Environmental Health & Safety Specialist

Environmental Health and Safety Experience in Biologic processing / Anaerobic Digestion / Biogas a plus!

Position Summary

The EHS Specialist I or II serves as the dedicated on-site EHS professional at the Synthica Saint Bernard (SSB) Food Waste Anaerobic Digestion and Renewable Natural Gas facility in Saint Bernard, Ohio. This role carries a dual mandate: in the near term, overseeing contractor construction crews to complete pre-commissioning tasks while simultaneously building the site-specific EHS programs, procedures, and training frameworks that will govern safe work at SSB; and on an ongoing basis, owning and continuously improving those programs as the facility transitions to full in-house operations under UGIES management. The right candidate brings the technical foundation to develop sound programs and the field presence to effectively manage and sustain them.

In addition to safety responsibilities, this role incorporates site-level environmental compliance functions, including air permit data collection, discharge permit compliance, stormwater and SPCC inspections, Tier II reporting, and waste tracking, managed in coordination with the UGIES Environmental Department.

A successful candidate is energized by the full lifecycle of safety and environmental management: developing, implementing, maintaining, and continuously improving a facility-specific safety and environmental management system. This individual will work under the direction of and in close coordination with the UGIES Manager of Safety, with access to a broader safety and environmental compliance team and organizational resources.

Essential Functions

The following are the primary responsibilities of this role. This list is not exhaustive. All functions must be performed in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and company policies.

• Lead contractor safety oversight during the pre-commissioning construction phase, including review of contractor-submitted safety plans, conducting site orientations, and verifying permit-to-work compliance, while contributing to the build-out of site operational staffing and EHS infrastructure in parallel.
• Develop site-specific EHS programs, procedures, and training curriculum from the ground up, including the Emergency Action Plan, Spill Response Plan, SOP template, LOTO procedures, PPE matrix and procurement, HAZCOM program, and new hire orientation, establishing the foundation for ongoing EHS management at SSB.
• Conduct field safety assessments, job site inspections, and hazard identification activities across facility operations and contractor work scopes to verify that risks are recognized and controlled before work begins, and that work execution aligns with established safe work practices.
• Conduct and organize role-based safety and environmental training for SSB operations staff, including sourcing and coordinating third-party delivery where applicable, covering HAZWOPER, emergency response, respiratory protection, equipment operation, chemical safety, spill response, and site-specific procedural training; maintain training records in alignment with the SSB training matrix.
• Investigate incidents, near misses, and high-potential events using structured methodology; identify contributing factors; drive corrective and preventive actions; and support a culture where reporting is valued and learning drives improvement.
• Manage site-level environmental compliance responsibilities, including air permit data collection (OEPA), stormwater/NPDES inspections, Tier II reporting, SPCC inspection and training, and waste tracking, in coordination with the UGIES Environmental Department.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to build trust and credibility with contractors, field employees, supervisors, and management in a complex industrial environment
• Working knowledge of hazard identification, risk assessment, and hierarchy of controls as applied to wastewater treatment, biogas/RNG, or chemical manufacturing operations
• Familiarity with industrial hygiene principles, including atmospheric monitoring, exposure assessment, gas detection equipment, and respiratory protection program administration
• Experience developing safety programs, procedures, and training materials, including JHAs, SOPs, confined space programs, Respiratory Protection Programs, HAZCOM, HAZWOPER compliance, and NFPA70e in a pre-operational or startup environment
• Knowledge of contractor safety management principles, including contractor qualification, pre-task planning review, permit-to-work systems, and on-site oversight
• Thorough knowledge of applicable regulations: OSHA 29 CFR 1910 and 1926, ANSI/NFPA standards, and basic familiarity with EPA environmental compliance requirements (SPCC, EPCRA/Tier II, NPDES, Clean Air Act)
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate regulatory requirements into clear, actionable field guidance
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent program development workstreams in a dynamic pre-commissioning environment
• Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, SharePoint, Teams); experience with EHS management platforms (EcoOnline, Veriforce, ISN or similar) preferred

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in occupational safety, environmental science, engineering, or a closely related field

Experience:

• 3+ years of EHS experience in an industrial environment; prior experience in wastewater treatment, natural gas, RNG, pharmaceuticals, or chemical manufacturing strongly preferred

Licenses/Certifications:

• None required

Preferred Qualifications

Certifications:

• Active or in-progress certification through BCSP (ASP, CSP, GSP, CHST) or other recognized body (CHMM, REM, or equivalent)

Professional Experience:

• EHS experience in any of the following: anaerobic digestion / biogas, RNG, wastewater treatment, chemical manufacturing, or construction; experience with pre-commissioning or program build-out in a startup environment

Frameworks:

• Familiarity with OHSMS frameworks (ANSI/ASSP Z10.0, ISO 45001) and/or learning-focused safety approaches (HOP, HRO, New View)

Systems:

• Experience with Veriforce, EcoOnline, Lytx, MaintainX, or similar EHS, CMMS and operations management platforms

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

Work Environment:

On-site industrial facility, outdoors, plant environment, and office trailer. Personal protective equipment required in designated areas.

Physical Demands:

Medium: ability to walk, stand, climb, and work in varying outdoor and industrial conditions; visual acuity for inspection and monitoring tasks; ability to wear PPE including respiratory protection.

Other: Pre-employment physical required. Role subject to UGI Energy Services drug & alcohol pool.

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. UGI Energy Services reserves the right to modify job duties and responsibilities as business needs evolve.

This is 100% on site position - candidates must reside in the Cincinnati area and may travel 10-25%.