Field Safety Specialist

Field Safety Specialist

Quanta Aviation Services is a family-run, world-class precision helicopter lift service operating nationwide. Our operations are built on three core pillars: world-class equipment, highly skilled and experienced personnel, and an unwavering commitment to customer service. From project planning through execution, QAS works closely with clients to ensure missions are performed safely, efficiently, and to the highest professional standard.

QAS is seeking an experienced Field Safety Specialist to support our utility powerline construction and external load helicopter operations. This is a contractor position with significant field deployment to active project sites across San Diego County.

The Field Safety Specialist sits at the intersection of safety, operations, and customer coordination. You will serve as the on-site aviation subject matter expert—leading safety tailboards, coordinating landing zones, managing traffic control, conducting hazard analyses, and maintaining the critical communication link between QAS flight crews, ground personnel, and customer representatives. You will also own the tracking and reporting of helicopter operational data and safety events.

QAS is known for the professionalism and precision of our people. We take great pride in hiring specialists who are equally comfortable leading a tailboard in front of a large crew and sitting across the table from a customer's project team—individuals who are organized, decisive, and never cut corners when it comes to safety.

Responsibilities include:

• Leading helicopter-related discussions and safety topics in project mass tailboards, setting the tone for a safety-first operational culture.
• Providing hazard analysis of onsite conditions prior to all helicopter operations, ensuring crews are briefed on terrain, obstructions, energized powerlines, and other site-specific risks.
• Developing, presenting, and owning work plans for critical onsite activities related to proximity of energized powerlines and other potential hazards.
• Leading helicopter-related incident investigations; identifying root causes, developing corrective actions, and driving findings to closure.
• Assisting in the coordination and development of helicopter landing zones (LZs) in project yards, ensuring suitability for safe ingress and egress.
• Ensuring that project yards and LZs are free from foreign object debris (FOD) and properly watered prior to helicopter operations.
• Ensuring and assisting in the coordination of applicable traffic control, verifying it is set up in the proper locations outlined by approved traffic control plans before helicopter external load operations begin.
• Ensuring and assisting in coordination that members of the public are outside required buffer zones for helicopter external load operations.
• Assisting the project manager and construction managers in project scheduling of helicopters to support efficient and safe daily and critical path operations.
• Assisting in coordination of daily and weekly critical path activities as they relate to helicopter operations.
• Maintaining and assisting communications between helicopter and ground crews prior to and during all helicopter operations.
• Attending all required project-related meetings and representing helicopter operations interests.
• Serving as the primary communication link between customer helicopter representatives and QAS project management teams.
• Developing incident write-ups and communicating to the project team any known Good Catches, Near Misses, and Incidents.
• Communicating Good Catches, Near Misses, and Events to customer representatives.
• Maintaining tracking spreadsheets of daily, weekly, and monthly helicopter hours and resources to support operational reporting and planning.

Minimum qualifications include:

• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in helicopter operations, utility construction safety, or a closely related field with direct exposure to helicopter external load or powerline construction environments.
• Demonstrated experience with helicopter landing zone (LZ) setup, FOD control, and ingress/egress procedures.
• Knowledge of FAA regulations applicable to helicopter external load operations (14 CFR Part 133) and on-demand air carrier operations (14 CFR Part 135).
• Experience conducting job hazard analyses (JHA/JSA) and pre-job safety briefings (tailboards) for large field crews.
• Familiarity with traffic control planning and public buffer/exclusion zone management for aerial operations.
• Proven ability to coordinate between flight crews, ground crews, project managers, and customer representatives in a fast-paced construction environment.
• Experience with incident investigation, root cause analysis, and safety event reporting (Good Catches, Near Misses).
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to maintain accurate tracking spreadsheets and operational records.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting safety information to large groups.
• Willingness and ability to travel and deploy to field project sites regularly (up to 75% travel).
• Valid driver's license and clean driving record.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Direct experience as a helicopter crew member, longline ground crew, or helicopter coordinator in a utility powerline construction environment.
• USFS Helicopter Crew Member (HECM) experience is highly valued; candidates with a background in aerial firefighting ground support and USFS aviation protocols are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Familiarity with utility customer safety programs and reporting systems (e.g., SDG&E, PG&E, or similar IOUs).
• Experience working within construction management structures alongside project managers and construction managers.
• OSHA 30-Hour General Industry or Construction certification.
• Associate Safety Professional (ASP), Certified Safety Professional (CSP), or equivalent safety credential.
• Experience with SMS frameworks and safety data tracking tools.
• Prior military aviation ground support experience (a plus).
• Firefighting helicopter support experience (a plus).

This is a 1099 independent contractor position. Contractors are responsible for their own taxes, insurance, and benefits. QAS provides a collaborative, professional work environment supported by industry-leading equipment and experienced operations teams.

The anticipated compensation for this position is dependent on experience and qualifications.

Equal Opportunity Employer: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity), age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and/or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. We prohibit all types of discrimination and are committed to providing access and equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. For additional information or if reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application, interview, or hiring processes or to perform the essential functions of a position, please contact us the Company's Human Resources department.