Occupational Safety and Health Specialist 3 – Industrial Hygienist

State of Washington•King County - Seattle - Downtown Business, WA

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is seeking a senior-level Occupational Safety and Health Specialist 3 (OSHSPEC3) to support the agency’s Industrial Hygiene (IH) Program. This role involves identifying, evaluating, and helping control occupational health hazards across agency facilities, operations, properties, and construction and maintenance worksites statewide. The position serves as a subject matter expert on industrial hygiene regulations, policies, and best practices, supporting compliance with state and federal health and safety requirements. The OSHSPEC3 will also manage assigned sections of the WSDOT Safety Manual to ensure program effectiveness and continuous improvement. The role promotes safe and healthy workplaces while fostering workforce equity, inclusion, employee well-being, and organizational health, requiring strong technical expertise in industrial hygiene, sound judgment, and the capacity to build collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders.

Requirements

Demonstrated knowledge of OSHA/WSHA, RCW, WAC, and related compliance regulations with the ability to interpret and apply them to workplace IH programs, inspections, and the development of corrective actions.
Extensive experience in designing, implementing, and managing comprehensive safety programs, including policy development, recordkeeping, compliance monitoring, risk assessment, and/or safety committee operations.
Advanced skills in conducting work-zone, construction, and facility inspections, identifying hazards, evaluating risks, and recommending corrective actions that ensure employee and public safety.
Proven ability to apply accident investigation techniques, conduct root cause analysis, and prepare reports that identify trends and recommend preventive strategies.
Experience in developing and delivering safety training using adult learning principles, adapting materials to diverse audiences and ensuring knowledge retention.
Proven skills maintaining effective working relationships with officials, employees, and the public; working effectively with stakeholders inside and outside the agency; and demonstrating strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Applied expertise in analyzing safety and health data, statistics, identifying trends, and recommending program improvements that enhance safety culture and organizational performance.
Proven experience with Microsoft Office Products.
Demonstrated experience in exercising independent judgment, including stop work authority to address unsafe conditions, while maintaining confidentiality and balancing operational needs.
Actively demonstrates a commitment to learning and growth. Takes action to meet the needs of others.
A valid driver’s license and the ability to operate state-owned vehicles.

Nice To Haves

Experience applying professional industrial hygiene standards, guidance, and best practices to support workplace health and safety programs, hazard mitigation, and employee protection typically obtained through extensive experience working as an IH and/or formal education.
Demonstrated ability to identify, evaluate, and recommend controls for occupational health hazards through industrial hygiene monitoring, risk assessment, data interpretation, and regulatory compliance activities.
Possession of, or ability to obtain and maintain, a recognized professional industrial hygiene certification such as Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Occupational Health and Safety Technologist (OHST), Board Certified Environmental Engineer – Industrial Hygiene (BCEE), or equivalent credential.
Possession of, or ability to obtain and maintain, an Associate Safety Professional (ASP), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), or equivalent occupational safety certification.

Responsibilities

Assist in the development and implementation of an effective occupational health program with the goal of eliminating or minimizing occupational illness risks for WSDOT employees.
Assist in developing and implementing an exposure evaluation program to identify and control health hazards and maintain compliance with occupational health regulatory requirements.
Conduct research on ways to address new occupational health hazards and ensure minimal risk exposures.
Provide exposure evaluation for occupational health hazards to effectively identify where exposure may exceed acceptable risk.
Provide professionally written reports to notify represented employees and managers of findings, conclusions, and any control recommendations.
Conduct compliance assessment and testing in high-risk or unusual hazardous environments, evaluate risk or exposure levels, assess risk in relation to occupational health and safety standards.
Coordinate required occupational health medical evaluations, which may include silica, lead, hexavalent chromium, respiratory protection, audiology, and homeless encampment excursions.
Assist regional Safety with respirator fit testing.
Provide training to staff to recognize and control health hazards to which they may be exposed as part of their duties.

Benefits

Flexible/hybrid remote work options
Regular travel around the state
General wage increase of 2% will be applied for all state employees on July 1, 2026
Potential for an additional 5% premium for residents of King County
12 paid holidays
Up to 25 paid vacation days per year
Tuition reimbursement programs
Government discounts at participating colleges throughout the state
Eligibility for federal student loan forgiveness
Comprehensive benefits package that includes a variety of healthcare options
Choice of state retirement programs