Operational Biosafety and Chemical Safety Specialist

WELCOME TO BASF

Come join us on our journey to create solutions for sustainable agriculture at the Innovation Center of BASF Agricultural Solutions Belgium NV in Gent, Belgium.

The Operational Biosafety & Chemical Safety Specialist is responsible for ensuring that biosafety and chemical safety requirements arising from Belgian legislation, LTO permits, European regulations, and BASF standards are effectively implemented across the BASF sites.

The position provides dedicated operational support for laboratory, greenhouse and research activities involving biological and chemical materials, ensuring that all activities remain compliant, audit-ready and authorized to operate.

A primary objective of this role is safeguarding the site's biosafety permit compliance while simultaneously ensuring robust chemical safety governance through the effective management of chemical inventories, hazard communication, regulatory compliance and operational risk controls.

Failure to adequately execute these responsibilities may result in permit non-compliance, regulatory findings, safety incidents, operational restrictions, interruption of research activities and increased business risk.

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WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

Key Responsabilities:

• Maintain continuous compliance with Belgian biosafety legislation and LTO permit conditions.
• Monitor implementation of biosafety requirements across laboratories and greenhouse facilities.
• Support preparation and maintenance of documentation required to sustain permits and authorizations.
• Identify and address compliance gaps related to biological activities.
• Act as operational subject matter expert during inspections and audits.
• Maintain documentation demonstrating compliance with regulatory obligations and permit requirements.

2. Chemical Safety & Regulatory Oversight

• Ensure effective management and oversight of chemical safety across research and operational facilities.
• Maintain the integrity of LabCup as the central source of information for chemical products on site.
• Monitor approximately 1,600 chemical registrations representing nearly 900 unique products, ensuring the accuracy of hazard classifications, SDS documentation, storage locations and lifecycle information.
• Identify, investigate and resolve discrepancies between Safety Data Sheets and locally available information.
• Ensure compliance with applicable GHS, CLP, REACH and SDS requirements.
• Monitor and implement changes in product classifications, hazard information and regulatory requirements.
• Support chemical product substitutions, lifecycle management and Management of Change (MOC) processes.

3. Operational Safety Oversight

• Conduct routine inspections of laboratories, greenhouses, storage facilities and operational workspaces.
• Verify compliance with biosafety and chemical safety requirements.
• Assess storage conditions, containment measures, inventory management and expiry status of materials.
• Review operational practices and identify opportunities for risk reduction and continuous improvement.
• Support risk assessments related to biological and chemical materials.
• Promote practical implementation of safety requirements at the workplace.

4. Governance, Documentation & Inventory Control

• Maintain biosafety procedures, work instructions and records.
• Ensure biosafety and chemical safety documentation remains current and inspection-ready.
• Oversee biological and chemical inventory management systems and ensure data quality.
• Coordinate administration and operation of the Belgian Biosafety Committee.
• Maintain documentation demonstrating compliance with legal, regulatory and corporate requirements.

5. Training, Awareness & Culture

• Develop and deliver biosafety and chemical safety training.
• Ensure employees receive appropriate instruction before working with biological or chemical materials.
• Maintain training records and competency tracking systems.
• Promote a strong safety culture through coaching, awareness initiatives and field engagement.
• Act as a trusted advisor for operational teams, researchers and managers.

6. Audit, Inspection and CAPA Management

• Coordinate internal inspections, compliance reviews and self-assessments.
• Support regulatory inspections and external audits.
• Investigate incidents, deviations and non-conformances related to biosafety or chemical safety.
• Develop, implement and monitor corrective and prevent