How to hire an ehs specialist

How to hire an ehs specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step ehs specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an ehs specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new ehs specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an ehs specialist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The ehs specialist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an ehs specialist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an ehs specialist that fits the bill.

   This list presents ehs specialist salaries for various positions.

   Type of EHS Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   EHS Specialist	Occupational health and safety specialists analyze many types of work environments and work procedures. Specialists inspect workplaces for adherence to regulations on safety, health, and the environment... Show more	$19-39
   Safety Engineer	The duties of a safety engineer depend on one's industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around overseeing the implementation of the safety policies and regulations in a company by conducting regular inspections and maintenance checks, coordinating with department personnel to gather data, assessing risks, and arranging precautionary measures... Show more	$23-52
   Safety Officer	A safety officer specializes in maintaining a safe and healthy work environment for employees in a building or establishment. Aside from adhering to the safety standards and regulations within a company, a safety officer also has to craft and improve policies that prioritize the physical and mental health of workers... Show more	$13-35

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • OSHA
   • Environmental Health
   • Risk Assessments
   • Corrective Action
   • Ehs Management
   • Hazardous Waste
   • Safety Culture
   • Safety Standards
   • EPA
   • Safety Training
   • Regulatory Agencies
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Management System
   • Recordkeeping

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Assist with training, inspections, recordkeeping and reporting require for managing all wastes generate.
   • Manage cross-functional teams/committees in development and implementation of robust proactive ergonomics program.
   • Experience in environmental remediation, delineation and preparing reports for TXRRC, EPA.
   • Monitor employees and equipment to ensure active compliance in following all ISO standards and procedures.
   • Assist in obtaining ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certification for a new factory in Canada.
   • Skil in working with agencies such as EPA, and state and local environmental and regulatory authorities.

   More ehs specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the ehs specialist job description is a good way to get more applicants. An ehs specialist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an ehs specialist in Tennessee may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level ehs specialist. Additionally, an ehs specialist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average ehs specialist salary

   $58,112yearly

   $27.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level ehs specialist salary

   $41,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average ehs specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$70,483	$34
   2	Pennsylvania	$69,660	$33
   3	Washington	$69,516	$33
   4	Virginia	$69,014	$33
   5	Massachusetts	$68,847	$33
   6	California	$67,309	$32
   7	Delaware	$65,849	$32
   8	New York	$65,594	$32
   9	Oregon	$64,285	$31
   10	District of Columbia	$63,786	$31
   11	Colorado	$60,545	$29
   12	Minnesota	$59,588	$29
   13	Michigan	$58,353	$28
   14	Illinois	$56,535	$27
   15	Texas	$55,458	$27
   16	Indiana	$52,323	$25
   17	Ohio	$50,417	$24
   18	North Carolina	$48,049	$23
   19	South Carolina	$47,886	$23
   20	Tennessee	$47,743	$23

   Average ehs specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Genentech	$112,176	$53.93
   2	Amazon	$107,410	$51.64	370
   3	NewMarket	$101,186	$48.65
   4	Calpine	$101,120	$48.62	1
   5	Entegris	$100,274	$48.21
   6	AbbVie	$97,815	$47.03	4
   7	Solenis	$97,618	$46.93	1
   8	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$96,905	$46.59	3
   9	The Dow Chemical Company	$95,527	$45.93
   10	Core Molding Technologies	$95,108	$45.73	1
   11	Tesla	$94,497	$45.43	18
   12	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$94,027	$45.21
   13	Huntsman	$93,408	$44.91	6
   14	Dexcom	$93,158	$44.79
   15	Colfax Corporation	$92,872	$44.65
   16	Watson Pharma Pvt Ltd	$92,057	$44.26
   17	Hess	$91,861	$44.16
   18	Agilent Technologies	$89,445	$43.00
   19	Medtronic	$87,795	$42.21	3
   20	BioMarin	$87,456	$42.05

4. Writing an ehs specialist job description

   An ehs specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an ehs specialist job description:

   Ehs specialist job description example

   Under general supervision, performs generally non-routine risk assessments for processes and new equipment. Submits corrective solutions to risks while also making fiscal and operational considerations. Assists in safety and quality activities and improvement projects as directed by manager. Informs managers and supervisors of regulatory changes with which the company must comply.
   Key Responsibilities
   Ensures that safety and environmental rules and regulations are followed.Advises managers regarding safety, compliance and environmental issues.Implements compliance requirements and control procedures as prescribed by regulatory agencies.Performs safety orientation and conducts training updates for employees.Completes reports required by regulatory agencies and maintains environmental records.Implements safety and environmental programs in conjunction with corporate initiatives.May train employees on safety aspects of machine operations.Maintains system processes that support the safety and environmental function.May be responsible for quality processes.Incorporates and maintains safety observances, including but not limited to, use of all PPE by employees, ensuring guards and safety features are working, and promoting good safety practices and habits.May be responsible for regulatory water testing and reporting.May support site trails for process optimization and improvements.May conduct field sampling safely from various sampling points in and around Greif location(s).May perform customer service, purchasing, scheduling or other duties as required.Performs other duties as assigned.
   Education and Experience
   High School Graduate or equivalent. Bachelor's degree preferred.3 years experience in industrial or plant facility. Over 4+ years experience preferred.
   
   Knowledge and Skills
   Solid knowledge of relevant safety regulations.Ability to identify unsafe work practices and/or able to recognize processes subject to safety/environmental regulations.Takes an analytical approach to complex issues and problem solving.Ability to train and coach colleagues on issues relating to EH&S.Solid interpersonal and communication skills.Proficient in Microsoft Office suite of software and Internet research.
   40
   
   EEO Statement:
   htps://www.greif.com/uploads/media/default/0001/03/230497a078bec89c55df07d1d04e7f6db5ac6122.pdf
   
   We offer a competitive salary, excellent benefits and opportunity for growth. Greif, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, race, gender, religion, age, national origin, color, disability, or veteran status. EOE/Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran. For more information read Greif's Equal Opportunity Policy.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right ehs specialist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with ehs specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit ehs specialists who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your ehs specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit ehs specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit ehs specialists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new ehs specialist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the ehs specialist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new ehs specialist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an ehs specialist?