Environmental, Health & Safety Specialist

About the role

Environmental, Health & Safety Specialist Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Full-Time | On-Site A well-established global food manufacturing organization is seeking an experienced Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Specialist to support EHS programs at a high-volume food production facility in Alexandria, Virginia. This is a hands-on, plant-based position for an EHS professional who enjoys working directly with Production, Maintenance, Sanitation, Quality, Human Resources, and Facility Leadership. The successful candidate will help strengthen workplace safety, environmental compliance, employee training, incident prevention, risk management, and regulatory readiness throughout the manufacturing operation. Key Responsibilities - Support the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of EHS programs. - Conduct workplace safety inspections, audits, and risk assessments. - Identify unsafe conditions, operational hazards, and potential compliance issues. - Recommend appropriate engineering, administrative, and PPE controls. - Track corrective and preventive actions through completion. - Support OSHA, EPA, state, local, fire-code, and company compliance requirements. - Maintain accurate EHS records and documentation. - Assist with regulatory inspections and internal/external audits. - Lead or support investigations involving workplace injuries, near misses, safety incidents, and environmental incidents. - Perform root-cause analysis and develop corrective-action plans. - Maintain OSHA injury and illness documentation. - Analyze incident trends and recommend prevention strategies. - Deliver safety training to employees, supervisors, and contractors. - Support new-hire safety orientation and refresher training. - Provide training and guidance on: - PPE - Hazard Communication / HazCom - Lockout/Tagout - Machine Guarding - Forklift & Pedestrian Safety - Chemical Handling - Emergency Response - Ergonomics - Slip, Trip & Fall Prevention - Confined Space Awareness - General Workplace Safety - Support environmental compliance programs, including waste management, wastewater activities, spill prevention, and air/water permit requirements. - Assist with hazardous-material and chemical-storage programs. - Participate in emergency preparedness planning and drills. - Support ammonia/refrigeration-related emergency response activities when applicable. - Work closely with Production, Sanitation, Maintenance, Quality Assurance, HR, and Site Leadership. - Promote employee participation and accountability for workplace safety. - Support continuous-improvement and operational-excellence initiatives. Required Qualifications - Approximately 2–4 years of EHS experience, preferably in a manufacturing or industrial environment. - Experience in one or more of the following environments is preferred: - Food manufacturing - Food processing - Cold storage - Warehousing - Industrial manufacturing - Production operations - Working knowledge of OSHA requirements. - Working knowledge of EPA and applicable environmental regulations. - Experience conducting workplace inspections and safety audits. - Experience with incident investigations and root-cause analysis. - Experience with risk assessments and corrective-action management. - Employee safety training experience. - Strong documentation and organizational skills. - Excellent written and verbal communication skills. - Ability to work effectively with production employees, supervisors, maintenance personnel, and plant leadership. - Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. - Familiarity with EHS management systems or safety-reporting platforms is preferred. Education A bachelor's degree in one of the following or a related discipline is preferred: - Occupational Safety - Environmental Science - Industrial Hygiene - Engineering - Food Science An equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience may also be considered. Food Manufacturing Safety Experience Candidates should be comfortable working around hazards commonly found in active food-production environments, including: - Automated production machinery - Refrigerated and freezer areas - Wet floors - Hot surfaces - Sanitation chemicals - Forklifts and powered industrial equipment - Material-handling operations - Lockout/Tagout activities - Maintenance operations - Repetitive-motion activities - Loading docks and warehouses Highly Desirable Qualifications Experience or certifications involving any of the following would be particularly valuable: - OSHA 30-Hour General Industry - ASP – Associate Safety Professional - CSP – Certified Safety Professional - CHMM – Certified Hazardous Materials Manager - HAZWOPER - First Aid / CPR - Forklift Trainer Certification - Ammonia Refrigeration - Process Safety Management (PSM) - Environmental Permitting - Regulatory Inspections - Food Manufacturing or Food-Processing Operations Work Environment This is a hands-on, on-site manufacturing position. The EHS Specialist will regularly work throughout: - Production floors - Sanitation areas - Warehouses - Refrigerated and freezer environments - Maintenance areas - Loading docks - Outdoor facility areas - Office environments The position requires the ability to walk and stand for extended periods, climb stairs or ladders when necessary, enter active manufacturing areas, conduct inspections, and respond to safety or environmental incidents. Some situations may require response outside normal business hours. Position Details - Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent - Location: Alexandria, Virginia - Work Arrangement: On-Site - Benefits: Full Benefits - Relocation: Relocation assistance is not currently offered - Work Authorization: Candidates must already have appropriate authorization to work in the United States. ### Confidential Search ### Employer information will be provided to qualified candidates as they move through the recruitment process.