Senior Specialist, Safety & Environment

Job Description

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced environmental compliance senior specialist with technical expertise and deep knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental regulations pertaining to the pharmaceutical industry. The successful candidate will provide guidance and overall support to site operations to ensure that daily activities are performed in accordance with environmental regulations and company standards. As a key member of the site’s Global Safety & Environment (GSE) team, you will help shape the site’s EHS culture, drive compliance, and embed EHS excellence across all operations.The role also involves supporting EHS planning and execution and requires effective influencing skills to help drive EHS performance within a complex organization.

Role Overview

Reporting to the Associate Director / environmental compliance lead for the West Point Site, the S&E Senior Specialist will provide technical and regulatory guidance to GSE business partners and site operations and assist with the integration of environmental compliance programs and company standards into daily activities. As a member of the site’s Global Safety & Environment (GSE) team, you will provide program subject matter expertise for facility EHS technical needs and for regulatory permitting across air, water, wastewater, and/or waste media. The role includes compliance assurance, facility‑level risk assessment and control implementation, and hands‑on support during routine operations, site development projects, and regulatory agency engagements.

Main Responsibilities

• Support environmental media permitting, compliance, and reporting for the site

• Manage water and wastewater permits (e.g. NPDES/stormwater for industrial activities, NPDES/stormwater for construction activities, industrial wastewater pretreatment) and related compliance reporting

• Waste stream characterizations and evaluations against PNECs

• Routine reviews, updates, and management of spill contingency and emergency response plans (SPCC, PPC, SPR, SWPPP, Slug Discharge, Hazardous Waste, etc…)

• Manage groundwater withdrawal and public water supply system permits, monitoring plans, and compliance reporting

• Site remediation program monitoring and compliance reporting (RCRA Corrective Action)

• Develop and deliver training on environmental permit requirements, spill prevention/emergency response, stormwater best management practices, and related safety topics

• Develop and maintain permit applications, permit renewals, permit modifications, permit condition tracking, compliance monitoring and timely regulatory submittals

• Lead site environmental regulatory program implementation and participate in agency interactions, including preparing responses to inspection findings, technical reports, and corrective action plans; participate in agency meetings and site visits as needed

• Provide comprehensive EHS support to facilities, operations, maintenance, and engineering for utility and site infrastructure systems (e.g. boilers, cooling towers, HVAC systems, steam and condensate systems, wastewater and stormwater conveyance systems, waste storage facilities, etc.) and related monitoring/control systems

• Support design reviews, commissioning, and start‑up activities for capital projects and process changes to ensure environmental and safety requirements are incorporated (including permitting implications) using Management of Change (MOC) processes

• Advise hazard assessments, process safety support, and technical reviews associated with facility, utilities and equipment that affect safety and environmental compliance and worker safety

• Advise contractor compliance and environmental controls during construction and maintenance activities; participate in contractor prequalification and work package reviews

• Provide day‑to‑day EHS support to site business units: safety inspections, audits, incident investigations, corrective action tracking, and implementation of engineering or administrative controls

• Maintain environmental data and compliance documentation in site EHS management systems; prepare internal and external reports and metrics

• Support emergency response planning and execution for environmental incidents, spills, or releases and coordinate with local emergency responders and regulatory agencies as necessary

Education

• Required: Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, or related technical field

• Preferred: Master’s degree; relevant professional certifications (e.g., CHMM)

Required Experience and Skills

• 5+ years of professional EHS experience in chemical, biotechnology, or pharmaceutical manufacturing environments

• Experience implementing EHS programs, including change management for operational or site initiatives

• Ability to support multiple projects and effectively partner with internal business units

• Experience implementing management systems and ensuring compliance

• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and their relation to environmental and safety regulations

• Understanding of applicable environmental regulatory requirements (EPA, PADEP, MCCD, DRBC)

• Experience in risk assessment, mitigation and implementation of appropriate controls

• Experience implementing sustainable EHS operational procedures and training programs

Preferred Experience and Skills

• 2–3+ years of experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing

• Proven track record supporting utilities and facility systems (boilers, cooling towers, HVAC, steam, emergency power, compressed air) during design, commissioning, and operations

• Experience leading regulatory agency interactions, inspections, permit applications/renewals, emissions inventories, and corrective action implementation

• Program/management system implementation skills (MOC, EHS management systems, risk assessment) and demonstrated ability to train and influence cross‑functional teams

Required Skills:

• EHS Compliance, EHS Program Management, Environmental Regulatory Compliance, Incident Investigations, Interpersonal Relationships, Self Motivation, Training and Development

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Compliance Reporting, EHS Auditing, EHS Compliance, EHS Program Management, Environmental Regulatory Compliance, Environmental Science, Interpersonal Relationships, Regulatory Compliance, Risk Analysis, Risk Assessments, Self Motivation, Training and Development

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The salary range for this role is

$106,200.00 - $167,200.00

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

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
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:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

07/8/2026

*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.