issues, including unexpected survey results, minor contamination, dosimetry questions, equipment or interlock deficiencies, changes within an authorized use, and overlapping radiation, laser, chemical, and biological hazards.
- Select appropriate controls by applying established license conditions, regulations, standards, approved procedures, instrument data, and manufacturer guidance.
- Refer novel uses, conditions outside the license, unresolved disputes, significant exposures, and matters requiring a new institutional approach to the Radiation Safety Committee and management.
- Provide technical information and routine records to CDPH-RHB or other agencies when requested and authorized.
- Respond to small-scale radiation or laser incidents by stopping work, controlling access, initiating contamination or exposure procedures, and making immediate protective decisions within approved plans.
- Transfer authority when incident command, emergency responders, management, or a regulatory agency assumes control.
General Research Safety and Ancillary Programs:
- Evaluate research grant applications, sponsored-project proposals, and multidisciplinary research activities for environmental health, safety, and regulatory implications.
- Apply established requirements and coordinate with principal investigators, Sponsored Programs, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, the Institutional Review Board, and other institutional committees.
- Recommend appropriate controls and program or procedural improvements; institutional policy decisions remain with management or the responsible committee.
- Coordinate hazardous-waste pickups, accumulation-area inspections, storage, and disposal for research laboratories.
- Evaluate laboratory ventilation, fume-hood and biosafety-cabinet conditions, and conduct emergency shower and eyewash inspections.
- Maintain compliance databases and records; develop corrective-action plans; and monitor implementation.
- Perform field-based inspections and surveys in laboratories, equipment spaces, storage areas, and waste-accumulation areas.
- Operate portable monitoring, sampling, survey, fit-testing, and spill-response equipment.
- Provide backup or cross-program coverage for respiratory fit testing, ergonomic evaluations, incident investigations, and general inspections using established protocols.
- Refer medical determinations, complex investigations, program changes, and matters outside established procedures to the responsible program lead or Director of Environmental Health and Safety.
- Provide indirect lead work direction and task-specific training to student employees, interns, or staff assigned to projects, as appropriate.
- Do not hire, discipline, evaluate performance, or exercise formal supervisory authority.
Training Development and Implementation:
- Develop and deliver training in assigned program areas by translating established regulatory, license, policy, and procedural requirements into audience-appropriate instruction for employees, supervisors, faculty, students, and other campus stakeholders.
- Evaluate training effectiveness through assessments, participant feedback, completion records, and inspection or incident trends.
- Update training materials and recommend program improvements to management or the applicable committee.
- Travel between campus locations and transport inspection, monitoring, sampling, spill-response, and training equipment necessary for field duties and incident response.
Other Classification-Related Duties
Minimum Qualifications:
- Equivalent to a bachelor's degree in a related field and two years of relevant experience. Additional experience which demonstrates acquired and successfully applied knowledge and abilities shown above may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis. An advanced degree in a related field may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.
Required Qualifications:
- In addition to duties performed by the Environmental Health and Safety Professional I, the Environmental Health and Safety Professional II typically performs the following duties: Implements and assists with developing environmental health and safety strategies, initiatives, and procedures that align with industry regulations to promote a safe and healthy environment.
- Conducts inspections and risk assessments of university facilities, equipment, and processes to identify potential hazards and risks; documents findings and creates EHS corrective action plans to address any identified issues.
- Develops, and may deliver, training in specific program areas.
- Contributes to the development of EHS programs, systems, and procedures.
- Implements and maintains programs.
- Recommends changes to daily activities.
- Investigates incidents, accidents, and near-misses to identify root causes.
- Documents findings, recommends EHS corrective actions, and monitors implementation.
- Monitors changes in laws, regulations, and industry standards relevant to environmental health and safety, and assesses the impact of these changes on programs.
- In collaboration with management, develops updated policies and procedures to ensure compliance with regulations.
- Reports on environmental health and safety activities, utilizing established monitoring mechanisms to provide updates on metrics, trends, and issues to university leadership and regulatory agencies when requested.
- Conducts evaluations of existing environmental health and safety programs to assess effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
- Provides lead work direction and trains staff and student employees as appropriate. Performs emergency response to small scale incidents.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Certification(s) in relevant specialties (e.g., CHO, RBP, CLSO, CHP) desirable Experience within the CSU and research compliance committees.
- Ability to complete training necessary for RSO approval within 18 months of appointment.
- Bachelor’s degree in environmental health and safety, biology, chemistry or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience demonstrating the ability to perform the duties of the position.
- breathing apparatus.
- Must be able to work in inclement environments as needed.
- Must be able to exercise discretion in handling sensitive matters and information.
Special Conditions:
- Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds in alignment with safe lifting requirements.
- Must be able to work in environments with potential exposure to hazardous materials, wearing appropriate personal protective equipment as required.
- Must be able to wear respiratory protection, including but not limited to a self-contained
License/Certification:
- Valid California driver’s license required at the time of appointment and maintained throughout employment. Driving is required to travel between campus locations and transport inspection, monitoring, sampling, spill-response, and training equipment necessary for field duties and incident response.
Compensation and Benefits:
The salary offered will take into account internal equity and experience among other factors.
Initial salary step placement will be Step 1 - $5,877 per month for qualified candidates.
CSU Classification Salary Step Range: $5,877 - $8, 561 per month (Step 1 – Step 20)
The CSU system provides a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental and vision plans, membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), sick and vacation time, and 15 paid holidays a year. Eligible employees are also able to participate in the fee waiver education program. A summary of benefit information can be found here.
Position Information:
Work status: Full-time/Exempt/ Probationary
CSUSB’s standard hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This position may require occasional evening and weekend work to support departmental activities, special events, and other university functions. Work schedules may vary and are subject to change based on business needs.
The application deadline is November 18, 2026 at 11:55 P.M
California State University, San Bernardino, as part of the CSU system, is a State of California Employer. As such, the University requires all employees upon date of hire to reside in the State of California. As of January 1, 2022 the CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits the hiring of employees to perform CSU-related work outside the state of California.
California State University, San Bernardino is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions (i.e. H1-B Visas).
CSUSB is not an E-Verify employer and cannot support visa holders with certain requirements (e.g., H1B, F1, STEM OPT).
Education Code 89521 Requirements: Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended. Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.
Conditions of Employment
Background Check
Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. CSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.
Drivers License Check
Possession of a valid Driver's License is required. Employees in this position will be enrolled in the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Government Employer Pull Notice Program which confirms possession of a valid driver's license and reflects driving record
I-9
CSUSB hires only individuals lawfully authorized to work in the United States. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. See Form I-9 Acceptable Documents at https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents.
Statement of Commitment to Diversity
In our commitment to the furthering of knowledge and fulfilling our educational mission, California State University, San Bernardino seeks a campus climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the entire variety of human experience. We welcome people from all backgrounds, and we seek to include knowledge and values from many cultures in the curriculum and extra-curricular life of the campus community. We will create, promote, and maintain activities and programs that further our understanding of individual and group diversity. We will also develop and communicate policies and promote values that discourage intolerance and discrimination.
Closing Statement:
Reasonable Accommodation
We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact CSUSB Benefits at benefits@csusb.edu.
Smoking
CSUSB is a smoke and tobacco-free campus. See policy at https://calstate.policystat.com/policy/6591951/latest/.
Clery Act
In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, California Education Code section 67380, and the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), the Cal State San Bernardino Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available at: https://www.csusb.edu/clery-act