Environmental Health And Safety Waste Coordinator

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Environmental Health and Safety Waste Coordinator
Job Description

The Environmental Health and Safety Waste Coordinator plays a key role in managing hazardous waste across a busy laboratory facility. This position focuses on safe waste handling, regulatory compliance, and daily support of laboratory operations, while serving as a visible and trusted EHS resource for employees. The role is hands-on, fast-paced, and well-suited to someone who enjoys active work, problem-solving, and contributing directly to a safe and efficient lab environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage hazardous waste collection and handling throughout the facility, ensuring safe, compliant, and timely removal of waste materials.
• Pick up liquid waste containers from labs and transfer contents into 55-gallon drums following established procedures.
• Transport filled 55-gallon drums weighing approximately 200–800 pounds using carts and other appropriate equipment.
• Coordinate and schedule hazardous waste pickups with external vendors, ensuring timely removal and proper documentation.
• Support the annual vendor bidding process to help optimize waste management cost efficiency.
• Spend approximately 3–6 hours per day on waste collection activities, with heavier workloads typically on Mondays and vendor pickups commonly occurring on Wednesdays.
• Lift and handle waste containers ranging from approximately 20 pounds (2.5 gallons) to 40 pounds (5 gallons) in a safe and controlled manner.
• Move frequently throughout the facility to collect waste and conduct inspections, maintaining a high level of situational awareness.
• Maintain strong awareness of surroundings and potential safety hazards, and take appropriate action to mitigate risks.
• Conduct monthly EHS inspections of safety equipment such as spill kits, safety showers, and eyewash stations.
• Ensure all safety equipment, waste handling practices, and related processes meet applicable regulatory and company standards.
• Read, interpret, and apply environmental and chemical safety regulations as needed to daily work activities.
• Collect laboratory waste daily from designated waste carts used by chemists, ensuring proper segregation, labeling, and storage.
• Manage special waste pickup requests and maintain timely and professional email communication regarding these needs.
• Stay organized and responsive to ad hoc waste coordination needs arising from laboratory operations.
• Maintain accurate labeling, dating, segregation, and inventory tracking of hazardous materials and related supplies.
• Receive and apply training on EHS procedures and waste handling processes, following all protocols consistently.
• Pursue opportunities for additional training such as HAZWOPER and participate in the spill response team when trained and assigned.
• Continuously learn and apply regulatory requirements related to chemical handling, storage, and disposal.
• Work as part of a three-person EHS team, collaborating closely to support overall safety and compliance objectives.
• Serve as a visible presence in the lab and act as a key resource for employees seeking guidance on waste handling and safety practices.
• Build strong relationships with internal teams, treating employees as customers and providing responsive, service-oriented support.
• Proactively identify and address unsafe conditions, maintaining a constant safety-focused mindset and alertness.
• Prioritize tasks effectively, work independently with minimal oversight, and ensure that waste management activities do not fall behind in this continuous workflow environment.

• High school diploma required.
• Basic chemistry knowledge and a strong general interest in science.
• Ability to safely lift and handle containers weighing approximately 20–40 pounds on a regular basis.
• Ability to move 55-gallon drums weighing approximately 200–800 pounds using carts and appropriate equipment.
• Strong attention to detail, especially in labeling, dating, segregating hazardous materials, and tracking inventory.
• Reliability and punctuality, recognizing that missed time directly impacts operations and waste accumulation.
• Ability to work independently as a self-starter who can prioritize tasks and solve problems with minimal oversight.
• Safety-focused mindset with the ability to identify hazards and maintain a high level of awareness in lab and facility environments.
• Operational mindset suited to a hands-on, fast-paced, continuous workflow environment where work cannot fall behind.
• Comfort working in EHS, laboratory, manufacturing, or operations environments.

• Associate or bachelor’s degree in chemistry, environmental science, or a related scientific field preferred.
• Coursework or hands-on experience in chemistry or chemistry laboratories is highly beneficial.
• Experience in environmental health and safety, safety, or health and safety roles is a plus.
• Familiarity with OSHA, environmental safety principles, and EHS best practices is advantageous.
• CHMM (Certified Hazardous Materials Manager) certification preferred but not required.
• HAZWOPER certification preferred but not required, with opportunities to obtain training in the role.
• Interest in ongoing professional development and learning regulatory requirements related to chemical handling.
• Strong communication skills to maintain timely email correspondence and build effective relationships with internal teams.

This position is based in a modern, ISO-accredited laboratory environment focused on food chemistry testing, including work with infant formula, sole-source nutrition products, hemp and CBD, dietary supplements, and botanicals. The lab supports a wide testing portfolio that includes vitamins, minerals, contaminants, pesticides, and shelf-life studies, and uses advanced analytical instrumentation such as UPLC, HPLC, GC, and LCMS technologies. The work setting is fast-paced and can feel similar to production work, as testing and waste handling must keep up with defined client timeframes. Some tasks may be repetitive depending on the group supported, but there is significant growth potential within the laboratory organization. The role involves frequent movement throughout the facility, regular lifting and handling of containers, and operation of carts or similar equipment to move 55-gallon drums. The standard schedule is a straight 40-hour workweek, and overtime is rarely required. The organization offers an education reimbursement program for full-time employees in good standing who have completed six months of service, reimbursing eligible tuition, registration, and laboratory fees up to a set annual maximum for approved, job-relevant coursework at a regionally accredited university. The culture emphasizes internal growth, promotion from within, and a strong focus on safety, quality, and operational excellence in a collaborative, team-based environment.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Madison, WI.

The pay range for this position is $23.00 - $25.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:
• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Madison,WI.

This position is anticipated to close on Jun 9, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 30,000 consultants and more than 4,500 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.