Description

The recruiting efforts for this position may be extended beyond the displayed closing date for as long and until a sufficient candidate pool has been established. However, the first review of applications will be conducted April 11, 2023. The Appointing Authority reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any time thereafter. It is to your benefit to submit your application as soon as possible.

About WSDOT
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is the steward of an integrated, multimodal transportation system that helps to ensure people and goods move safely and efficiently throughout the state. In addition to building, maintaining, and operating the state highway system, WSDOT operates the largest ferry system in the nation, manages the world's longest floating bridge, and recently completed the world's widest tunneling project.

The Opportunity
WSDOT is currently seeking a senior-level Safety Officer 3 (SO3) for the Northwest Region in Shoreline, WA. The incumbent will be responsible for ensuring WSDOT's compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, laws, codes, and other nationally recognized good safety and health practices. The Safety Officer will oversee the delivery of various protection programs and work with all levels of staff to identify and implement safety and health improvements. Our ideal candidate will have experience working in a construction related safety capacity. If you are committed to health and safety, are an effective communicator and trainer, and possess a willingness to travel throughout the region, we encourage you to apply for this position.

What to Expect
Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Safety Officer 3 will:

• 
  Assist with the development and implementation of the Regional occupational safety and health programs (e.g., bloodborne pathogens, confined space, ergonomics, hazard communication, hearing loss prevention, lead, silica, and respiratory protection).
• Assist the Regional Safety Manager (RSM) with the management of all administrative components of the program such as budget, vendor selection, Leading Indicator (Rewards) Program, mandatory (state/federal) records management and reporting, identifying safety and health trends, and developing mitigation strategies.
• Provide safety and health training to staff as assigned by the RSM and able to deliver materials to adult audiences with a broad range of educational and technical backgrounds.
• Perform field and work site visits which require exposure risks in highway right-of-way, in traffic, construction sites.
• Identify workplace hazards and assist employees with implementing controls to reduce risk.
• Ensure regulatory compliance with Washington Administrative Code (WAC), Revised Code of Washington (RCW), and Fire and Life Safety Codes
• Attend pre-construction conferences.
• Work in conjunction with WSDOT and Contractor engineers to identify and address safety and health risks.
• Participate in major incident investigations, conduct vehicle/equipment and employee injury investigations, and conduct root-cause analysis.

Qualifications
To be considered for this opportunity, the following are required:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Safety or closely related field

OR

• An Associate Degree in Occupational Safety or closely related field AND two (2) years of work experience as a safety professional

OR

• A high school diploma AND four (4) years of work experience as a safety professional performing duties related to:
  • Safety and Health Program Administration
  • Safety and Health education and training of adults
  • Accident investigation and root cause analysis
  • Work Zone and/or facility inspection

The following are also required:

• A valid driver’s license.
• Travel within and outside the state of Washington.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite.
• Ability to interpret and implement safety and health regulations and policies.
• Ability to establish and maintain a safe and healthful work environment within the assigned region.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with officials, employees, and the public.
• Ability to analyze and resolve a variety of safety and health problems.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing to WSDOT employees.

It is preferred that qualified candidates also have:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in occupational safety and health or another closely related field
• Three (3) years of work experience as a safety professional
• Associate Safety Professional (ASP) or Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification

Important Notes

• This recruitment may also be used to fill additional positions per business needs.
• This position offers flexible/hybrid remote work options.
• This position requires field and work site visits with exposure risks from highway right-of-way, traffic, and construction sites.
• This position requires regular travel around the NW Region and state as needed to complete essential job functions.
• Application review will begin on April 11, 2023. Candidate selection may take place at any time thereafter. It is to your advantage to apply as soon as possible.
• The salary listed includes the legislative approved 5% salary premium for positions in King County.
• In addition to base salary, employees may be entitled to other forms of compensation depending on the type, duties, or location of the position. For union-represented positions, more information on other forms of compensation can be found in the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreements. Information on other compensation types for non-represented positions can be found in Chapter 357-28 of the Washington Administrative Code.
• Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 357-16-197 mandates that all employees who work for executive cabinet agencies (which includes the Department of Transportation) must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Compliance with this mandate is a condition of employment with WSDOT. Exemption may be granted for religious or medical purposes; however, accommodations will be subject to approval based on the essential functions required of the position.
• WSDOT does not use the E-Verify system. For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov

Why WSDOT

• Work-Life Balance – We offer flexible work schedules that allow you time for your life outside of this excellent opportunity.
• Paid Leave – In addition to 12 paid holidays, full-time employees can earn up to 25 paid vacation days per year!
• Tuition Assistance – Permanent employees have several options for assistance with education expenses, including tuition reimbursement programs, government discounts at participating colleges throughout the state, and eligibility for federal student loan forgiveness.
• Plan For Your Future – WSDOT offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes a variety of healthcare options. Employees also have their choice of state retirement programs, and much more. Go to State Benefits for more information.

Check out this video to learn more: Why WSDOT?

How to Apply
Applications for this recruitment will be accepted electronically. Your relevant experience may be evaluated to determine salary. Therefore, it is very important that the “Work Experience” portion of the application be completed in as much detail as possible.
In order to be considered for this opportunity, please include the following with your online application:

• An attached Resume outlining (in reverse chronological order) your experience to date.
• An attached Cover Letter that further explains your qualifications and indicates why you believe you are a viable candidate for this role.
• Contact details for a minimum three (3) individuals who can attest to your work performance, technical skills, and job-related competencies. This information can be entered in the “References” section of the online application; does not require an additional attachment.

Please click the "APPLY" button to proceed. Note that you will be prompted to either sign in, or create an account. This step is required in order to submit an application to this opportunity.

WSDOT is an equal opportunity employer. We value the importance of creating an environment in which all employees can feel respected, included and empowered to bring unique ideas to the agency. Our diversity and inclusion efforts include embracing different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints while fostering growth and advancement in the workplace. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans, as well as people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons with disabilities needing assistance in the application process, or those needing this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the listed Recruiter.

WSDOT does not use the E-Verify system. For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov

Contact us
For inquiries about this posting, you may contact the assigned Recruiter, O. Dietrich, at DietriO@wsdot.wa.gov. Please be sure to reference 23DOT-HQ-04638-1 in the subject line.