Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Officer Operations Oxford, England, United Kingdom

Join us at the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), where we’re on a mission to translate scientific discovery into real world impact. We bring together visionary scientists, technologists, policy makers, and entrepreneurs to tackle humanity’s greatest challenges in four transformative areas: Health, Medical Science & Generative Biology; Food Security & Sustainable Agriculture; Climate Change & Managing CO₂; Artificial Intelligence & Robotics.

This is ambitious work that demands curiosity, courage, and a relentless drive to make a difference. At EIT, you’ll join a community built on excellence, innovation, tenacity, trust, and collaboration, where bold ideas become real-world breakthroughs. Together, we push boundaries, embrace complexity, and create solutions to scale ideas from lab to society.

Your Role: We’re looking for experienced Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Officers to take the lead in shaping and advancing our EHS strategy within a cutting-edge pharmaceutical and biotechnology facility. In this pivotal role, you’ll be the driving force behind ensuring full compliance with UK health, safety, and environmental regulations while championing a culture of safety, sustainability, and continuous improvement. Your expertise will help us achieve operational excellence and create a workplace where people and innovation thrive.

Your Responsibilities:

• Maintain site-wide health and safety policies in line with UK legislation and industry best practice (e.g. HSE, COSHH, MHRA, COMAH).
• Support health and safety risk assessments, audits, and incident investigations across all departments including labs, production, R&D, and facilities.
• Ensure full compliance with relevant regulations, including but not limited to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH).
• Collaborate closely with QA, Facilities, Manufacturing, R&D, and HR to embed safety into all business operations and projects.
• Lead EHS training and development programs for employees and contractors, ensuring appropriate induction and refresher courses are conducted.
• Support the management of biological, chemical, radiological, and ergonomic hazards commonly encountered in pharmaceutical and biotech operations.
• Maintain and report on KPIs related to safety performance, regulatory compliance, and incident management.
• Support in representing the company in external audits and inspections (e.g. HSE, MHRA, Environment Agency).
• Support the sustainability and environmental initiatives where relevant (e.g. waste management, energy efficiency, environmental permits).

Requirements:

Essential Skills, Qualifications & Experience:

• Qualification in Occupational Health and Safety or equivalent (essential).
• Minimum 5 years' experience in a health and safety leadership role within pharmaceutical, biotech, or related regulated industries.
• Strong knowledge of UK health and safety legislation and risk management practices in laboratory and manufacturing environments.
• Experience of Biosafety/GM regulations.

Desirable Skills, Qualifications & Experience:

• Familiarity with GxP and regulatory frameworks (MHRA, EMA, FDA).
• Experience with environmental compliance and sustainability initiatives is a plus.

Our Benefits:

• Competitive salary + travel allowance + bonus.
• Enhanced holiday pay.
• Pension.
• Life Assurance.
• Income Protection.
• Private Medical Insurance.
• Hospital Cash Plan.
• Therapy Services.
• Perk Box.
• Electric Car Scheme.

Working Together – What It Involves:

You must have the right to work permanently in the UK with a willingness to travel as necessary. You will live in, or within easy commuting distance of, Oxford.