Job Posting: Senior Safety Engineer

Department of Industrial Relations

JC-537860
-
Senior Safety Engineer
SENIOR SAFETY ENGINEER (INDUSTRIAL)

$11,427.00 - $14,298.00 per Month
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Final Filing Date: 12/2/2026

Job Description and Duties

The mission of the Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board (Board) is to promote, adopt, and maintain reasonable and enforceable standards that will ensure a safe and healthful workplace for California workers.

Governed by a seven-member body appointed by the Governor, the Board ensures California’s workplace regulations are at least as effective as federal standards. The Standards Board also has the responsibility to grant or deny applications for variances from adopted standards and respond to petitions for new or revised standards. The independent board holds monthly meetings throughout California.

The Board is the only agency in the state authorized to adopt, amend or repeal occupational safety and health standards or orders. (L.C.142.3)

Department Website: https://dir.ca.gov/oshsb/

Working at the Cal/OSHA Standards Board (Board) means much more than showing up for a job. You will work on programs that are vital to the health and safety of our community, work force, and the state. We recognize the strength in teamwork. We know that by encouraging collaboration and diversity, educating employers in best practices, and protecting the health and safety of employees through enforcement of the California Labor Code and regulations will benefit our economy as a whole. Be part of a team that prides itself in making a difference for Californians.

The Board protects and improves the health and safety of working people in California by developing safety standards and regulation, providing consultation and recommendations on the more complex and highly sensitive proposed safety and health regulations, and evaluating and providing recommendations on petitions to revise regulations as well as requests for permanent variances from safety orders.

The Senior Safety Engineer (SSE) is a working safety engineer responsible for the development of the State's occupational safety and health standards, with primary emphasis on occupational health and industrial hygiene issues in Title 8 and may participate as a techinical advisor to the Board during public hearings. The SSE strives to obtain consensus with labor, management and public groups to support the Board's mission to to promote, adopt, and maintain reasonable and enforceable standards that will ensure a safe and healthful workplace for California workers.

Under general direction of the Principal Safety Engineer (PSE) in the Engineering Unit, the Senior Safety Engineer (SSE) works independently to address the more complex, sensitive, and significant occupational health and safety matters for the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB). The SSE is a working safety engineer responsible for the development of the State's occupational safety and health standards, with primary emphasis on occupational health and industrial hygiene issues in Title 8 and may participate as a technical advisor to the Board during public hearings. The SSE strives to obtain consensus with labor, management and public groups to support the Board's mission to promote, adopt, and maintain reasonable and enforceable standards that will ensure a safe and healthful workplace for California workers.

This posting may be used to fill future vacancies in accordance with 2 CCR §249.3

Taking the SSE examination and establishing List Eligibility is a separate process from applying for this vacancy. Please be sure to follow all instructions for each process.

To be considered for this Senior Safety Engineer (Industrial) job opportunity, applicants must be either reachable on an employment list, have transfer eligibility or have reinstatement eligibility. To take the exam and gain employment list eligibility, please click here to access the exam bulletin: 
https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=2588

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

This position is located at: 
2520 Venture Oaks Way
Suite 350
Sacramento, CA 95833

This position is located in the Sacramento Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board office. This location offers easy freeway access, a variety of restaurants and shops nearby, and free parking!

This is a full-time permanent position with the Board, located in a temperature-controlled office environment with artificial lighting in a commercial office building. Incumbent will work at a desk and is required to work extensively on computers as necessary for the drafting of letters, reports and other documents, and for research, email communication, file review, training and other purposes. Incumbent is expected to handle their own word processing.

The position is generally scheduled to work Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week. The incumbent may be required to work longer hours as necessary to complete assignments and must be able to work outside normal business hours, including overnight travel, as needed.

Eligible applicants residing in California can take advantage of hybrid telework options under Government Code 14200—combining in-office collaboration with the flexibility of remote work.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents

Position Details

Job Code #:
JC-537860
Position #(s):
400-850-3909-013
Working Title:
Senior Safety Engineer
Classification:
SENIOR SAFETY ENGINEER (INDUSTRIAL)
$11,427.00 - $14,298.00
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
Sacramento County
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time

Department Information

The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) was established in 1927. Its mission is to improve working conditions for California's wage earners and to advance opportunities for profitable employment in California. DIR administers and enforces laws governing wages, workplace safety and health, apprenticeship training programs, and medical care and other benefits for injured workers.

Electronic Submission of Applications preferred. Application Packages maybe submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at https://jobs.ca.gov/ Applications must be received electronically by 11:59 p.m. on or before the above final filing date.

Please only submit ONE application. Electronic applications submitted through your CalCareer Account are highly recommended and will be received/processed faster than other methods of filing.

If you are unable to apply electronically through your CalCareer account, please mail a completed and signed State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 and application package to the mailing address provided in the “Application Instructions” section below and ensure the following:

Clearly indicate the Job Code #, Position Number and the Title of this position in the “Examination or Job Title(s) For Which You Are Applying” section located on the first page of your State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678.

  • Clearly indicate the basis of your eligibility (cert, transfer, reinstatement, etc.) in the “Explanations” section located on the first page of your State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678.
  • Remove and do not submit the “Equal Employment Opportunity” questionnaire (page 5) with your completed State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678. This page is for examination use only.
  • Do not include your full Social Security Number on your documents and/or do not provide any LEAP information.
Department Website: https://www.dir.ca.gov/

Special Requirements

A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) highlighting your experience that qualifies you for this position must accompany the application. A resume cannot be submitted in lieu of the SOQ. The SOQ should be typed in 12-point font, no more than two pages in length and address the following:

1. Please describe the experience and specific qualifications you possess as they relate to the duties named in the duty statement for the Senior Safety Engineer (Industrial) position in the OSHSB.

2. Please describe your education and professional background, including coursework or specializiation in industrial hygiene, occupational health, safety, engineering, or related fields, and any professional certifications you posses, for example, Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), or other relevant certifications.

3. Please describe a specific example in which you utilized your skills, knowledge and abilities to identify and evaluate an occupational health or industrial hygine issue, analyze relevant technical information, and develop or recommend an effective course of action. Include your role, the factors you considered, and the outcome.

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 12/2/2026

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply. Individuals who are eligible for a Training and Development assignment may also be considered for this position(s).

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Department of Industrial Relations
Cert Mailing Address Sacramento
Attn: Human Resources/Certs Unit
1416 9th Street, 13th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Department of Industrial Relations
Cert Drop Off Address Sacramento
Human Resources/Certs Unit
1416 9th Street, 13th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
08:00 AM - 04:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

  • Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
  • Resume is required and must be included.
  • Statement of Qualifications - Please see Special requirements section of the posting for instructions on the Statement of Qualifications.
Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Knowledge of Cal/OSHA Title 8 Regulations.
• Certified Industrial Hygenist (CIH) and/or Certified Safety Professional (CSP).
• Knowledge of principles of industrial hygiene and occupational health, including exposure assessment, hazard recognition and evaluation, methods of controlling occupational health hazards.
• Knowledge of methods used to evaluate occupational health hazards, including sampling strategies, exposure data, scientific and technical literature, applicable standards, and engineering, administrative, and other control measures.
• A commitment to safe workplaces and to public service.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills; ability to establish and earn the trust of those with whom they collaborate.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with a wide variety of people including public officials, executive management, legislative leadership, professional and technical personnel, and other public employees.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including experience giving briefings to executive management or public officials, preparing written reports, and explaining complex safety or health issues to laypersons.
• Ability to develop and apply creative and innovative solutions to complex problems.
• Ability to prioritize multiple time sensitive projects, while maintaining big-picture perspective.
• Excellent analytical, problem solving, and consultation skills.
• Proficient knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word, Adobe Acrobat, and Power Point.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Employment with the State of California offers many benefits, including: Health, Dental & Vision, Paid Sick & Vacation, Retirement (CalPERS), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Paid Holidays, 401 (k) & 457 plans, Military Leave, Reimbursement Accounts, and Public Transit Subsidy to name a few. In addition, working for the OSHSB in the Sacramento office offers easy freeway access, a variety of restaurants and shops nearby, free parking and hybrid Telework Options!

Contact Information

The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Department Website: https://www.dir.ca.gov/
Human Resources Contact:
Certification Unit
(800) 564-0771
cert@dir.ca.gov

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
Diversity and Inclusion Office
(916) 559-6999
DIO@dir.ca.gov
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Additional Information

Preference will be given to persons with State Restriction of Appointments (SROA) or Surplus status. Applicants must attach a copy of their most recently dated letter that specifies their designation as either SROA or surplus candidate as proof.

Qualified candidates must have eligibility in State employment, be in a reachable rank on an employment list for this classification, be currently in this classification, or have transfer eligibility to this classification.

If you do not hear from us in 4-6 weeks, you may assume the position has been filled by another applicant. Please note that all additional vacancies that become available may be added to this advertisement.

Please note that the Exam and Certification Online System (ECOS) does not allow you to resubmit your application once you withdraw it. If you have any updates to your online application, please contact the Personnel, Recruitment, & Hiring Unit at (800) 564-0771.

Please let us know how you heard about our position by taking this brief survey: DIR Applicant Survey

DIR Mission and Core Values

Our mission is to protect and improve the welfare and working conditions for California's wage earners and to advance opportunities for profitable employment in California. DIR is also committed to ensuring that all employers comply with labor laws in California to support a fair and thriving business environment.

Integrity - We fulfill the promise of our mission through fair, honest and ethical behavior.

Service - We are committed to responsibly serving the public and value their trust.

Respect - We treat others with dignity, courtesy and consideration.

Quality - We take pride in providing the public with accurate and timely services.

Transparency - We conduct ourselves with openness and accountability in all aspects of our work.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
Drop-off
Print Job