Construction Safety Officer

About the role

The Construction Safety Officer reports to the Assistant Director of Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S), overseeing safety programs for capital and institutional projects. They ensure compliance with safety, health, and environmental regulations, identifying, evaluating, and facilitating the timely mitigation of construction-related risks.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the EH&S representative on construction projects, providing safety guidance from planning through closeout.
• Review and evaluate contractor’s safety training programs and attend these training sessions on the job site.
• Evaluate contractor’s qualifications and proposals, ensuring they meet safety program requirements.
• Work closely with project teams to identify risks and integrate safety into all phases.
• Develop and implement safety programs and coordinate environmental site assessments and pre-construction hazard evaluations.
• Conduct site inspections to ensure safe conditions and compliance.
• Monitor construction activities, identify hazards and potential impacts to occupants, and collaborate with project teams to implement timely corrective actions.
• Assess construction impacts on building occupants (e.g., utilities, egress, fire/life safety, air quality, noise).
• Coordinate with the Office of Facilities Management (OFM) and EH&S to ensure clear stakeholder communication and implement controls to protect faculty, staff, students, and visitors.
• Collaborate with project teams, contractors, and stakeholders to ensure consistent safety implementation.
• Communicate risks and mitigation strategies and provide guidance on safety protocols and expectations.
• Maintain applicable records including but not limited to inspections consistent with department, university, and regulatory agency guidelines.
• Drive a university vehicle.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in technical or scientific field related to a safety discipline, and at least two (2) years of demonstrated experience in construction safety OR an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience in a similar role.
• Relevant experience in construction safety, preferably in an institutional or campus environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in occupational safety, environmental health, construction management, or a related field and three (3) years’ experience leading, supporting or implementing construction safety programs at a university or similar institution.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local construction safety regulations, loss prevention, and insurance.
• Ability to work independently while embedded within multidisciplinary project teams.
• Ability to read construction design drawings.
• Ability to establish and develop effective working relationships with project managers and contractors.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and make sound decisions.
• Strong communication and stakeholder coordination skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Other Requirements

• Ability to obtain and maintain 40-hour HAZWOPER certification.
• Ability to pass a pulmonary function test and be medically cleared to wear a respirator.
• This job requires a class “C” operator’s driver’s license. The applicant selected must provide a current three-year driving record from the state in which the person currently resides. If not currently a Texas resident, a Texas driver’s license must be obtained within 30 days of becoming a Texas resident.