Process Safety Manager - Americas

The Opportunity:

At Avantor, people are the most important part of our success because they drive our global performance. That’s why our Operations, Lab Services, Sales, and many other Avantor teams rely on our talent acquisition initiatives to attract, engage and hire the right talent. Avantor’s EHS&S vertical is a crucial part of this mix, enabling all our internal teams worldwide to grow beyond their limits.

The Process Safety Manager position is a critical leadership role responsible for the prevention of catastrophic process safety events, management of chemical hazards, regulatory compliance, and implementation of corporate process safety governance across facilities handling hazardous materials. This position supports operational continuity, risk reduction, regulatory compliance, capital projects, emergency preparedness, and protection of employees, communities, assets, and the Avantor brand.

The roles directly support compliance with numerous regulatory frameworks and industry standards, including OSHA Process Safety Management (29 CFR 1910.119), EPA Risk Management Program (40 CFR Part 68), hazardous materials regulations, transportation requirements, fire and building code requirements, occupational safety legislation, and recognized industry best practices established by the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS), American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), NFPA, and industry insurers. The positions also provide technical oversight for process hazards, Process Hazard Analyses (PHAs), Management of Change (MOC), incident investigations, contractor management, functional safety, and major accident prevention programs.

This position is fully REMOTE.

What we’re looking for:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Occupational Health & Safety, Industrial Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline preferred
• Certifications (Preferred)
  • Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
  • Certified Process Safety Professional (CCPSC)
  • Professional Engineer (PE)
  • Incident Investigation or Root Cause Analysis certification/training

• Experience: Minimum of 5-8 years of progressive EHS and/or Process Safety experience within chemical manufacturing, life sciences, specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals, industrial manufacturing, oil & gas, or related high-hazard industries
  • Demonstrated experience managing OSHA PSM and EPA RMP-covered processes.
  • Experience facilitating Process Hazard Analyses (PHA) and HAZOP studies.
  • Experience leading Management of Change (MOC) programs and incident investigations.
  • Proven ability to partner effectively with operations, engineering, maintenance, and leadership teams.
  • Experience supporting multiple facilities and geographically dispersed operations preferred.
  • Experience working in a corporate or regional process safety role preferred.

Who you are:

• Expert knowledge of OSHA Process Safety Management (29 CFR 1910.119).
• Strong knowledge of EPA Risk Management Program (40 CFR Part 68).
• Understanding of CCPS risk-based process safety principles and methodologies.
• Knowledge of NFPA standards, hazardous materials management, fire protection systems, and process safety engineering principles.
• Proficiency in risk assessment tools including HAZOP, What-If Analysis, FMEA, LOPA, Bow-Tie Analysis, and Root Cause Analysis methodologies.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, P&IDs, process flow diagrams, and technical specifications.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and drive change without direct authority.
• Effective written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities across numerous facilities simultaneously.
• Strong facilitation and leadership skills for cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and process safety or EHS management systems.
• Ability to work independently in a remote environment while maintaining high levels of collaboration and engagement.

How you will thrive and create and impact:

Process Safety Program Leadership

• Lead the development, implementation, deployment, and continuous improvement of the company's Process Safety Management and Risk Management programs.
• Establish corporate process safety standards, procedures, governance processes, and performance expectations.
• Ensure process safety programs align with regulatory requirements, industry best practices, and corporate objectives.
• Act as the primary technical resource for process safety-related matters throughout North America operations.

Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure compliance with OSHA PSM, EPA RMP, NFPA standards, hazardous materials regulations, and other applicable requirements.
• Interpret regulatory changes and translate requirements into actionable compliance programs.
• Conduct compliance assessments and identify opportunities for risk reduction and program enhancement.
• Support interactions with regulatory agencies, insurance representatives, and third-party auditors.

Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) and Risk Assessment

• Plan, facilitate, and document Process Hazard Analyses including HAZOP, What-If, Checklist, FMEA, Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA), and other risk assessment methodologies.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams in identifying process hazards, evaluating safeguards, and recommending risk reduction measures.
• Track and verify completion of PHA recommendations and corrective actions.
• Support facility siting studies, chemical hazard evaluations, and major accident prevention initiatives.

Management of Change (MOC)

• Lead and maintain formal MOC processes for equipment, technology, procedures, chemicals, and organizational changes.
• Review proposed modifications to ensure safety, environmental, operational, and regulatory risks are appropriately evaluated and controlled.
• Verify implementation of required safeguards prior to startup.

Incident Investigation and Root Cause Analysis

• Lead or support investigations involving process safety incidents, near-misses, releases, fires, explosions, and significant operational events.
• Utilize recognized root cause analysis methodologies to identify underlying causes and systemic improvements.
• Ensure corrective actions are developed, implemented, and verified for effectiveness.
• Share lessons learned across the organization to prevent recurrence.

Mechanical Integrity and Asset Reliability Support

• Collaborate with Engineering and Maintenance teams to strengthen mechanical integrity programs and inspection strategies.
• Support risk-based inspection programs and reliability initiatives for critical process equipment.
• Evaluate deficiencies impacting process safety and recommend corrective actions.
• Assist in the development of preventive maintenance and inspection requirements.

Capital Projects and New Product Introductions

• Provide process safety oversight for facility expansions, process modifications, new technologies, and capital projects.
• Conduct design reviews and hazard assessments during project development and implementation phases.
• Participate in Pre-Startup Safety Reviews (PSSR) and startup readiness evaluations.
• Support safe introduction of new products, raw materials, and manufacturing processes.

Auditing, Assessments, and Continuous Improvement

• Conduct process safety audits, compliance assessments, gap analyses, and site evaluations.
• Monitor closure of corrective actions resulting from audits, inspections, incident investigations, and insurance recommendations.
• Develop and track process safety performance indicators (KPIs).
• Identify opportunities to improve operational effectiveness and risk reduction efforts.

Emergency Preparedness and Business Continuity

• Support emergency response planning, crisis management, and major incident preparedness activities.
• Assess facility emergency response capabilities related to hazardous materials and process safety events.
• Participate in drills, exercises, and emergency response evaluations.
• Provide technical guidance during safety emergencies when needed.

Training, Coaching, and Organizational Development

• Develop and deliver process safety training programs for leadership, engineers, operators, maintenance personnel, and EHS professionals.
• Promote a proactive process safety culture across all operational sites.
• Mentor facility teams process hazard recognition and risk management practices.
• Build organizational process safety competency and knowledge sharing programs.

Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position. Avantor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

Why Avantor?

Dare to go further in your career. Join our global team of 14,000+ associates whose passion for discovery and determination to overcome challenges relentlessly advances life-changing science.
 
The work we do changes people's lives for the better. It brings new patient treatments and therapies to market, giving a cancer survivor the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle. It enables medical devices that help a little boy hear his mom's voice for the first time. Outcomes such as these create unlimited opportunities for you to contribute your talents, learn new skills and grow your career at Avantor.
 
We are committed to helping you on this journey through our diverse, equitable and inclusive culture which includes learning experiences to support your career growth and success. At Avantor, dare to go further and see how the impact of your contributions set science in motion to create a better world. Apply today!

Pay Transparency:

The expected pre-tax pay for this position is

Actual pay may differ depending on relevant factors such as prior experience and geographic location.

EEO Statement:

We are an Equal Employment/Affirmative Action employer and VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province, or local law.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at recruiting@avantorsciences.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.

For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the Know Your Rights poster.

Privacy Policy:

We will use the personal information that you have submitted to us in order to consider your application for the relevant role.
 

Your privacy is important to us. Please click here for our Privacy Policy which explains the purposes for which we will use your personal information and the ways in which we will handle and retain your information. It also explains the rights you have in relation to your information, and how to contact us with any queries or requests.

3rd Party Non-Solicitation Policy:

By submitting candidates without having been formally assigned on and contracted for a specific job requisition by Avantor, or by failing to comply with the Avantor recruitment process, you forfeit any fee on the submitted candidates, regardless of your usual terms and conditions. Avantor works with a preferred supplier list and will take the initiative to engage with recruitment agencies based on its needs and will not be accepting any form of solicitation.

Avantor offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, wellness programs, health savings and flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan with company match, and an employee stock purchase program. Employees also receive 11 paid holidays, accrue 18 PTO days annually, are eligible for volunteer time off and 6 weeks of 100% paid parental leave (except in states that offer paid family leave). These benefits may not apply to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement or those subject to other eligibility rules.