Our Mission: Keep Washington Safe and Working!
Our Values: Customer Focus, One L&I, Respect, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Learning and Growth, Reliability

Help Shape the Future of Logging Safety in Washington

Are you passionate about the logging industry and committed to protecting workers? Do you thrive in challenging environments, enjoy solving complex problems, and want to be part of rebuilding a strong, collaborative team?

We are seeking a Compliance Industrial Safety & Health Investigator 3 (Logging) to join our DOSH Compliance team. This is more than an inspection position. It's an opportunity to help strengthen a growing team, mentor others, and play a critical role in keeping Washington's logging workforce safe and healthy.

Our ideal candidate understands logging operations, is eager to continue learning, and is willing to go beyond the basics to become a well-rounded safety professional. Whether your experience comes from mechanized logging operations, cable logging, timber cutting operations, supervision, safety management, or years working in the industry, we want individuals who are ready to apply their expertise in a new and meaningful way.

Who you are

We are actively rebuilding and strengthening our logging safety team. Success in this role requires someone who:

• Enjoys contributing to a positive culture.
• Is willing to learn new skills to develop professionally.
• Takes initiative when a challenge arises.
• Is comfortable learning technology, documentation systems, and report writing tools.
• Understands that a successful investigator does much more than identify hazards. They gather evidence, write defensible reports, communicate effectively, and serve as a trusted resource to employers and workers.
• Wants to expand their knowledge beyond just logging operations into regulatory compliance, investigations, legal processes, evidence collection, and workplace safety systems.

Here are some meaningful activities we’re looking for applicants to have participated in, as an example:

• Cable logging systems
• Tower yarders
• Mechanized logging operations
• Timber harvesting operations
• Chainsaw and hand-cutting activities
• Logging supervision or management
• Logging safety programs
• Hazard recognition in active logging environments

What You'll Do

As a senior-level Logging Compliance Safety & Health Investigator, you will conduct complex inspections and investigations involving logging operations throughout Washington State. Your work will directly support DOSH's mission to Keep Washington Safe and Working.

Key responsibilities include:

Conduct Complex Logging Safety Inspections and Investigations

• Inspect tower logging, cable logging, mechanized logging, and tree-cutting operations.
• Investigate serious accidents, hospitalizations, amputations, eye-loss incidents, and fatalities.
• Evaluate hazards involving:
  • Tower yarders
  • Guylines and cables
  • Chainsaws
  • Heavy equipment
  • Machine guarding
  • Struck-by hazards
  • Rough terrain and environmental hazards
• Interview employers, supervisors, and employees.
• Collect evidence through photographs, videos, measurements, and field documentation.
• Determine compliance with Washington logging safety regulations.

Build Strong, Defensible Cases

• Prepare comprehensive technical reports.
• Analyze root causes and contributing factors.
• Develop citations and penalty recommendations when warranted.
• Defend findings during appeals and legal proceedings.
• Work closely with attorneys and other regulatory partners on complex cases.

Support Team Development

• Share knowledge with newer investigators.
• Participate in field training and mentoring opportunities.

• Understands logging operations.
• Is eager to continue learning, and is willing to go beyond the basics to become a well-rounded safety professional.
• Whether your experience comes from mechanized logging operations, cable logging, timber cutting operations, supervision, safety management, or years working in the industry.
• We are looking for individuals who are ready to apply their expertise in a new and meaningful way.

Driving is required as part of this job. When a position has a driving requirement, the incumbent must drive in order to perform the duties of their position. In fact, driving is a duty mentioned in their position description, such as an L&I inspector who drives throughout the workday to get from one location to another. Therefore, they must use a state-issued vehicle, motor pool vehicle, or personally owned vehicle (POV) in order to perform the duties and responsibilities of their position. Use of a POV will be reimbursed with the current mileage reimbursement rate.

Must be physically capable of walking through a variety of workplaces such as large manufacturing plants with metal stairways, catwalks, ladders, and walking through rough terrain. Must also be able to be exposed to weather (wearing appropriate weather gear) for long durations.

Minimum Qualifications

One of the following:

• Five years of experience as a DOSH Compliance Safety & Health Investigator or equivalent Federal OSHA/state-plan safety professional, including at least two years in the logging industry; OR
• Five years of full-time professional experience as a safety director, safety manager, safety officer, operations manager, or supervisor in the logging industry; OR
• Seven years or more of experience working in the logging industry.

Additional requirements:

• Valid, unrestricted driver's license.
• Ability to travel frequently throughout the region and state.
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions and navigate rough logging terrain.
• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Things You Need To Know

To help you maintain a proper work-life balance, teleworking is one of the work schedule options for this position. For this position, telework is permitted part time and dependent upon business needs. There is an expectation to report to the office at least once per month.

This position can be filled anywhere within the state of Washington.

State employees who meet the qualifications will become eligible for a generous retirement package at the end of the employee’s career. Click on the “Benefits” tab to learn more.

At L&I, your voice matters. In addition, L&I is a diverse state agency dedicated to the safety and health and security of Washington's 3.3 million workers. Take a look at this brief video and learn more about why L&I is an employer of choice.

To receive more information on opportunities at L&I sign up for GovDelivery and select L&I job alerts.

Application process

We will contact the top candidates directly to interview for this position. Because we base the selection on information provided by you, it is in your best interest to identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities that address the required and desirable qualifications described in the announcement.

Please include the following documents with your application:

1. A cover letter describing specific qualifications.
2. A current resume detailing applicable experience and education.
3. A list of at least three professional references with current telephone numbers.

Please do not attach or place any medical information (vaccination status included) within the application, resume, or cover letter. If you do, we will have to reject your application to safeguard others from receiving your confidential information. You will have to remove the confidential information before you can apply again.

To learn more about our hiring process timeline at L&I please visit our L&I recruiting page at Hiring Process at L&I. If you would like to read our website in a language other than English, scroll up to the top of the page to select your language of choice from the banner.

Background Check Notice

Prior to a placement in this position, a background check, including criminal history record will be conducted. Information from your background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining your eligibility to perform the requirements of the position.

Other information

• For positions requiring travel, you must have a valid unrestricted driver's license and have insurance if driving a privately owned vehicle on state business.
• This position is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).
• Candidates who are offered a job with L&I must possess work authorization that does not require sponsorship by the employer for a visa now or in the future.
• The Department of Labor & Industries complies with the employment eligibility verification requirements of the federal employment eligibility verification form, I-9. The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States consistent with the requirements of that form on the first day of employment.
• Please note: L&I may use this announcement to fill multiple permanent and/or non-permanent positions.

Did You Know?

Washington is America's Top State to live, play, and work, according to U.S. News (2021). Join the L&I team and enjoy all the Evergreen State has to offer.

In addition to offering a positive balance between life and work, L&I provides one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation. We also believe your voice matters. We value our employees and their work-life balance by encouraging flexible schedules. L&I is a diverse state agency dedicated to the safety and health and security of Washington's 3 million workers.

Veterans Preference

Applicants wishing to claim Veterans Preference should attach to their application a copy of their DD-214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22, or signed verification of service letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Please blackout any personally identifiable data such as Social Security numbers. For further information, contact L&I’s Jobs@lni.wa.gov.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Employer

L&I employees come from all walks of life. We strive to hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

We believe in the importance of recognizing the value each of us contributes to the success of the agency mission. Having a diverse workforce is this agency’s greatest source of strength and knowledge. It is through the combination of talents and abilities that we can pursue finding effective measures to provide the best customer service. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone and we strongly mean everyone.

The State of Washington is an equal opportunity employer. Persons with a disability who need accommodation in the application process or testing process, or those needing this announcement in an alternative format, may call 360-902-5700. TTY users should first call 711 to access the Washington Relay Service.

You are welcome to include the name and pronoun you would like to be referred to in your materials and we will honor this as you interact with our award-winning diverse and inclusive organization.

For more Information

If you have any questions regarding this job posting, program, or the agency, please contact Steve Camerer at cste235@lni.wa.gov