Senior Safety Engineer
Newark AirTrain Replacement Program
Position Overview
PACO Group is seeking a Senior Safety Engineer to support the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey’s Construction Management Division on major capital improvement projects for the Newark AirTrain Replacement Program. This role will provide construction safety oversight across multiple concurrent projects involving design-build and design-bid-build delivery methods in an active airport environment.
Projects may include guideway construction, stations, maintenance and control facilities, systems infrastructure, utility coordination, demolition and decommissioning of existing AirTrain infrastructure, phased construction activities, and other aviation-related improvements.
The Senior Safety Engineer will serve as a lead field safety representative, working closely with Port Authority staff, resident engineers, contractors, design-build teams, consultants, and operational stakeholders to help ensure compliance with OSHA regulations, Port Authority standards, contract requirements, and industry best practices.
Key Responsibilities
General Construction Safety Oversight
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Monitor contractor and subcontractor safety performance across multiple active projects.
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Support safety oversight for civil, transit, aviation, utility, demolition, systems, and vertical construction work.
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Coordinate with Port Authority staff, resident engineers, contractors, and design-build teams.
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Identify, document, escalate, and track safety issues and corrective actions.
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Promote a proactive safety culture across project teams.
Field Inspections and Monitoring
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Conduct field safety inspections, audits, and assessments.
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Verify compliance with OSHA, Port Authority, contract, and industry safety requirements.
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Maintain field presence across guideway, station, systems, utility, demolition, and phased work areas.
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Monitor work practices, access, housekeeping, and work-zone conditions.
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Participate in coordination meetings, toolbox talks, and safety briefings.
Contractor Safety Documentation
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Review and track contractor safety submittals, including HASPs, AHAs/JHAs, lift plans, traffic control plans, emergency procedures, incident reports, and training records.
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Coordinate review comments and resolution of safety documentation with Port Authority staff and project stakeholders.
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Maintain inspection reports, safety records, meeting notes, incident logs, and compliance tracking documents.
Operational Interface and Stakeholder Coordination
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Coordinate with Port Authority Aviation safety personnel on construction impacts to airport operations.
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Interface with the Port Authority Chief Health and Safety Office on compliance issues, reporting, and escalations.
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Work with contractors, consultants, resident engineers, and project managers to support safe construction activities.
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Support coordination of phased construction, public protection, airport continuity, shutdowns, and operational constraints.
Hazard and Compliance Oversight
Monitor contractor compliance for key construction hazards, including:
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Fall protection and elevated work
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Heavy equipment, cranes, rigging, and hoisting
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Excavation, trenching, utilities, and confined spaces
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Demolition and decommissioning
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Guideway, transit systems, scaffolding, and temporary works
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Traffic control and work-zone protection
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Electrical safety and lockout/tagout
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PPE, housekeeping, access, and workforce safety
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Environmental health hazards such as noise, dust, silica, vibration, and air quality
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Emergency preparedness and response
Incident Investigation and Corrective Actions
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Assist with investigations of incidents, near misses, unsafe conditions, and safety observations.
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Support documentation, root-cause analysis, corrective action development, and follow-up tracking.
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Identify recurring safety trends and recommend mitigation strategies.
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Help ensure timely escalation and resolution of safety concerns.
Reporting and Program Support
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Prepare and contribute to safety reports, metrics, audits, and compliance reviews.
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Track safety performance, open issues, corrective actions, and closeout status.
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Support project leadership with safety-related updates, presentations, and documentation.
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Stay current with OSHA, Port Authority, federal, state, and local safety requirements.
Required Qualifications
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Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health and Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field.
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Minimum 10 years of experience in construction safety oversight, safety management, or infrastructure safety engineering.
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Experience supporting major capital improvement programs involving transportation, aviation, transit, rail, guideway, bridge, tunnel, station, heavy civil, infrastructure, airport, or public works projects.
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Experience with design-build and/or design-bid-build delivery methods.
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Strong working knowledge of OSHA regulations, construction safety standards, and industry best practices.
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Experience reviewing contractor safety submittals, including HASPs, AHAs/JHAs, traffic control plans, lift plans, and emergency response procedures.
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OSHA 30-Hour Construction Safety Certification required.
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Strong communication, coordination, documentation, and organizational skills.
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Ability to work independently in active, complex, and high-profile construction environments.
Preferred Qualifications
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Experience supporting Port Authority, MTA, NJ Transit, Amtrak, DDC, SCA, or other major public agency projects.
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CHST, CSP, or ASP certification preferred.
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HAZWOPER or hazardous materials certification preferred.
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Fall Protection Competent Person certification preferred.
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Confined Space certification preferred.
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Excavation/Trenching Competent Person certification preferred.
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First Aid, CPR, and AED certification preferred.
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Experience supporting construction within active operational facilities, airports, transportation systems, or public infrastructure environments.
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Experience coordinating across multiple contractors, owner representatives, consultants, and operational stakeholders.
Required Skills and Competencies
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Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint, and Teams.
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Familiarity with safety management, reporting, and tracking tools.
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Strong field inspection, observation, and hazard recognition skills.
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Ability to proactively identify, communicate, and help mitigate safety risks.
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Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with field personnel, contractors, consultants, agency representatives, and leadership.
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Ability to interpret safety regulations and apply them practically in active construction settings.
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Strong report writing, documentation, and corrective action tracking capabilities.
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Ability to work collaboratively in fast-paced, complex, and high-visibility project environments.
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Professional demeanor with strong leadership, accountability, judgment, and decision-making skills.
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Commitment to safety, teamwork, operational awareness, and continuous improvement.
Work Environment and Schedule
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Full-time, on-site position supporting active construction operations at Newark Airport.
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Requires regular field presence across multiple project sites, contracts, facilities, guideways, stations, and work areas.
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Work may include occasional night shifts, weekend work, off-hours coordination, emergency response support, and operational shutdown coverage.
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Candidate will regularly interact with clients, contractors, consultants, airport operations personnel, and agency stakeholders.
Compensation
Good-faith compensation rate range is around $70-$90 per hour, depending on experience, qualifications, certifications, technical expertise, and client requirements.
Benefits Summary
- 401(k) and 401(k) Employer Matching.
- Health Insurance.
- Dental Insurance.
- Group Life Insurance, LTD and AD&D.
- Paid Time Off.
- Paid Holidays.
- Professional Development Assistance.
EEO Diversity Statement
PACO Group, Inc. is committed to furthering opportunities for everyone in the national construction market. The firm periodically reaffirms this commitment through an active affirmative action plan. It provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all employees without unlawful discrimination regarding race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, religion, military status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, or citizenship status. As an equal opportunity employer, we have recruited, hired, promoted, and retained an ethnically and socially diverse professional staff. Our efforts to date have produced a multidisciplinary workforce - a record of diversity that extends to the highest levels of the firm's management.
