Director Safety Operations Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Job Description
At our company, we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company, using the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. We are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals.
Join a purpose-built, agile small molecule manufacturing site where your work will help bring important medicines to patients in the U.S. This facility is designed to move quickly and reliably, receiving technology transfers from commercialization sites and fast-following into production with a focus on quality, safety, and operational excellence.
At our site, you'll be part of a team committed to creating a safe, environmentally responsible, and compliant workplace where people can do their best work. We are building deep small molecule expertise in the U.S., and we want team members who are excited to grow their skills, help improve how we operate, and contribute to a site positioned for future growth.
Summary
The Associate Director, Safety & Environment Manager, will provide EHS leadership for our Small Molecule Manufacturing facility at the Elkton, Virginia manufacturing plant. This role will support a major project at the site that will establish a new capability to manufacture Small Molecule Drug Substance, including API / Drug Substance, and Drug Products. The role will be based at Elkton and will report to the EHS Project Core Team Lead, with an indirect reporting relationship to the Elkton EHS Director / Site Lead.
The successful candidate will bring strong technical and leadership capabilities in OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM), Industrial Hygiene, and/or U.S. EPA Risk Management Program (RMP) requirements, along with demonstrated experience implementing and sustaining EHS programs and initiatives. This position will ensure EHS, industrial hygiene, process safety, and regulatory requirements are effectively incorporated into design, construction, commissioning, qualification, startup, and operational readiness activities. The role will partner closely with project leadership, site EHS, engineering, construction, operations, quality, technical operations, and external partners to support project delivery in alignment with company standards, regulatory obligations, and industry best practices.
Eventually, this role will transition into leading the EHS team members who will provide day-to-day EHS support for the new facilities after startup. Reporting to the Elkton EHS Director, the successful candidate will help shape the future operating model, transfer project knowledge into site systems, and build the organization needed to support safe, compliant, and reliable operations.
Key Responsibilities

• Provide EHS leadership for the project across safety, environmental, industrial hygiene, process safety, emergency preparedness, and regulatory compliance.

• Integrate EHS requirements into project scope, design, construction planning, commissioning, qualification, startup, and operational readiness.

• Partner with the EHS Project Core Team Lead, Elkton EHS Director / Site Lead, project leadership, and site stakeholders to ensure EHS risks, decisions, and deliverables are identified, tracked, escalated, and closed.

• Provide technical EHS input to process safety information, process hazard analyses, management of change, pre-startup safety reviews, mechanical integrity, operating procedures, training, and related operational readiness deliverables.

• Shape the Industrial Hygiene strategy for the project, including exposure risk assessment, containment expectations, OEB/OEL considerations, monitoring strategy, respiratory protection interfaces, and integration of controls into facility and equipment design.

• Work with engineering and design teams to evaluate EHS requirements for new processes, equipment, utilities, buildings, material flows, waste systems, emergency response features, containment systems, ventilation, fire protection, and hazardous area classification.

• Support construction execution by providing EHS input on contractor safety, work planning, high-risk work, temporary systems, tie-ins, enabling works, and interfaces with existing Elkton operations.

• Translate corporate, divisional, project, and site EHS standards into practical project requirements and ensure consistent implementation across the API / Drug Substance and Drug Product workstreams.

• Build strong working relationships with site EHS, operations, engineering, quality, technical operations, Global Engineering Solutions, Global Safety & Environment, contractors, consultants, and other key stakeholders.

• Prepare for future operations by ensuring EHS procedures, training needs, inspection programs, maintenance expectations, emergency response plans, staffing needs, and management system requirements are identified and transitioned to the Elkton site.

• Develop the future EHS team responsible for day-to-day support of the new facilities, including priorities, capabilities, roles, routines, and interfaces with the broader Elkton EHS organization.

• Drive a strong safety and environmental culture by coaching leaders, challenging assumptions, promoting learning, and reinforcing accountability for EHS performance.

Required Education

• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Science, Physical Science, or a related technical discipline.

Required Experience & Skills

• A minimum of 8 years of progressive EHS, safety, industrial hygiene, process safety, experience within a manufacturing, pharmaceutical, chemical, or highly regulated environment.

• Demonstrated leadership experience driving people, teams, programs, or major project workstreams.

• Strong working knowledge of OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM), Industrial Hygiene (IH), and U.S. EPA Risk Management Program (RMP) requirements.

• Experience supporting EHS requirements throughout the full engineering project lifecycle (from facility/process design and construction through commissioning, qualification, and operational readiness).

• Demonstrated experience providing practical EHS input into engineering deliverables, including layouts, P&IDs, equipment specifications, ventilation concepts, containment systems, and waste handling strategies.

• Proven track record in identifying, evaluating, and mitigating EHS risks using structured risk assessments, incident investigations, root cause analysis, and audit management processes.

• Strategic EHS Leadership: Strong cross-functional collaboration and influencing skills, with the ability to coach leaders, resolve ambiguity, and integrate safety into day-to-day decisions while balancing compliance, technical risk, cost, and schedule.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Direct experience in pharmaceutical, API, chemical manufacturing, or highly hazardous chemical operations.

• Expertise in potent compound containment, OEB/OEL strategies, containment performance targets, and integrating complex Industrial Hygiene controls into equipment and facility design.

• Experience executing large capital projects, specifically utilizing Front-End Loading (FEL) phases, formal design reviews, construction safety management, and Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) methodologies.

• Hands-on experience leading or supporting PSM/RMP-covered processes involving flammable, toxic, reactive, or highly hazardous materials.

• Relevant professional certifications (e.g., CSP, CIH, CHMM, or PE).

• Proven experience partnering effectively with regulatory agencies, external consultants, engineering firms, construction management organizations, or insurance/risk engineering partners.

#ELKVACOE
Required Skills:
Budget Management, EHS Compliance, EHS Management Systems, EHS Program Management, Emergency Response Preparedness, Fire Safety, Incident Investigations, Industrial Hygiene, Interpersonal Relationships, Regulatory Compliance, Safety Audits, Strategic Thinking, Technical Mentoring, Training and Development, Waste Management
Preferred Skills:
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The salary range for this role is
$129,000.00 - $203,100.00
This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee's position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs.
The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.
We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.
You can apply for this role through https://jobs.merck.com/us/en (or via the Workday Jobs Hub if you are a current employee). The application deadline for this position is stated on this posting.
San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance
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Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.
Employee Status:
Regular
Relocation:
Domestic/International
VISA Sponsorship:
Yes
Travel Requirements:
10%
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Not Applicable
Shift:
Not Indicated
Valid Driving License:
No
Hazardous Material(s):
n/a
Job Posting End Date:
10/1/2026
*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.