Position Overview:
The Senior Industrial Hygiene Manager is a working field leader who personally drives IH program excellence across manufacturing facilities and administrative offices. The expectation is that the position spends significant time on the plant floor, conducting hands-on IH sampling, performing exposure assessments, and executing the core technical work of the IH program alongside site personnel. This is a senior level position in title and scope, but it is fundamentally a hands-on, field-active role. The successful applicant will be equally comfortable presenting strategy to senior leadership.
This role demands a visible, trusted presence in each facility. Building strong working relationships with plant managers and department managers is not optional — it is central to the job. The Senior Industrial Hygiene Manager earns credibility through direct engagement and technical expertise, not through directing others from a distance.
Reporting to the Vice President of Safety and Health, the Senior Industrial Hygiene Manager is accountable for the sustainability and continuous improvement of IH programs across all sites, in collaboration with Environmental, S&OH, Operations, Engineering, and support staff.
This position can (and must) be based in either Eagan, MN or Tampa, FL.
Critical Success Criteria:
- Serves as the primary, hands-on IH technical resource across all plant sites — regularly present in facilities, personally executing sampling, assessments, and program activities.
- Develops and maintains trusted, collaborative relationships with plant managers and department managers; leverages those relationships to advance IH program adoption and cultural buy-in.
- Develops, implements, and leads multi-site IH programs incorporating industry best practices and meeting or exceeding all regulatory standards.
- Designs and conducts facility exposure assessments and IH monitoring plans, with accountability for data quality and interpretation.
- Implements long-term strategies for continuous IH improvement while simultaneously managing day-to-day field program demands.
- Champions company vision, values, and safety culture through visible, on-the-ground leadership and consistent engagement with the workforce.
Core Responsibilities:
- Conduct IH sampling firsthand — air monitoring, noise dosimetry, bulk sampling, wipe sampling, and similar field tasks.
- Maintain a regular, visible presence at plant sites. Remote or infrequent site visits are not consistent with the expectations of this position.
- Develop genuine working relationships with plant managers and department managers, understanding their operations and earning their trust as a credible, practical IH partner.
- Build and maintain foundational IH program elements — written programs, exposure monitoring plans, hygiene
- Develop and execute site-specific IH monitoring plans and hygiene cleaning programs.
- Manage respirator and hearing conservation programs including hands-on involvement with fit testing and ear plug validation.
- Manage portable and personal gas monitor programs; audit compliance with calibrations and bump testing.
- Conduct routine audits of medical providers to verify all medical surveillance requirements are met.
- Conduct or assists in IH-related incident investigations; evaluate causes, identify corrective actions, and ensures follow-through.
- Serve as the primary liaison with all federal and state regulatory agencies on industrial hygiene and broader occupational health matters.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Maintain a consistent, active presence at all plant sites; develop strong professional relationships with plant managers, department managers, and frontline supervisors.
- Engage directly with Operations, Maintenance, Training, and Engineering to integrate IH considerations into day-to-day plant activities and build lasting program ownership.
- Act as the primary IH/Occupational Health Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Management of Change (MOC) requests, Capital Projects, and R&D Projects.
- Develop and reports on plant process controls that impact worker IH and safety.
- Manage the company’s written IH programs, compliance documentation, data management systems, and auditing protocols.
- Develop and updates all IH training content, including exposure hazard training, new hire onboarding, and computer-based training modules.
- Manage third-party IH consultants and vendors supporting program design and execution.
- Drive implementation and ongoing support of IH system applications for program sustainability.
- Work with the S&OH organization on goal-setting, initiative tracking, and performance management.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Hygiene, Safety, Occupational Health, Environmental Science, or a related field from an accredited College or University.
- Current Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) credential — active certification in good standing is required; candidates without a current CIH will not be considered.
- Minimum 7 years of industrial hygiene experience in an industrial or chemical manufacturing environment or with a regulatory agency.
- Demonstrated history of hands-on IH field work: personal sampling, assessments, and program execution.
- Proven ability to build and sustain positive working relationships with plant and operations leadership.
- Previous experience in site IH management roles with emphasis on implementing OSHA IH regulatory programs.
- Extensive knowledge of federal and applicable state OSHA IH regulations.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to engage effectively with employees at all organizational levels and across a diverse workforce.
- Strong organizational and project management skills; ability to adapt priorities in a dynamic, multi-site environment.
- Technical proficiency with MS Office including PowerPoint; ability to develop and deliver presentations to varied audiences.
- Willingness and ability to travel <25% to sister plant site.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP) strongly preferred, but not required.
- Master’s Degree in Industrial Hygiene, Safety, Occupational Health, Environmental Science, Engineering, or a related discipline from an accredited school preferred, but not required.
- Previous experience using EHS management software (e.g., Intelex or comparable platforms) preferred, but not required.
- Previous experience in formal project management and large-scale program implementation preferred, but not required.
Physical Requirements:
- Willingness and ability to wear a full-face respirator mask directly against skin (e.g. clean shaven if applicable), work in a hot/high temperature production facility, and wear personal protective equipment (PPE) in designated areas with or without reasonable accommodation.
- Willingness and ability to comply with safety protocols and company-provided decontamination measures which include utilizing private shower facilities upon leaving the plant environment with or without reasonable accommodation.
Compensation Information:
Salary Range: $131,300 - $216,500. This position is also eligible for a short-term incentive plan which is determined by the achievement of strategic objectives. The market rate for the role is typically at the midpoint of the salary range; however, variations in final salary are determined by additional factors such as candidate qualifications, relevant years of experience, geographic location, internal pay equity, and prevailing market conditions for the specific role.
Benefits: Gopher Resource is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package that promotes the health, wellness, and financial security of our employees. List of benefit offerings include medical & pharmacy, dental, vision, health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), dependent care spending account, life insurance, disability programs, telemedicine, parental leave, tuition support, legal insurance, identity theft protection, gym membership discounts, EAP, 401(k) with a company match, and paid time off (vacation, personal, bereavement, holidays).
Gopher Resource is an Equal Opportunity Employer.