SHE Manager - Research and Animal Safety

SHE Manager – Research and Animal Safety Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States Work Arrangement: Onsite in Gaithersburg, MD to provide leadership for research laboratory, animal care, and site safety operations. Introduction to Role Are you ready to lead safety, health, environment, and animal research safety programs in a complex scientific environment? As SHE Manager – Research and Animal Safety, you will provide strategic leadership and comprehensive management of SHE programs that protect people, animals, research operations, and the environment while enabling compliant, high-quality scientific work. This senior role is responsible for designing, implementing, and continuously improving laboratory and animal safety programs across R&D operations. Working with minimal supervision, you will partner across functions to identify risk, strengthen regulatory compliance, influence stakeholders, and embed practical safety solutions aligned with Global and Gaithersburg SHE objectives. You will play a visible leadership role in maintaining License to Operate requirements, driving Management of Change, leading investigations and corrective actions, using data to inform decisions, and promoting a proactive safety culture grounded in Human and Organizational Performance principles. Develop, implement, and maintain SHE protocols, standard operating procedures, safety documentation, and site License to Operate requirements in alignment with applicable regulations, company standards, and best practices. Provide leadership for laboratory, animal safety, biosafety, and environmental compliance programs, including waste reduction, energy conservation, pollution prevention, and sustainability initiatives. Typical Accountabilities Lead risk assessments for new processes, equipment, operational changes, laboratory renovations, and Management of Change activities; develop strategies to reduce risk exposure and support safe, compliant operations. conduct inspections and program self-audits across laboratories, facilities, and animal care environments; document findings, communicate results, and ensure corrective actions are tracked to timely closure. Lead or support investigations for injuries, illnesses, spills, near misses, and other SHE events; determine root causes, prepare reports, implement corrective actions, and ensure accurate documentation in electronic safety management systems such as Enablon. Use SHE data, metrics, benchmarking, and trend analysis to identify improvement opportunities, recommend practical solutions, and communicate the strategic value of SHE initiatives to stakeholders. Foster a culture of safety and environmental responsibility through visible leadership, stakeholder engagement, clear communication, one-point lessons, HOP-based learning, and safety communications across multiple platforms. Build trusted partnerships with researchers, operations, engineering, service providers, regulatory agencies, and site leadership to understand operational needs, influence decisions, and integrate SHE into daily work. • Develop training, guidance, and communications that translate regulatory and company requirements into practical expectations for laboratory and animal research environments. • Demonstrate strategic thinking, strong judgment, effective time management, attention to detail, and the ability to move between tactical execution and broader organizational impact. • Maintain records, reports, and documentation in relevant systems, including AZ SHE systems, Enablon, SharePoint, WorkVivo, and related platforms. Required On-Call Coverage On-call coverage is required. Employees may participate in an on-call rotation and be available outside standard working hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays