Divisional Safety Officer Engineering Department

The Department of Engineering Science is one of the largest departments in the University of Oxford.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a team of safety staff supporting the Department while being part of the extended community of safety leads within the MPLS Division.

Why choose us?

As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees' well-being, and this is reflected in the range of benefits we provide, including:

• Flexible Hybrid Working: A work setup that combines office and remote work.
• Excellent Contributory Pension Scheme: We help you plan for your future.
• Generous Annual Leave: 38 days of annual leave.
• Comprehensive Childcare Services: We support your family needs.
• Family Leave Schemes: Ensuring work-life balance.
• Cycle Loan Scheme: Promoting eco-friendly transportation.
• Membership to Various Social and Sports Clubs: Be part of vibrant communities.
• Discounted Bus Travel and Season Ticket Travel Loans: Making your commute more affordable.
• Opportunities to contribute to sustainability initiatives and community-building efforts.
• Support for continued, life-long learning and career development.

About the role

The majority of your time will be spent leading the departmental safety team and specialist safety staff, and in managing safety-related activities, to establish and maintain a proactive approach that facilitates engineering teaching and research and promotes a strong safety culture.

For approximately 15% of your time, you will support the MPLS Division as one of six Divisional Safety Officers, each with their own areas of expertise. Led by the MPLS Strategic Planning Manager and Head of Division, this team helps shape and deliver an ambitious continuous improvement programme that strongly influences safety policy University-wide.

You will provide support, advice and training in all areas of health and safety and will carry out a portfolio of work including staff and student training/inductions, lab inspections, incident investigations and management, compliance and risk assessment, policy development and implementation and project work. You will have a good awareness of general lab safety and effective risk management in a laboratory setting.

About you

To thrive in this varied and engaging role, we are looking for someone with:

Appropriate health and safety qualifications (ideally the NEBOSH Diploma; at minimum the NEBOSH General Certificate and the willingness and ability to obtain the Diploma within 2 years of appointment) and a commitment to Continuing Professional Development.

Up-to-date knowledge of health and safety legislation and best practice.

A degree in a lab-based science subject (or have equivalent experience) and with extensive experience working in a complex laboratory-based/research/industrial environment.

Experience of risk assessments, safety and environmental auditing, and of inspection programmes.

Strong organisational, planning and management skills and excellent communication skills.

About the team

You will be responsible for the management of the Deputy Departmental Safety Officer and the Chemical Safety Officer overseeing their work and professional development. You will co-ordinate with the wider team of safety specialists. You will organise and chair regular meetings to share knowledge and ensure efficient delivery of action plans and policies.

Application process

You will be required to upload a cover letter/supporting statement which details how you meet each of the selection criteria, a CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application.

The closing date for applications is Monday 14^th September 2026 at 12:00 noon.

Interviews are scheduled for the 1^st October 2026

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