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State of Washington
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Posted: January 5, 2026 (9 days ago)
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Occupational Safety and Health Specialist 3 (In-Training)
State of Washington
Dept. of Transportation
Location
Washington, 98504
Salary
$66,372 - $96,144
per year
Type
Full Time
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Job Description
Summary
This job involves advising and training staff on workplace safety in transportation projects, ensuring everyone follows rules to prevent accidents, and investigating incidents to improve safety measures.
It's ideal for someone with deep experience in safety programs who enjoys fieldwork in busy construction sites and collaborating with teams to build a safer work environment.
The role supports the state's transportation goals while focusing on employee well-being and regulatory compliance.
Key Requirements
- Advanced expertise in developing and administering safety programs, including consultation on goals and best practices
- Strong knowledge of state (WAC, RCW) and federal (OSHA) safety regulations, fire and life safety codes
- Experience in designing, delivering, and coordinating safety training and educational courses
- Skills in conducting field surveillance, such as air sampling, noise dosimetry, lead monitoring, and exposure mitigation
- Ability to investigate incidents, perform root-cause analysis, and hold stop work authority for hazards
- Proficiency in supporting protection programs like respiratory, confined space, bloodborne pathogens, and collision avoidance
- Comfort with fieldwork in hazardous environments, including highway sites, active traffic, construction zones, and confined spaces
Full Job Description
About WSDOT
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is a multimodal agency with a global reputation for excellence.
Our dedicated workforce plans, designs, builds, and operates an integrated transportation system that safely and efficiently moves people and goods throughout the state.
In addition to maintaining over 20,000 lane miles of state highway and 4,100 bridges, WSDOT manages the world's longest floating bridge, leads an award-winning Active Transportation Plan, holds the record for the world’s widest tunneling project, and operates the largest ferry system in the nation!
The Opportunity
WSDOT is seeking a senior-level Occupational Safety and Health Specialist 3 (OSHSPEC3) to provide consultation and training to regional management and line staff in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of safety program.
This position holds stop work authority to ensure the health and safety of WSDOT employees and serves as a regional subject matter expert on safety policies, rules, and regulations.
The OSHSPEC3 is responsible for managing designated sections of the WSDOT Safety Manual, including maintenance, revision, and compliance assurance, while supporting WSDOT’s mission and strategic plan through work that advances workforce equity, inclusion, and organizational health.
Our top candidate will demonstrate advanced safety program expertise, regulatory knowledge, effective consultation and training skills, and a commitment to employee safety and organizational well-being.
What to Expect
This position requires conducting field and work site visits and may involve exposure to hazards such as highway rights-of-way, active traffic, construction sites with moving equipment, confined spaces, and falling or overhead hazards.
Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the OSHSPEC3 will:
- Develop and administer the Regional Safety Program consulting on agency goals, state and federal regulatory compliance, new regulations, safety protocols and best practices.
- Collaborate with the Regional Safety Manager to oversee administrative program components.
- Design, deliver, and coordinate safety-related educational courses to staff as assigned by the safety manager.
- Actively work to enhance the culture of safety; provide guidance to other safety and health professionals on their assigned safety topic in the WSDOT Safety Manual.
- Support the implementation of Regional Protection Programs (Respiratory, Confined Space; Lead Exposure; Bloodborne Pathogens, Collision Avoidance Training).
- Conduct surveillance tasks such as Air sampling, Indoor Air Quality, Lead monitoring; Noise dosimetry and serve as a regional expert for testing and exposure mitigation efforts to meet regulatory compliance.
- Ensure compliance with WAC; RCW; OSHA; Fire and Life Safety Codes.
- Attend pre-construction conferences and provide recommendations to help plan safety strategies on upcoming projects.
- Work in conjunction with WSDOT and Contractor engineers to identify and address risk.
- Participate in major incident investigations, conduct vehicle/equipment and employee injury investigations, conduct root-cause analysis.
Qualifications
This is an OSHSPEC3 position.
However, the hiring manager reserves the right to fill the position at a lower level in the classification series based on candidate qualifications, providing an opportunity for an individual to gain the required experience on the job as part of a formal “in-training” plan.
To be considered for this opportunity at the OSHSPEC3 level, the following are required:
- Regulatory Knowledge & Application: Demonstrated knowledge of OSHA/WSHA, RCW, WAC, and related compliance regulations with the ability to interpret and apply them to workplace safety programs, inspections, and corrective actions.
- Safety Program Development & Management: Extensive experience in designing, implementing, and managing comprehensive safety programs, including policy development, recordkeeping, compliance monitoring, risk assessment, and safety committee operations.
- Inspection & Hazard Identification: Advanced skills in conducting work-zone, construction, and facility inspections, identifying hazards, evaluating risks, and recommending corrective actions that ensure employee and public safety.
- Incident Investigation & Root Cause Analysis: Proven ability to apply accident investigation techniques, conduct root cause analysis, and prepare reports that identify trends and recommend preventative strategies.
- Training Development: Experience in developing and delivering safety training using adult learning principles, adapting materials to diverse audiences and ensuring knowledge retention.
- Collaboration & Interpersonal Skills: Proven ability to maintain effective working relationships with officials, employees, the public, and internal and external stakeholders through strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Data Analysis & Continuous Improvement: Applied expertise in analyzing safety and health data, identifying trends, and recommending program improvements that strengthen safety culture and organizational performance, with proficiency in Microsoft Office products.
- Decision-Making & Authority: Demonstrated experience in exercising independent judgment, including stop work authority, to address unsafe conditions, while maintaining confidentiality and balancing operational needs.
- Growth Mindset: Actively demonstrates a commitment to learning and growth.
- Service-Oriented: Takes action to meet the needs of others.
In addition to the competencies above, the following are also required:
- A valid driver’s license and the ability to operate state-owned vehicles.
It is preferred that qualified candidates also have:
- Occupational Safety & Health: Advanced knowledge of occupational safety and health issues can be obtained through formal education in safety studies, or other natural science, extensive experience as a safety professional and/or professional certifications such as: Associate Safety Professional (ASP) or Certified Safety Professional (CSP) certification.
- Advanced Industry knowledge of:
- Fall Protection
- Confined Spaces
- Respiratory Protection
- Temporary Traffic Control
- Industrial Hygiene Practices
*To review the full Position Description, please follow the directions in the Contact Us section of this posting.
Important Notes
- This recruitment may also be used to fill additional positions per business needs.
- This position offers limited flexible/hybrid remote work options.
- Occupational Safety and Health Specialist 2: $66,372 – $89,316
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.
This is an Occupational Safety and Health Specialist 3 position.
However, the hiring manager reserves the right to fill the position at a lower level in the classification series based on candidate qualifications, providing an opportunity for an individual to gain the required experience on the job as part of a formal “in-training” plan.
The base salaries for each level are: Occupational Safety and Health Specialist 3: $71,472 – $96,144
Why WSDOT
- Work-Life Balance – We are committed to ensure that our staff experience the reward of public service, while also sustaining a routine that suits each individuals’ lifestyle. As such, there are a number of flexible schedule options available, including telework options for eligible positions.
- Paid Leave – In addition to 12 paid holidays, full-time employees 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 of three (3) individuals who can attest to your work performance, technical skills, and job-related competencies. NOTE: This information may 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.
All persons, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, and/ or gender identity, 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.
Contact Us
For inquiries about this posting, you may contact the assigned Recruiter at Robyn.Lovely@wsdot.wa.gov. Please be sure to reference 25DOT-HQ-03897e in the subject line.
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