Director, Environmental Health and Safety

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UC San Diego Health is seeking a strategic and collaborative Director, Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) to lead a comprehensive, enterprise-wide program supporting one of the nation's premier academic health systems. This role provides leadership and oversight of environmental health, workplace safety, industrial hygiene, biological and chemical safety, emergency preparedness, and regulatory compliance across complex clinical, research, and administrative environments.

Reporting to senior leadership, the Director will set the vision and direction for a proactive, integrated EHS program that promotes a culture of safety, ensures regulatory compliance, and mitigates risk across inpatient, outpatient, and research operations. The Director will collaborate closely with health system executives, clinical leaders, research faculty, and operational partners to align EHS programs with organizational priorities, including patient safety, operational excellence, and regulatory readiness.

This leader will oversee multiple EHS disciplines and teams, driving program innovation, continuous improvement, and data-informed decision-making. The role requires a forward-thinking leader capable of navigating a highly regulated healthcare environment, responding to emerging risks, and influencing stakeholders across a large, matrixed organization.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for all Environmental Health & Safety programs across UC San Diego Health, including occupational safety, industrial hygiene, hazardous materials, biological safety, and environmental compliance.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive EHS vision, strategy, and operating model aligned with organizational goals and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations (e.g., OSHA, EPA, CDPH, Joint Commission), including continuous monitoring of evolving requirements.
• Direct and optimize EHS operations through subordinate managers and technical experts; build and lead high-performing, multidisciplinary teams.
• Establish enterprise policies, procedures, and programs to identify, prevent, and mitigate environmental and occupational hazards.
• Lead risk assessments, incident investigations, safety audits, and compliance reviews; ensure timely corrective actions and organizational learning.
• Oversee EHS-related emergency preparedness and response programs, including planning, training, and post-incident evaluation.
• Serve as the primary liaison to regulatory agencies; oversee reporting and ensure organizational readiness for inspections and surveys.
• Partner with clinical, research, and support service leaders to integrate safety into operations and foster a strong culture of safety and accountability.
• Manage departmental budgets, resources, and performance metrics; leverage data analytics to drive continuous improvement.
• Represent EHS at executive committees and institutional governance forums; provide expert guidance to senior leadership.

• Advanced degree in a related field and eight years of progressively responsible experience in environmental health and safety, or equivalent combination of experience, education and training.

• Progressive leadership experience, including oversight of complex programs and teams.

• Demonstrated expertise in EH&S regulations, standards, and best practices in healthcare, research, or similarly complex environments.

• Experience developing, implementing, and managing enterprise-level EH&S programs and policies.

• Strong knowledge of hazard recognition, prevention, and control across chemical, biological, and physical risk domains.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across all organizational levels.

• Demonstrated ability to appropriately and efficiently respond to and direct the response to emergencies and critical situations, including follow-up evaluation and critique of response efficacy; recommend, develop and implement changes to emergency response as required.

• Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), or other relevant professional certification.

• Experience in an academic health system, large hospital system, or research-intensive environment.

• Demonstrated success leading regulatory accreditation readiness efforts (e.g., Joint Commission, CMS, AAALAC, NIH).

• Expertise in laboratory safety, biosafety, radiation safety, and/or healthcare-specific safety programs.

• Experience building and advancing a culture of safety across diverse, matrixed organizations.

• Strong financial and operational acumen, including experience managing large budgets and complex resource allocation.

• Experience leveraging data analytics and technology to enhance EHS performance and reporting.

• Proven ability to lead organizational change and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

• Must be able to work various hours and locations based on business needs.
• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.

Pay Transparency Act

Annual Full Pay Range: $119,400 - $230,800 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Hourly Equivalent: $57.18 - $110.54

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).