Safety Manager

Job Title: Construction Safety Specialist - Data Center Projects

Job Description

This role focuses on promoting and enforcing a strong safety culture on a mission-critical construction project, with a particular emphasis on data center work. You will spend most of your time in the field, engaging directly with crews, monitoring safety practices, conducting audits, and ensuring all safety documentation is accurate, complete, and up to date. Working closely with the project team and regional safety leadership, you will help plan and oversee high-risk activities, lead safety meetings, and support incident response and investigation efforts. This is an excellent opportunity to grow your career in construction safety with high-profile projects and a team that values proactive, collaborative, safety-first professionals.

Responsibilities

• Implement and uphold the project's safety guidelines, site-specific safety plan, and any client-specific safety requirements.
• Coordinate with the regional safety lead to ensure all necessary safety signage and personal protective equipment (PPE) are available and properly used.
• Confirm that all personnel scheduled to work on-site have completed the required safety orientation training before starting work.
• Gather and organize safety documentation from subcontractors and trade partners, including Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), Safety Data Sheets (SDS), High-Risk Activity Plans, Heat Illness Prevention Plans (when applicable), and training certifications such as OSHA, site-specific safety training, and equipment operator cards.
• Conduct at least one safety audit per day using the designated digital platform, including annotated photos to document conditions and corrective actions.
• Share audit findings and recommended corrective actions with the project team to ensure visibility, accountability, and timely resolution.
• Submit a minimum of two Safety Observation Reports (SORs) per week to document positive practices and areas for improvement.
• Spend approximately 60-70% of work time in the field engaging with crews, observing work practices, and reinforcing safe behaviors.
• Attend and actively contribute to daily huddles, coordination meetings, foremen's meetings, and preconstruction meetings to integrate safety into planning and execution.
• Lead or support weekly all-hands safety meetings, including preparing materials, presenting content, and tracking attendance.
• Spot-check safety documentation during site visits to verify accuracy, completeness, and compliance with project requirements.
• Review and track Daily Action Plans (DAPs), High-Risk Activity Plans, hot work permits and checklists, safety orientation records, and project-specific safety documentation such as SDS and confined space plans.
• Immediately notify the project team and regional safety lead of any incidents or near-misses, following established reporting protocols.
• Assist in incident investigations by gathering facts, participating in root cause analysis, and reviewing reports prior to submission.
• Ensure that a clear and actionable "Lessons Learned" summary is created for each incident or near miss and communicated to relevant stakeholders.
• Conduct site-specific safety orientations for all trade partners and ensure they understand project safety expectations and procedures.
• Maintain regular communication with subcontractor safety representatives to align on safety goals, expectations, and upcoming high-risk activities.
• Participate in or lead planning meetings for high-risk activities, such as crane operations, confined space entry, and work requiring fall protection, to ensure appropriate controls are in place.
• Work alongside another safety professional as part of the on-site safety team, providing mutual support and coverage.
• Maintain clear, professional, and frequent communication with the project team, safety leadership, and trade partners regarding safety issues and initiatives.
• Respond promptly to field inquiries and proactively address safety concerns raised by workers, supervisors, or trade partners.
• Ask questions when clarification is needed, and openly share observations, recommendations, and suggestions to continuously improve site safety.
• Support and align with the project schedule, including being available for occasional overtime, nights, and weekends as project needs require.
• Remain on-site during all active construction hours and notify the team if you need to leave early, ensuring safety coverage is maintained.

Essential Skills

• Safety engineering or equivalent qualification with approximately 2 years of experience in construction safety.
• Experience in construction safety management on active job sites.
• Strong understanding of site safety, construction safety, and safety management principles and practices.
• Ability to conduct safety audits, inspections, and observations using digital tools and platforms.
• Knowledge of OSHA requirements and best practices for construction environments.
• Current CPR and First Aid training or the ability to obtain these certifications promptly.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, for documentation and reporting.
• Excellent professional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to interact effectively at all levels of the project team and with trade partners.
• Reliable, proactive work style with the ability to support and align with the project schedule, including flexibility for some overtime, nights, and weekends.
• Ability to be mentored, receive feedback, and grow within a structured safety program.
• Capability to remain on-site during active construction hours and spend the majority of time in the field (approximately 70%).

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Mission critical or data center construction experience is strongly preferred.
• At least 1 year of experience supporting data center projects is ideal; candidates with some data center exposure will also be considered.
• Experience in commercial building construction is acceptable and valued.
• Construction management or construction safety management experience is beneficial.
• Familiarity with high-risk activities such as crane operations, confined space entry, hot work, and work at heights using fall protection.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple documents, permits, and safety plans simultaneously.
• Comfort working with subcontractor and trade partner teams, including their safety representatives.
• Ability to pass a drug test in accordance with project requirements.
• Openness to working occasional overtime, nights, and limited weekend shifts as needed to support project milestones.

Work Environment

This is a full-time, on-site role based in Minooka, IL, supporting a mission-critical data center construction project. The standard work schedule is Monday through Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with occasional weekend work on Saturdays from approximately 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. for a limited number of Saturdays over the course of the project. You will be on-site every day, with an approximate split of 70% field and 30% office work. The environment is a fast-paced, active construction site where you will regularly walk the site, interact with multiple trades, and use digital platforms to conduct safety audits and complete documentation. The project team emphasizes a strong safety-first culture, collaboration, and proactive problem-solving. You will work closely with another safety professional and a broader project team that values open communication and continuous improvement. Appropriate PPE is required on site, and you will help ensure that all necessary PPE and safety signage are available and used correctly. While this position is initially project-based, strong performance can lead to continued work on future projects and potential long-term opportunities.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Chicago, IL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $35.00 - $50.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Chicago,IL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 11, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.