SHE Specialist – Industrial Hygiene

Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States

Work Arrangement: Onsite in Gaithersburg, MD to support pharmaceutical R&D, laboratory, manufacturing, commercial facilities, and site industrial hygiene operations.

Introduction to Role

Are you ready to help strengthen a proactive safety culture through practical industrial hygiene expertise? As a SHE Specialist – Industrial Hygiene, you will support AstraZeneca’s pharmaceutical R&D facility by anticipating, recognizing, evaluating, and helping control workplace conditions that may impact employee health, comfort, or safety.

This role is ideal for someone with a foundational understanding of industrial hygiene who is ready to expand their technical skill set in a collaborative, regulated environment. You will perform assignments independently while partnering with the Industrial Hygiene Manager and team to support exposure monitoring, risk assessments, investigations, technical documentation, training, and continuous improvement.

Mentorship will be provided; however, the successful candidate will be expected to take initiative, demonstrate investigative curiosity, and supplement mentorship with independent learning, research, and collaboration.

Typical Accountabilities

• Conduct exposure-based quantitative and qualitative risk assessments for industrial hygiene hazards, including noise, chemical exposure, indoor air quality, Legionella, biological hazards, ventilation systems, and other workplace exposures.
• Design and execute sampling and exposure monitoring plans; collect and evaluate biological, chemical, surface, air, liquid, noise, lighting, indoor air quality, ventilation, and control system data.
• Review, recommend, and help establish exposure controls based on internal policies, recognized industry best practices, and applicable legal or company standards.
• Coach and train end users on appropriate exposure controls, safe work practices, sampling expectations, and industrial hygiene requirements.
• Purchase, maintain, and manage industrial hygiene sampling media, equipment, and related materials.
• Research new laboratory equipment, processes, and maintenance requirements through an industrial hygiene and exposure assessment lens.
• Prepare technical reports, risk assessments, and documentation in accordance with company and legal standards.
• Partner with site operations, laboratories, manufacturing, commercial facilities, engineering, and service providers to integrate industrial hygiene requirements into daily work.
• Support investigations, continuous improvement, compliance activities, and industrial hygiene program goals and objectives.

Required On-Call Coverage

On-call coverage is required. Employees may participate in an on-call rotation and be available outside standard working hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, as needed to support business-critical activities.

Essential Skills/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Health, Occupational Health, a science-related field, or a related industrial hygiene discipline.
• Foundational industrial hygiene experience, including exposure monitoring, investigations, risk assessments, industrial hygiene research, or related technical activities.
• Ability to operate under the direction of an Industrial Hygiene Manager while growing into a fully independent industrial hygiene role.
• Comfortable working onsite in laboratory, manufacturing, commercial facilities, or other regulated operational environments.
• Ability to collaborate closely with site operations, laboratories, engineering, facilities, safety, and service provider teams.
• Ability to independently track and complete multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.
• Strong attention to detail, investigative curiosity, initiative, and work ethic.
• Ability to communicate technical information clearly through written reports, documentation, training, and stakeholder conversations.
• Ability to meet physical requirements, including wearing respiratory protection and protective clothing, climbing ladders, working in confined spaces, and occasionally lifting or carrying up to 40 lbs.

Desirable Skills/Experience

• Training or experience with potent compounds.
• Advanced degree, such as an MS or higher, in Industrial Hygiene or a related science field.
• Experience working in a pharmaceutical, biotechnology, laboratory-based R&D, manufacturing, or regulated scientific environment.
• Experience with biohazards, animal research, or testing environments.
• Experience providing in-person, lecture-based training or presenting to large groups.
• Strong technical writing skills and experience preparing documentation aligned with legal, company, or regulatory standards.

Compensation and Benefits

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $73,710- $95,000 USD Annual. Hourly and salaried non-exempt employees will also be paid overtime pay when working qualifying overtime hours. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program (salaried roles), to receive a retirement contribution (hourly roles), and commission payment eligibility (sales roles). Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Date Posted