Career Center

 This recruitment is open to the public and is being held to establish an eligible list to fill current and future Senior Safety Specialist vacancies within OC Waste & Recycling, the County of Orange, Office of Risk Management and/or other County of Orange agencies. This recruitment may also be used to fill positions in similar and/or lower classifications. 

This recruitment will remain open on a continuous basis for a minimum of five (5) business days and will close at 11:59 PM (PST) on the day the needs of the department are met. 

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. 

The Departments

OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) is an organization dedicated to providing waste management services, protecting the environment, and promoting recycling in order to ensure a safe and healthy community for current and future generations. OCWR operates three active regional landfills (North, Central, South), four household hazardous waste collection centers, monitors 20 closed landfills, and administers municipal solid waste collection, recycling, and planning for County unincorporated areas. OCWR is a nationally renowned waste management department responsible for a network of sanitary landfills and is committed to its exceptional record of regulatory compliance and excellence. 

The Office of Risk Management is part of the County Executive Office (CEO). The Office preserves and protects the human and capital assets of the County of Orange to allow County departments and agencies to meet their missions without unnecessary cost. It operates as an "insurance company" for the County of Orange and manages numerous programs. The Safety and Loss Prevention Program strives to ensure a safe environment for County employees and members of the public who visit County facilities and receive County services. Safety staff work to support efforts to ensure that all state and federal requirements are met or exceeded.

The Opportunity
The Senior Safety Specialist for OC Waste & Recycling will support an employee-driven safety culture while collaborating with Site Designated Safety Representatives to develop and administer staff training on various safety topics in multiple areas such as Cal/OSHA regulatory programs, heavy equipment operation which includes the use of simulator as necessary, accident investigation, high hazard topics, contractor safety and emergency management. This position will work from an assigned OCWR facility during regular operational hours which may involve exposure to inclement weather, loud noises, hazardous chemicals, and heavy equipment. Additionally, the position may be required to report to County Facilities outside assigned region during nights and weekends in response to incident or declared disaster and may be required to represent the department at the Orange County Operational Area Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in emergencies and natural disasters on an on-call basis.

The Office of Risk Management is seeking experienced Senior Safety Specialist professionals who have the drive to learn, take initiative, and have enthusiasm for changing culture. The Senior Safety Specialists will possess deeper technical skills than expected of a Safety Specialist and is expected to conduct advanced level project-related work that will support and benefit all County departments and agencies.

Primary responsibilities for both departments may include the following:

• Act as the primary liaison and subject matter expert to proactively manage and implement countywide initiatives
• Maintain compliance with Federal, State, county and local safety standards (e.g. Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA], National Fire Protection Association [NFPA], American National Standards Institute [ANSI], National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health [NIOSH], California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Occupational Safety and Health [Cal/OSHA], and the Department of Transportation [DOT]). 
• Lead and coordinate the roll-out/implementation of assigned countywide safety projects or tasks such as new safety programs and systems, enterprise database systems, contractor safety programs, training development and Industrial Hygiene programs. 
• Conduct complex safety assessments. 
• Review, develop and update the countywide safety plans and programs, safety policies and procedures. 
• Analyze data to evaluate and track trends and innovations related to workplace safety programs, program effectiveness, root-cause analysis and identification of opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborate and analyze organizational needs to address gaps in training and safety courses, designing relevant content and developing measurable training strategies and delivery methods using latest learning theories.
• Assist in leading safety program audit teams. 
• Assist in training and mentoring Safety Specialists. 
• Other duties as assigned.

The Ideal Candidate & Core Competencies 
Although not required, candidates who possess a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Associate Safety Professional (ASP), General Industry (Completion of OSHA Courses 511 & 510), Construction (Completion of OSHA Courses 510 & 500) or a Certified Safety Professionals (CSP) certification(s) are highly desirable. In addition to the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidates will also possess thorough knowledge of and experience in the following core competencies:
 
 Technical Experience | Technical Knowledge 

• Safety principles in one or more high hazard industry subjects (such as lock-out/tag-out, confined space entry, machine guarding and other high hazard industry subjects).
• Construction techniques, heavy equipment operation, and powered industrial truck safe practices and rules.
• Application of hierarchy of control principles.
• Safety and health laws, regulations, standards, and codes as they apply to operations in the State of California.
• Accident investigation techniques; accident/incident recordkeeping techniques.
• Use of instructional program design, adult learning principles and techniques to develop training materials, aids, and safety standards. 
• Experience in effectively utilizing technology and training aids, such as Microsoft Office software (MS Word, PowerPoint), to create graphics, present ideas, data, recommendations, procedures etc. 

Strategic Planning | Analytical Skills

• Analyzing data and/or situations, drawing logical conclusions, recommending, and implementing effective courses of action.
• Performing quantitative and qualitative analysis, including financial analysis as it relates to injury and illness costs.
• Interpreting and applying more complex safety regulations, standards and requirements.
• Auditing and project management processes.
• Experience working in facilities participating in Cal/OSHA Partnership Programs (Golden Gate, SHARP, Cal/VPP) or with third party safety credentials or accreditation is highly preferred.

Leadership and Relationship Building | Interpersonal Skills

• Ability to identify with the larger organizational team and the role required, share resources, respond to requests from other areas of the organization and support the agency's agenda.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships to find mutually agreeable solutions to problems.
• Use persuasion, influence and diplomacy to obtain cooperation and reach mutually agreeable objectives.
• Promote positivity and "can do" attitude to achieve common goals by coaching, mentoring, developing, and instructing.
• Develop and build teams while understanding individual strengths and roles. 

Oral | Written Communication Skills 

• Organize and deliver public presentations that effectively inform or persuade diverse audiences.
• Summarize and present information to management or a "non-technical" audience both verbally and in written form.
• Write clearly and concisely, demonstrate proofreading and editing skills, compose informative memos, e-mails, formal correspondence, reports, and other documents.

Minimum Qualifications 
Click here to learn more about the minimum qualifications and the physical & mental requirements as well as the environmental & working conditions for the Senior Safety Specialist.
 
License Required
Possession of a valid California Driver's License, Class C or higher will be required at time of appointment and must be maintained throughout employment.
 
Recruitment Process
Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer)
Human Resource Services (HRS) will screen all applications and supplemental responses for the minimum qualifications. After the initial screening, qualified applicants will be referred to the next step of the selection process. All applicants will be notified via email of their status in the process.

Structured Oral Interview | Oral Exam (Weighted 100%)
Candidates will be interviewed and rated by a panel of subject matter experts. Each candidate's rating will be based on responses to a series of structured questions designed to elicit the candidate's qualifications for the job. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list.

Eligible List
Once the assessment has been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.
 
Based on the Department's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedure.

Veterans Employment Preference Policy (VEPP)
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click here (Download PDF reader) to review the policy. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please see below for important information regarding COVID-19 related requirements. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, and laws, regulations, and policies regarding COVID-19 are subject to change.   The County of Orange is required to comply with all applicable State or County Public Health Orders, some of which require vaccination and boosting as follows:

• Workers, who provide services in certain Health Care Facilities or in a correctional facility or detention center where health care is provided, will be required to provide proof that they are fully vaccinated and boosted in accordance with applicable state orders.   (Workers may be exempt from this requirement based on religious beliefs or a qualifying medical reason)
• In addition, depending on assignment and COVID-19 Community Level, workers in certain high-risk settings may be required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

The position for which you are applying may be required to adhere to any applicable State or County Public Health Orders.  You will receive notification of any requirement as it applies to a position. 

Email Notification
Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account.
 
NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply. 
 
Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com.
 
 Frequently Asked Questions
 Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions.
 
Questions? For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Leslie Catalan at (714) 834-2988 or Leslie.Catalan@ocwr.ocgov.com .

EEO INFORMATION

 

About County of Orange

The County of Orange is a regional service provider and planning agency whose core businesses include public safety, public health, environmental protection, regional planning, public assistance, social services, and aviation. OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) is an organization dedicated to providing waste management services, protecting the environment, and promoting recycling in order to ensure a safe and healthy community for current and future generations. OCWR operates three active regional landfills (North, Central, South), four household hazardous waste collection centers, monitors 20 closed landfills, and administers municipal solid waste collection, recycling, and planning for County unincorporated areas. OCWR is a nationally renowned waste management department responsible for a network of sanitary landfills and is committed to its exceptional record of regulatory compliance and excellence. The Office of Risk Management is part of the County Executive Office (CEO). The Office preserves and protects the human and capital assets of the County of Orange to allow County departments and agencies to meet their missions without unnecessary cost. It operates as an "insuranc...e company" for the County of Orange and manages numerous programs. The Safety and Loss Prevention Program strives to ensure a safe environment for County employees and members of the public who visit County facilities and receive County services. Safety staff work to support efforts to ensure that all state and federal requirements are met or exceeded.

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