Safety Specialist

We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. More information about us on our website.

We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

• Spend most of your time onsite at treatment plants, interceptor systems, and construction projects building relationships, observing work, and supporting safe practices in real time.
• Use a variety of tools including walkthroughs, observations, conversations, and document reviews to help identify safety needs and support effective follow-up.
• Collaborate with crews, supervisors, and contractors to solve safety challenges in ways that make sense for the work being done.
• Provide practical guidance on how to apply EHS requirements in the field, helping teams understand both they "why" and the "how."
• Participate in capital project planning and site visits to help ensure safety is considered throughout the process.
• Support and help improve core safety programs (e.g. confined space, lockout/tagout, PPE, etc.) so they align with real work practices and support consistent outcomes.
• Contribute to safety culture by being a steady, approachable presence who helps move ideas into action.
• Support and deliver training tailored to the work people actually do, in classrooms or on job sites, including PPE, hazard recognition, incident reporting, defensive driving, ergonomics, or system safety principles.
• Investigate incidents and near misses with a focus on learning, prevention, and improvement. Lead or support follow-up actions, including safety conferences and documentation in internal systems.
• Conduct field audits and inspections to assess compliance with internal procedures and external safety regulations (e.g. OSHA, fire code, DOT, etc.).
• Track and document incidents, inspections, and training using internal tools and systems.
• Promote practical, effective safety improvements that reflect operational realities and regulatory requirements.
• Use emerging tools, processes, and systems to help build a consistent, transparent Safety Department structure moving beyond relationship-based support toward clearly documented roles, deliverables, and responsibilities.
• Communicate clearly and respectfully, whether with field staff or leadership.
• Continuously look for ways to improve how safety is supported across systems, behaviors, and culture.
• Other duties as assigned.

Any of the following combinations of completed education (in safety, occupational safety, environmental science or other related degree) and experience administering OSHA regulations in a related field or directly related industry experience in safety, plant operations and/or construction:

• Bachelor's degree with two years of experience
• Associate degree with four years of experience
• High school diploma or GED and six years of experience

What additional skills and experience would be helpful in this job (desired qualifications):

• Experience working in operations, maintenance, wastewater treatment, construction, or other industrial settings.
• Experience participating in safety-related activities such as safety committees, root cause analyses, or lessons learned reviews.
• Experience or familiarity with workplace hazards such as confined space, lockout/tagout, or team-based communication.
• Experience supporting or delivering safety-related training, investigations, or field observations.
• Experience working in or supporting teams during times of organizational change or restructuring.
• Experience contributing to or supporting an inclusive work environment by working effectively with people from different backgrounds, roles, or perspectives.

• Familiarity with local, state, and federal EHS standards (e.g. OSHA, MNOSHA) and how they apply in operational settings.
• Basic understanding of chemical safety, hazard recognition, and use of safety data sheets.
• Working knowledge, or willingness to learn, core safety programs such as lockout/tagout, confined space, machine guarding, fall protection, respiratory protection, and hearing conservation.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills, especially for working with field staff.
• Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office tools and a willingness to learn internal systems.
• Interpersonal skills that support respectful coaching, relationship-building, and problem-solving.
• Willingness to learn how wastewater treatment systems processes work to support realistic, effective safety approaches.
• Ability to read or learn to read construction drawings and project specifications.
• Ability to support safety training and help promote safety culture through conversation, visuals, and collaboration.
• Ability to support the development and improvement of safety department programs using a systems-thinking approach, recognizing how processes, behaviors, and decisions interact across the organization.

• We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
• We encourage our employees to develop their skills through on-site training and tuition reimbursement.
• We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits and a good work/life balance.

More about why you should join us!

Union/Grade: AFSCME / Grade F
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Safety Sensitive: No

What your work environment would be:
This position works part-time in a standard office setting, and the remainder of the time will be spent in an industrial/plant/construction environment or outside with the possibility of exposure to hot and cold temperatures, rain, snow, unpleasant odors, chemicals and other industrial elements.

What steps the recruitment process involves:

1. We review your minimum qualifications.
2. We rate your education and experience.
3. We conduct a structured panel interview.
4. We conduct a selection interview.