About the Department of Environmental Health and Safety

Our Health & Safety department at Mount Royal University (MRU) is a small but dynamic team of four professionals dedicated to fostering a safe and healthy environment for over 2,500 employees and more than 10,000 students. We work collaboratively to support the entire university community, providing guidance, training, and resources to ensure a proactive and positive safety culture.

As a close-knit team, we value teamwork, engagement, and a supportive work environment. We take pride in building strong relationships across campus, working directly with employees in all departments to promote safety initiatives and address concerns. Our approach balances professionalism with a positive and fun atmosphere, making every day both rewarding and enjoyable.

If you’re passionate about workplace health and safety and thrive in a collaborative, people-focused setting, we’d love for you to join us!

About the Role 

Reporting to the Manager of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), the incumbent is an integral member of the EHS team, providing expert scientific and technical input on specialized topics, and managing a high volume and variety of work. The Laboratory and Biosafety Specialist is embedded in the Faculty of Science and Technology, where a majority of their work is focused; the key responsibilities of the role are, however, exercised University-wide.

The Laboratory and University Biosafety Specialist has the demonstrated ability to use independent judgement, to take initiative, to work independently and to anticipate needs, and to plan, organize, coordinate, and perform work with minimal supervision. They have excellent communication skills (both written and verbal), and are able to develop and maintain strong collaborative and professional relationships with faculty, staff, administrators, external regulatory agencies, and third party consultants and contractors. This is accomplished while actively promoting a culture of safety, including the implementation and enforcement of Laboratory Safety, Biosafety, and Hazardous Waste Programs.

The Laboratory and University Biosafety Specialist is required to apply critical thinking and analytical skills to interpret legislative requirements, integrating changes into safety and waste programs, and have the ability to use discretion, maintain professionalism, and exhibit composure under pressure. They are able to maintain confidentiality, discretion, and sensitivity, to exhibit flexibility, and to anticipate and adapt to shifting priorities. The Laboratory Safety and Biosafety Specialist must be able to exercise good judgement when handling and responding to information requests from internal and external stakeholders; they must be able to obtain security clearances related to legislative requirements involving laboratory activities.

On occasion, and in addition to the regular work schedule, the Laboratory Safety and Biosafety Specialist may be required to be available for after-hours callout, in the event of an emergency.

This is a full-time, limited term position, working 37.5 hours per week, commencing April 01, 2025 and ending March 31, 2026. 

Note: Strong internal Candidate. 

Responsibilities 

• Develop and improve Laboratory Safety and Biosafety Programs Develop and improve the Laboratory Safety and Biosafety Programs so that they protect the health and safety of laboratory personnel and meet or exceed federal and provincial legislative requirements or industry standards.

• Oversee and participate in the development of plans, standards, procedures, and protocols as they relate to laboratory safety and biosafety. Create ancillary documents that support these activities (e.g. checklists and/or process guides).

• Oversee the maintenance of recordkeeping, including training records, permitting, compliance, and related records.

• Provide scientific and technical expertise for the Laboratory Safety and Biosafety Programs.

• Contribute to the development and improvement of management systems integral to the Laboratory Safety and Biosafety

• Programs, including inventory management, hazard assessment and control, training, inspection, and incident investigation.

• Interpret legislative requirements and integrate changes into University operations.

• Identify and problem-solve non-compliance relating to laboratory safety and biosafety, and develop action plans to ensure continual improvement.

• Support training and orientation by coordinating and/or providing laboratory safety and biosafety training to laboratory and non-laboratory personnel (including contractors).

• Ensure maintenance of the University’s hazardous materials and chemical inventory system (CHEMATIX), and accessibility of SDS in accordance with legislation. Provide training to laboratory technologists, and other faculty and staff, as required to ensure CHEMATIX information is up-to-date.

Hazardous and Laboratory Waste

• Manage the administrative and operational duties of the Hazardous Waste Program, including all laboratory waste requiring specialized disposal (i.e. not via municipal waste streams).

• Coordinate the collection of waste from laboratories and similar spaces across the University.

• Ensure hazardous and laboratory waste is properly classified, appropriately segregated, pre-treated/processed, and correctly packaged and stored for disposal.

• Oversee the disposal of hazardous and laboratory waste according to the appropriate municipal, provincial, and federal laws.

Laboratory Inspection and Incident Investigation

• Conduct and report on laboratory inspections or audits of a specialized scientific and technical nature to determine whether facilities meet operational requirements.

• Lead incident investigations related to laboratory activities, identifying causal factors, and corrective actions.

• Evaluate findings from inspections, audits, and investigations to develop proposals, in consultation and collaboration with

• EHS and stakeholders that lead to improved safety and increased compliance.

Environmental Health and Safety Department

• Act as liaison between the University and relevant external agencies on matters related to laboratory safety and biosafety.

Qualifications

• Minimum completion of a University Bachelor degree in Scientific Field of Study and Work or equivalent.

• Minimum 6 to 10 years of related work experience.

• Minimum of five years safety-related experience in a laboratory environment, or an equivalent combination of experience and education.

• Experience with occupational health and safety audit processes and techniques, e.g. inspection, hazard identification, assessment, and control.

• Experience drafting and writing program documents including plans, standards, procedures, and protocols as it relates to

• laboratory safety and biosafety.

• Ability to stand, walk, and sit for prolonged periods of time, to lift or carry up to 50 pounds, and the capability to wear respiratory protection.

• Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills and ability to positively, collaboratively, and constructively work with and support all levels of the University and external regulatory and other agencies.

• Professional designation such as Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP) or eligibility and willingness to pursue such a designation.

• Minimum class 5 driver’s license and ability to obtain any relevant security clearances.

• Expert knowledge of occupational health and safety legislation and standards as it relates to federal and provincial legislation applicable to laboratory safety.

• Expert knowledge of biosafety/biosecurity legislation and standards as it relates to federal and provincial legislation applicable to biosafety.

Salary:                  $76,640 -  $96,963 per annum

Closing Date:       March 25, 2025

A cover letter and resume should be submitted in one .pdf document. Please title your .pdf document as follows: [Last Name], [Requisition Number], [Document Title].pdf (ex. Smith, 999999, CV.pdf).