Occupational Safety Manager (HR Title: Health and Safety Specialist III) chez Southern Methodist University

Salary Range: 

Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications

About SMU

SMU’s more than 12,000 diverse, high-achieving students come from all 50 states and over 80 countries to take advantage of the University’s small classes, meaningful research opportunities, leadership development, community service, international study and innovative programs.

SMU serves approximately 7,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students through eight degree-granting schools: Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Cox School of Business, Lyle School of Engineering, Meadows School of the Arts, Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Dedman School of Law, Perkins School of Theology and Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies.

SMU is data driven, and its powerful supercomputing ecosystem – paired with entrepreneurial drive – creates an unrivaled environment for the University to deliver research excellence.

Now in its second century of achievement, SMU is recognized for the ways it supports students, faculty and alumni as they become ethical, enterprising leaders in their professions and communities. SMU’s relationship with Dallas – the dynamic center of one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions – offers unique learning, research, social and career opportunities that provide a launch pad for global impact.

SMU is nonsectarian in its teaching and committed to academic freedom and open inquiry.

About the Department:

The Office of Risk Management (ORM) plays a vital role in advancing SMU’s mission by fostering a safe, resilient, and supportive campus environment. ORM is a collaborative team that brings together expertise in Emergency Management, Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), Risk Operations, and International Safety and Security. Together, we partner with faculty, staff, and students to create a culture where safety, preparedness, and innovation thrive.

About the Position:

This role is an on-campus, in-person position.

Oversees SMU’s Occupational Safety and Health programs within the Office of Risk Management to prevent injuries and illnesses, reduce risk, and drive continuous improvement across academic, research, and operational environments. Provides university-wide leadership for general safety and occupational health/industrial hygiene programs, ensuring alignment with SMU policies, applicable federal, state, and local regulations, and relevant consensus standards. Partners with departments and the University’s occupational health provider on medical surveillance and exposure assessments; leads incident investigations and root-cause analyses; enforces compliance through audits and corrective-action governance; delivers and oversees in-person and online training for all programs; and serves as the primary OSHA liaison for inspections, recordkeeping, and regulatory interactions.

Essential Functions:

• Design, implement, and continually improve campus-wide safety programs grounded in recognized best-practice frameworks. Ensure conformance with policies administered by the Office of Risk Management, as applicable; coordinate cross-functional safety governance; conduct periodic program effectiveness reviews; and provide regulatory interpretation and guidance to departments. 

• Maintain written programs, procedures, and guidance for general occupational safety (e.g., Confined Spaces, Hazard Communication, Respiratory Protection, Control of Hazardous Energy, Walking-Working Surfaces, Powered Industrial Trucks, Fall Protection, etc.); set and enforce expectations for permit-controlled work; and support for departments conducting fieldwork or off-site operations.

• Perform risk based inspections and audits against SMU requirements, applicable OSHA 29 CFR 1910 & 1926, and other relevant codes/consensus standards; document findings and initiate corrective actions.

• Set the role-based training requirements for all relevant safety programs; develop curricula; deliver effective in-person training, including CPR/AED training; administer online training through university platforms; maintain training records, assignments, and refresher cycles; align training governance with recognized best practices; evaluate comprehension and continuously improve content.

• Plan and oversee exposure assessments and monitoring strategies (e.g., noise dosimetry, heat stress evaluations, indoor air quality investigations) consistent with OSHA requirements and consensus guidance. Translate findings into prioritized controls, verification, and campus communications. 

• Lead investigations of significant injuries, illnesses, high-potential near-misses, and recurring incidents; apply recognized root cause methods; document findings; assign and track corrective/preventive actions; analyze trends and communicate lessons learned to departments and leadership.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for OSHA and related authorities; coordinate inspection responses and corrective actions; monitor regulatory/consensus-standard changes and update programs, accordingly; and maintain institutional injury/illness record-keeping and required postings.

• Define participation criteria for the medical surveillance program; coordinate medical evaluations/clearances; maintain appropriate records (e.g., respiratory protection medical evaluations, audiometry where applicable, etc.).

• Collaborate with and support the Office of Risk Management on injury case reviews, campus event operations, general safety guidance, and culture-building initiatives that reduce total risk across the University.

• Other duties as assigned, including 24 hour emergency response as necessary. 

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree is required. Candidate with master's degree is preferred.

A minimum of five (5) years of experience coordinating occupational safety programs in a university or industrial setting. Candidate fluent in Spanish is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Candidate must demonstrate ability to work effectively with people at all levels of skill and authority. Must be able to multitask and to manage and prioritize day-to-day work alongside project responsibilities. A solid understanding of facilities infrastructure and university operations is preferred. Candidate must demonstrate ability to learn quickly. The ideal candidate must demonstrate strong time-management and problem-solving skills.
 

Candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate broadly across the University and develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of constituencies. Must also demonstrate strong written communication skills. Candidate must possess strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and analyze problems, as well as devise solutions. Must also have strong organizational and planning skills.  

Proficiency in Microsoft Office is required; experience with database-support software is preferred. The ideal candidate effectively manages time, develops and delivers relevant metrics and reports, and accurately handles multiple projects simultaneously.

This position requires availability to respond to incidents at any time; although rare, call-ins may occur at night, on weekends, holidays, or during scheduled time off.

Physical and Environmental Demands:

• Sit for long periods of time

Deadline to Apply:

Open until filled.

EEO Statement

SMU is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression.

Benefits:

SMU offers staff a broad, competitive array of health and related benefits. In addition to traditional benefits such as health, dental, and vision plans, SMU offers a wide range of wellness programs to help attract, support, and retain our employees whose work continues to make SMU an outstanding education and research institution.

SMU is committed to providing an array of retirement programs that benefit and protect you and your family throughout your working years at SMU and, if you meet SMU's retirement eligibility criteria, during your retirement years after you leave SMU.

The value of learning at SMU isn't just about preparing our students for the future. Employees have access to a wide variety of professional and personal development opportunities, including tuition benefits.