Safety Security Officer

This exciting career opportunity is open until filled with the first review of candidates taking place on August 28, 2026, or until a sufficient number of qualified candidates have been received, whichever occurs sooner. Therefore, please apply early.

Living and Working in El Dorado County

The El Dorado Irrigation District (District/EID) is located in one of the most beautiful regions in California — nestled on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, just west of world-renowned Lake Tahoe. A scenic drive along Highway 50, heading east from the Sacramento County line toward Tahoe, carries you through the heart of the District’s 220-square-mile service area and showcases the extraordinary natural diversity that defines this region.

El Dorado County offers an unmatched quality of life for those who love the outdoors and small-town charm alike. This is the heart of California’s Gold Rush country, home to the celebrated Apple Hill™ — a scenic patchwork of orchards, farms, and wineries known for u-pick apples, fresh cider donuts, and a flourishing wine scene. As part of the renowned El Dorado American Viticultural Area (AVA), local vineyards sit at elevations up to 2,700 feet, where unique volcanic soil gives the region’s wines their distinctive character. Family-owned wineries with vineyard-view tasting rooms, live music, and picnic areas make for a favorite weekend escape.

For outdoor enthusiasts, the variety here is hard to beat. The county is dotted with sparkling alpine lakes and reservoirs — from Jenkinson Lake at Sly Park to Silver Lake off Highway 88 — offering boating, kayaking, fishing, and swimming against a backdrop of granite peaks and pine forests. Higher into the Sierra, countless smaller alpine lakes and wilderness areas offer quiet, secluded escapes for hiking, backpacking, and fishing far from the crowds. The American River carves through the foothills below, drawing whitewater rafters each spring and summer, while the El Dorado Trail winds through historic rail corridors for hikers and cyclists closer to town. And when winter arrives, Lake Tahoe’s renowned resorts are just up the road, offering some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the country. Few places offer such easy access to this much natural variety — mountains, lakes, rivers, and snow — all within a short drive of home.

Whether it’s the crisp mountain air, a weekend among the vineyards, or a day spent on one of the region’s many alpine lakes, El Dorado County offers employees a lifestyle that’s hard to find elsewhere — all while being part of an organization dedicated to serving this remarkable community. For the right candidate, the District offers not just an exciting career opportunity, but a truly exceptional place to call home.

About El Dorado Irrigation District

We can trace our history back to the first hand-dug ditches that transported water to prospectors in the mid-1800s, but the District was not formally organized until 1925 under the Irrigation District Act. We still hold water rights that date back to the gold rush days, and we continue to work on securing and maintaining a reliable water supply. Through negotiations with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and an Act of Congress, the District acquired Jenkinson Lake at Sly Park Recreation Area in late 2003, providing yet another critical local water supply.

Our customers’ needs are as broad-ranging as the area’s stunning natural diversity — and so is the work we do to meet them. We provide drinking water, wastewater treatment, and recycled water for residential, commercial, and industrial needs across significant portions of western El Dorado County. We own and operate a 21-megawatt hydroelectric power project, complete with dams, four reservoirs, and 23 miles of flumes, canals, siphons, and tunnels. We also manage several outdoor recreation sites, including the Sly Park Recreation Area and a 48-unit campground at Silver Lake. From treatment plants and pump stations to hydroelectric generation and public recreation, the District’s operations span an unusually wide range of disciplines — offering employees the kind of variety, hands-on experience, and career growth potential rarely found within a single organization.

The District is governed by a five-member Board of Directors. Each member is elected from a different geographic division, and each serves a four-year term. There are no term limits for Board members. The Board typically meets twice a month during regularly scheduled, noticed public meetings and may hold a number of noticed, special meetings.

The Position

Working under the direction of the Director of Operations, the Safety/Security Officer is the driving force behind the District’s commitment to protecting its people, its infrastructure, and the communities it serves. Based out of District headquarters in Placerville, this role owns the full spectrum of safety and security programming across a 220-square-mile service area — from shaping the District’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program to safeguarding critical water and wastewater infrastructure against physical and security threats.

This is a role built for someone who thrives on variety and visibility. One day might involve investigating an incident and identifying trends to prevent the next one; the next might mean presenting safety training to field crews, evaluating a contractor’s safety plan for a capital improvement project, or advising executive leadership on a sensitive workers’ compensation matter. As the District’s go-to authority on workplace safety and security systems, including camera networks, access control, and emergency planning, the Safety/Security Officer holds a permanent seat on the District’s Safety Committee and serves as a trusted resource to every level of the organization, from field staff to the General Manager’s office.

Beyond day-to-day program management, this position carries real ownership: building and administering the safety and security budget, developing policies that keep the District ahead of evolving state and federal regulations, and serving as a primary point of contact when safety emergencies arise after hours. It’s a role where technical expertise, sound judgment, and the ability to communicate clearly with people at every level all come together to make a tangible, visible difference in how the District operates.

The Ideal Candidate

We’re looking for an experienced safety professional who brings both deep technical knowledge and genuine passion for building a culture of safety. The ideal candidate has a proven track record of designing and implementing comprehensive industrial health and safety programs, including Injury and Illness Prevention Programs. They also have hands-on experience developing security strategies that protect people and infrastructure alike. Experience in a public utility setting, particularly with a drinking water or wastewater agency, is a strong plus, as is a Bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, safety engineering, industrial hygiene, occupational safety and health, or a related field, along with four years of relevant professional experience.

Beyond the credentials, the right person for this role is someone who can move seamlessly between the technical and the interpersonal — equally comfortable analyzing accident data and regulatory requirements as they are training a room of field employees or advising senior leadership. They bring calm, clear thinking to emergencies, sound judgment to policy decisions, and a collaborative spirit to a District that values safety as a shared responsibility across every department. For a safety professional ready to take ownership of a meaningful, high-impact program in one of California’s most beautiful regions, this is an exceptional opportunity!!

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Experience and/or Education:

Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience:

Four years of responsible professional experience developing and implementing comprehensive industrial health and safety programs that include the development of an Injury and Illness Prevention Program or four years of responsible experience developing and administering industrial safety and security assessments, consultation, and/or development of safety and security policies and procedures. Water and/or Public Utility experience is highly desired.

Education:

Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in industrial engineering, safety engineering, industrial hygiene, occupational safety and health or other closely related field.

License and Certificate:

Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California driver’s license at the time of appointment. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to physical disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Certification as a CSP (Certified Safety Professional) or CHSM (Certified Health and Safety Manager) or equivalent is highly desired.

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