Safety and Emergency Response Specialist

Springfield Water and Sewer Commission; Springfield (MA); On-site; USD 58,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

3 weeks vacation

13 paid holidays

Paid sick and personal time

Health/dental plan

Job summary

The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission is seeking an entry-level Safety and Emergency Response Specialist to join the Safety Department. The Specialist will assist in the review, development, implementation, and monitoring of Emergency Response and Health and Safety programs across all locations to ensure staff safety and preparedness.

Preferred is a Bachelor’s degree in a related field, or a BA with relevant experience in Safety or Emergency Management.

Qualifications

• Familiar with federal, state, and local worker safety regulations.
• Experience with safety inspections and corrective actions.
• Knowledge of construction procedures (trench/excavation, traffic) and plant operations.

Responsibilities

• Assist in updating Emergency Response Plans and training drills with stakeholders.
• Assist workplace safety inspections to ensure compliance with safety regulations.
• Identify safety violations and provide solutions at work sites and facilities.

Skills

Regulatory knowledge

Safety program basics

Emergency response planning

Team coordination

Education

Bachelor's in occupational health & safety or emergency management

Job description

The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission has a growth opportunity for an entry-level Safety and Emergency Response Specialist to join its Safety Department. The Specialist will work as part of a team to assist in the review, development, implementation and monitoring of the Commission’s Emergency Response and Health and Safety programs to ensure the safety and emergency preparedness of all SWSC staff across all locations. As a member of the Safety Department, the Safety and Emergency Response Specialist will work to promote a culture of safety and preparedness throughout the SWSC. This is a non-exempt position. This position reports to the Health and Safety Manager.

The successful candidate must be familiar with federal, state and local regulations regarding worker safety. The successful candidate must also be familiar with the appropriate use of materials and tools commonly employed in construction, water treatment plant operations, and building maintenance, as well as knowledge of construction procedures such as trench/excavation, traffic, etc.

For more information about the Commission, please visit our YouTube channel.

A Bachelor’s degree in a field related to occupational health and safety compliance or emergency management is strongly preferred but a BA degree with relevant rigorous experience in the Safety or Emergency Management fields may be considered in lieu of college coursework. This position requires a minimum of one (1) year of relevant experience in the health and safety field.

Examples of job duties include:

• Assist in the coordination of annual updates to Emergency Response Plan and Emergency Action Plans and coordinate Emergency Response training, exercises and drills with various stakeholders.
• Assist with workplace safety inspections to ensure worker safety at Commission work locations and to ensure compliance with state, federal, and Commission safety regulations
• Aid in the identification of, and provide solutions for, safety violations at work sites and facilities

The hiring salary range is $58,000-$61,000.

The Commission offers a competitive compensation package including:

• 3 weeks of vacation
• 13 paid holidays
• paid sick and personal time
• an affordable health/dental plan

The successful applicant will be required to complete a pre-employment drug test and physical as well as a pre-employment criminal background check.

As public sector workers, employees of the Commission are eligible for federal student loan forgiveness in accordance with the terms of their loan. Employees also participate in a pension and years of service in a PERAC system are eligible for transfer (subject to the rules of the Springfield Retirement Board).

This is a full time position and the typical hours are Monday-Friday from 7:00-3:30, although the Safety and Emergency Response Specialist may be needed to work outside of the typical work day or work week during an emergency.

The application deadline is Monday, August 10, 2026.

The anticipated start date is September 8, 2026 (this is flexible).