Safety, Training, & Quality Specialist

Opterra Career•Lexington, KY

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Safety, Training, and Quality Specialist will exemplify the company's five core values: Safety, Others, Integrity, Initiative, and Passion. This role involves ensuring safety and regulatory compliance through inspections of crews, vehicles, equipment, facilities, and project sites. The specialist will identify unsafe conditions and behaviors, coach employees on corrective actions, and support various planning and inspection processes. A key part of the role is monitoring commercial motor vehicle requirements. The position also includes delivering new-hire orientation and various training programs, evaluating competency, and maintaining training records. Additionally, the specialist will perform quality assurance inspections to ensure work conforms to standards, document deficiencies, and help develop quality-control measures. The role also involves supporting investigations of incidents and claims, gathering evidence, identifying root causes, and recommending corrective actions. The specialist will maintain accurate data, prepare reports, and analyze trends. Other duties as assigned are also part of this role.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent
Valid driver’s license, good driving record, and the ability to drive company vehicles
Ability to obtain and maintain a DOT medical card
Ability to travel 90% by vehicle or air, with overnight travel throughout territory
Minimum of 3 (three) years of relevant experience in occupational safety, employee training, quality assurance, fleet safety, or a related field
Knowledge of Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations
Strong written, verbal, organizational, and interpersonal skills
Excellent presentation skills
Ability to prepare professional reports and maintain accurate records
Ability to work independently and communicate effectively with employees at all organizational levels
First Aid/CPR/AED certifications

Nice To Haves

Associate or bachelor’s degree in occupational safety, environmental health, risk management, education, quality management, or a related field
Experience in commercial vegetation management, utility services, construction, agriculture, forestry, or heavy-equipment operations
Knowledge of OSHA and FMCSA/DOT requirements
OSHA 10- or 30-hour certification
Knowledge of temporary traffic control standards
First Aid, CPR, and AED instructor certification
State pesticide applicator license or relevant industry certification
Experience conducting incident investigations and root-cause analyses
Defensive Driver trainer certification
OSHA 510 and OSHA 500 certifications
Bilingual in English and Spanish

Responsibilities

Inspect crews, vehicles, equipment, facilities, and project sites for compliance with company policies, customer requirements, and applicable OSHA, FMCSA, DOT, EPA, state pesticide, and environmental rules.
Identify unsafe conditions, behaviors, and operational risks; stop or escalate imminent-danger conditions and coach employees on corrective actions.
Support job hazard analyses, pre-job planning, tailgate meetings, site-specific plans, customer audits, and regulatory inspections.
Monitor commercial motor vehicle requirements, including driver qualifications, vehicle inspections, hours of service, load securement, and safe-driving practices.
Document findings, assign or recommend corrective actions, and verify timely completion.
Deliver new-hire orientation and approved classroom, virtual, and hands-on training in safety, compliance, equipment operation, and quality.
Evaluate knowledge and practical competency through tests, demonstrations, field observations, and coaching.
Maintain training records, qualifications, and expiration dates, and develop or update presentations, toolbox talks, tests, and field guides.
Coordinate refresher or remedial training following incidents, policy violations, inspection findings, or performance concerns.
Inspect ongoing and completed work for conformance with contracts, work plans, customer expectations, and company quality standards.
Evaluate mechanical cutting, herbicide application, site restoration, equipment use, documentation, and workmanship.
Document deficiencies and trends with clear descriptions and photographs; work with operations to resolve issues, prevent recurrence, and respond to customer concerns.
Help develop quality-control checklists, performance measures, and consistent work practices; recognize strong employees and crew performance.
Assist with investigations of injuries, vehicle collisions, property damage, spills, near misses, and customer complaints by responding to, gathering evidence, and identifying immediate, contributing, and root causes.
Recommend and track corrective or preventive actions, communicate unresolved items, and preserve confidential investigation records.
Maintain accurate incident investigation and corrective-action data; prepare reports and analyze trends to identify improvement opportunities.
Perform other duties as assigned.