Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Chemical Hygiene & Safety Officer)

Chemical Hygiene & Laboratory Safety Officer (CLS)

Location: Richmond, CA
Employment Type: Full-Time Contract
Schedule: Day Shift | On-Site
Contract: 12-month initial contract with strong potential for extension or permanent employment
Pay: $55–$65/hr, based on experience
Travel: Up to 10%
Licensure: Active California Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) license required

Position Overview

Are you a California-licensed CLS looking to take your laboratory experience in a new direction?

We are seeking an experienced Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) to step into a unique laboratory safety and leadership role supporting a large public health laboratory in Richmond, California.

This position is an excellent opportunity for a CLS who enjoys working beyond the bench and is interested in laboratory safety, quality, compliance, risk management, training, and program development.

As the Chemical Hygiene & Laboratory Safety Officer, you will serve as a key resource for laboratory leadership and staff, helping ensure that laboratory operations are safe, compliant, and aligned with current regulatory requirements and best practices.

You will work alongside clinical laboratory professionals, public health microbiologists, research scientists, and laboratory leadership across multiple laboratory divisions and facilities.

Why This Role May Be a Great Fit for a CLS

• Put your California CLS license and laboratory experience to work in a new capacity.

• Move beyond routine bench work while remaining closely connected to laboratory operations.

• Gain valuable experience in laboratory safety, regulatory compliance, risk management, and program development.

• Work with a large public health laboratory and a variety of specialized laboratory environments.

• Serve as a trusted technical resource for laboratory leadership and staff.

• Develop and deliver training to laboratory professionals.

• Have the opportunity to transition into a permanent position following the initial contract.

What You'll Do

Laboratory Safety & Compliance

• Develop, implement, and maintain laboratory safety and chemical hygiene programs across multiple laboratory facilities.

• Evaluate laboratory procedures, workflows, equipment, and work environments to identify potential safety risks.

• Conduct hazard, exposure, and risk assessments and recommend appropriate controls.

• Provide guidance on the safe handling, storage, transportation, and disposal of clinical specimens, environmental samples, chemicals, and other hazardous materials.

• Help develop and maintain safety procedures for hazardous chemicals, controlled substances, select agents, radioactive materials, and other high-risk materials.

• Research regulatory requirements and industry best practices and translate them into practical laboratory procedures.

• Identify opportunities to improve laboratory safety, reduce risk, and minimize hazardous waste.

• Help standardize safety practices across multiple laboratory departments.

Incident Investigation & Risk Management

• Assist with investigations involving laboratory accidents, exposures, injuries, and other safety incidents.

• Develop risk assessments, investigation reports, corrective action plans, and related documentation.

• Partner with laboratory leadership to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.

• Monitor follow-up activities to ensure safety improvements are successfully implemented.

• Stay current on regulatory and safety requirements affecting clinical and public health laboratories.

Laboratory Leadership & Program Development

• Serve as a safety resource and technical advisor to laboratory managers, branch leadership, research scientists, and laboratory staff.

• Support laboratory safety committees and safety initiatives.

• Develop and update laboratory-specific policies, procedures, and safety programs.

• Coordinate safety projects, drills, emergency response planning, and other laboratory safety initiatives.

• Collaborate with internal departments and external public health partners.

• Provide consultation regarding hazardous materials incidents and exposure prevention.

• Participate in laboratory safety and health committees and professional workgroups.

Training & Education

• Develop and deliver laboratory safety training for CLSs, microbiologists, research scientists, and other laboratory personnel.

• Conduct new employee safety orientations and ongoing safety education.

• Train staff on chemical safety, hazardous materials, exposure prevention, emergency response, packaging/shipping, and other laboratory safety topics.

• Help laboratory personnel understand and implement new safety procedures associated with laboratory methods and technologies.

• Monitor required safety training and help identify compliance gaps.

Occupational Health & Employee Safety

• Partner with laboratory leadership and HR on laboratory-specific occupational health and employee safety programs.

• Provide guidance regarding PPE, exposure prevention, emergency response, and safe laboratory practices.

• Assist with employee exposure monitoring and occupational health initiatives.

• Support annual occupational health planning and coordination with outside vendors.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Active California Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) license — REQUIRED

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant scientific, laboratory, environmental health, occupational health, safety, or related field.

• Experience working in a clinical, public health, research, or high-complexity laboratory.

• Strong understanding of laboratory operations and safety practices.

• Knowledge of chemical hygiene, hazardous materials, exposure prevention, and risk assessment.

• Familiarity with OSHA/Cal-OSHA, CLIA, DTSC, ISO, or other applicable laboratory regulations.

• Strong communication skills and the ability to work with laboratory professionals at all levels.

• Ability to independently identify safety concerns, develop solutions, and work collaboratively with laboratory leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in any of the following is a plus:

• Laboratory Safety Officer or Chemical Hygiene Officer

• Laboratory quality or compliance

• Environmental Health & Safety

• Public health laboratory

• Clinical laboratory

• Research laboratory

• Hazardous materials or chemical safety

• Incident investigation

• Corrective and preventive actions (CAPA)

• Occupational health or employee exposure monitoring

• Laboratory safety training

• Safety committee leadership

• Hazardous materials shipping and regulatory compliance

Don't have the exact CHSO title on your resume? That's okay. We're particularly interested in CLSs who have strong laboratory experience and an interest in taking on a broader role focused on safety, compliance, training, and laboratory operations.

Additional Requirements

• Reliable attendance and ability to work full-time on-site.

• Ability to work in high-risk and controlled-substance laboratory environments.

• Ability to wear specialized PPE as required.

• Successful completion of required background and security clearances.

• Medical clearance may be required based on job responsibilities.

• Occasional after-hours or emergency response may be required.

• Ability to travel to other laboratory facilities as needed, up to approximately 10%.

Compensation & Benefits

• $55–$65/hr, depending on experience

• Day shift

• Full-time, on-site position

• 12-month initial contract

• Strong potential for extension and/or permanent employment

• Health, dental, and vision insurance

• PTO

• Paid holidays

About Lighthouse Lab Services

At Lighthouse Lab Services, we specialize in helping clinical laboratories start, grow, and operate successfully. Our recruiting team has more than 22 years of experience connecting laboratory professionals with opportunities ranging from entry-level Medical Technologists to experienced Laboratory Directors.

We recruit nationwide for permanent and contract positions with clients ranging from community hospitals to large reference and public health laboratories.

Ready to take your CLS experience beyond the bench? Apply today.

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