Health and Safety Engineer Resume Examples for 2024

Jump to a template:

Health and Safety Engineer

Get advice on each section of your resume:

Summary

Experience

Education

Skills

Jump to a resource:

Health and Safety Engineer Resume Tips

Keywords

Google Docs Template #1

Health and Safety Engineer Resume Sample

Health and safety engineer must maintain the employees well being in the work field by implementing security protocols. They train staff members so they properly use equipment and machinery to avoid occupational accidents. These professionals must be up-to-date with safety regulations in the workspace and ensure everyone complies with them.

Health and safety engineers often work full-time in the office, but they may also have to go to worksites to evaluate the environment. Once they have investigated the field and identified potential hazards they will design a health and safety plan to protect employees.

Buy Template (Word + Google Docs) Download Resume in PDF

Screenshot

Text Version

A health and safety engineer resume example that emphasized work experience in chronological order

Tips to help you write your Health and Safety Engineer resume in 2024

Highlight your leadership skills.

Leadership skills are crucial in a safety engineer role. You must guide the entire team on the worksite to prevent hazards, and people must listen to you. If you want to stand out in your job hunt, try to emphasize your leadership skills in your resume.

Also see: Recruiter View: How To Show Leadership Skills on Your Resume

Highlight your leadership skills. - Health and Safety Engineer Resume

Expand

Include quantifiable achievements.

Quantifiable accomplishments will help you illustrate your value, so this could be a great way to differentiate yourself from other candidates. You can talk about how you reduced risks in the workspace or improved safety awareness.

Also see: How to Quantify Your Resume: What Recruiters Look For (50+ Examples)

Include quantifiable achievements. - Health and Safety Engineer Resume

Expand

Health and Safety Engineer Resume Tips

We spoke to hiring managers at companies like Honeywell, 3M, and GE who frequently hire health and safety engineers. They shared with us what they look for in resumes of top candidates. Here are some key tips to keep in mind when writing your health and safety engineer resume, with examples of what to do and what to avoid.

Highlight your knowledge of safety regulations and standards

Employers want to see that you have a strong understanding of the safety regulations and standards relevant to their industry, such as OSHA, NIOSH, or ANSI standards. Mention specific standards you've worked with in your resume.

Compare these two examples:

Familiar with various safety standards and regulations

Expert knowledge of OSHA 1910 and 1926 standards, NIOSH guidelines, and ANSI Z359 fall protection standards

Bullet Point Samples for Health and Safety Engineer

Expand

Show your impact on key safety metrics

Quantify your achievements in terms of improving safety metrics wherever possible. This could include reducing injury rates, increasing safety training completion, or conducting a certain number of safety audits.

Here are some strong examples:

Implemented new lockout/tagout procedures that reduced machinery-related incidents by 75% over 2 years
Conducted 50+ job hazard analyses and developed controls that decreased lost-time injury rate from 4.2 to 1.5 per 200,000 hours worked
Delivered safety training to 600 employees with 100% completion rate, covering topics like PPE use, hazcom, and emergency response

Mention your experience with safety management systems

Knowledge of safety management systems and software is highly valued by employers. Discuss any systems you've used to track incidents, manage safety documents, or deliver training.

Avoid being vague like this:

Used various safety software to manage program

Instead, be specific about the systems and how you used them:

Administered VelocityEHS platform to track leading and lagging indicators, complete with dashboards and automated reports for management review
Maintained JSAs, SOPs, and training records in HSE MS software with 100% audit compliance

Discuss your communication and training abilities

Health and safety engineers often have to communicate policies and deliver training to a wide range of audiences. Highlight your skills in this area with specific examples.

Effective safety communicator and trainer, able to engage with diverse audiences from frontline workers to C-suite. Developed and delivered 20+ hours of original, interactive training content on topics like hazard recognition, incident investigation, and safety leadership.

Notice how this example emphasizes the candidate's abilities with details like engaging diverse audiences and creating original content.

Tailor your resume to the specific industry and job

While many safety principles are universal, each industry and company has unique hazards and challenges. Research the specific needs of the job you're targeting, and customize your resume accordingly.

For instance, if applying to a construction safety role, you might say:

Extensive experience with construction site hazards, including fall protection, trenching and excavation, and heavy equipment operation

But if targeting a manufacturing safety job, focus on things like:

Expert in machine guarding, electrical safety, hazardous energy control, and industrial hygiene practices in a manufacturing setting

By tailoring your resume to the job, you show the employer you understand their specific needs.

Show progression and leadership in your career

Employers like to see a clear progression in your career, with increasing levels of responsibility and leadership over time. Emphasize how you've advanced in your roles and taken on more complex projects.

For example, instead of just listing your job duties like this:

Conducted safety audits and inspections
Investigated incidents and near-misses
Developed safety policies and procedures

Show how you progressed and the impact you had:

Promoted to Senior HSE Engineer after 2 years, managing a team of 3 safety specialists and overseeing all safety programs for a 500-employee manufacturing plant
Led a cross-functional team to investigate a serious incident, identified root causes, and implemented corrective actions that prevented recurrence and improved overall safety culture
Developed and rolled out a comprehensive contractor safety management system that became a company-wide standard, covering over 50 contractor firms and 1,000+ workers

By highlighting your progression and leadership, you show employers your potential for growth and impact in the role.

Writing Your Health and Safety Engineer Resume: Section By Section

Summary

A resume summary is an optional section that sits at the top of your resume, just below your name and contact information. It's a brief paragraph that provides a high-level overview of your professional experience, skills, and achievements. While it's not a mandatory part of your resume, a well-written summary can help you stand out to hiring managers and quickly convey your value as a candidate.

When writing a summary for a health and safety engineer resume, focus on highlighting your most relevant qualifications and experiences. Avoid using an objective statement, which is outdated and focuses on what you want from the job, rather than what you can offer the employer. Instead, use the summary to showcase your unique value proposition and the key skills and experiences that make you a strong fit for the role.

How to write a resume summary if you are applying for a Health and Safety Engineer resume

Expand

1. Highlight your health and safety expertise

When crafting your resume summary, be sure to emphasize your specific expertise in health and safety engineering. This might include:

Certifications or licenses, such as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or Occupational Health and Safety Technologist (OHST)
Knowledge of relevant regulations and standards, such as OSHA or NIOSH
Experience conducting safety audits, accident investigations, or risk assessments

By highlighting your specific qualifications, you'll show employers that you have the specialized knowledge and skills needed to excel in a health and safety engineering role. For example:

Certified Safety Professional (CSP) with 5+ years of experience conducting safety audits and implementing OSHA-compliant safety programs in manufacturing environments. Proven track record of reducing accident rates and workers' compensation costs through proactive risk management and employee training.

In contrast, avoid making vague or generic statements that could apply to any candidate, such as:

Experienced health and safety professional
Passionate about workplace safety
Hardworking and dedicated employee

To ensure your resume summary showcases your most relevant health and safety qualifications, consider running your resume through Targeted Resume. This tool will analyze your resume against a specific job description and provide feedback on which skills and keywords to emphasize.

2. Tailor your summary to the job requirements

While it's important to highlight your overall health and safety expertise, you should also tailor your resume summary to the specific requirements of the job you're applying for. Review the job description carefully and identify the key skills, experience, and qualifications the employer is looking for.

Then, incorporate those elements into your summary to show that you're a strong match for the role. For example, if the job description emphasizes experience with industrial hygiene and environmental compliance, you might write:

Health and safety engineer with 7+ years of experience managing industrial hygiene and environmental compliance programs for manufacturing and construction sites. Expertise in conducting exposure assessments, implementing engineering controls, and ensuring compliance with EPA and state regulations.

By tailoring your summary to the job requirements, you'll show employers that you understand their needs and have the specific qualifications they're looking for. This can help you stand out from more generic candidates and increase your chances of landing an interview.

After tailoring your resume summary, use Score My Resume to get instant feedback on your resume's overall effectiveness. This tool will evaluate your resume on over 30 key criteria, including relevance to the job description, and provide suggestions for improvement.

Experience

The work experience section is the most important part of your health and safety engineer resume. It's where you show hiring managers that you have the skills and experience to excel in the role. Here are some key tips to make your work experience section stand out:

1. Highlight your impact with metrics

When describing your past roles, focus on the impact you made. Hiring managers want to see tangible results. Use metrics to quantify your achievements whenever possible.

Here are some examples:

Implemented new safety protocols that reduced workplace accidents by 25% over 6 months
Conducted 50+ safety training sessions for 500 employees, increasing compliance scores from 75% to 95%
Identified and corrected 30 OSHA violations, avoiding potential fines of $150K

Compare those to generic statements that don't convey impact:

Responsible for workplace safety
Conducted safety trainings
Ensured OSHA compliance

Not sure if your bullet points are conveying enough impact? Try pasting your resume into Score My Resume. It will analyze your resume on 30+ key criteria that hiring managers look for and provide instant, expert feedback to make your experience section more results-driven.

2. Use strong, industry-specific verbs

Start each bullet point with an action verb that showcases your health and safety engineering skills. Avoid overused, generic verbs like 'managed' or 'responsible for'.

Here are some powerful verbs to consider:

Audited, inspected, investigated
Designed, developed, engineered
Tested, analyzed, evaluated
Implemented, deployed, integrated
Collaborated, partnered, liaised

For example:

Engineered fail-safe mechanisms for heavy industrial equipment
Audited 5 manufacturing plants for safety compliance
Collaborated with cross-functional teams to integrate safety checks into production process

Action Verbs for Health and Safety Engineer

Expand

Choosing the right verbs is especially important for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Many companies use ATS to scan resumes for job-relevant keywords. Action verbs related to the job description help your resume rank higher in these systems.

3. Showcase your technical expertise

As a health and safety engineer, you likely work with various tools, technologies, and methodologies. Showcase this expertise in your work experience section. Mention specific safety standards, tools, or techniques you've used.

For example:

Conducted risk assessments using HAZOP, FMEA, and bowtie analysis to identify and mitigate potential hazards in oil and gas operations. Developed and implemented LOTO procedures in compliance with OSHA 1910.147 standard.

Compare that to a generic description:

Conducted risk assessments and developed safety procedures for oil and gas client.

The first example demonstrates a much deeper level of technical know-how that will catch a hiring manager's attention.

Targeting your resume to the specific job is crucial. Scan the job description for key technical terms, tools, and methodologies, and mirror that language in your resume wherever relevant. This will help your resume pass ATS scans and show the hiring manager you're a strong fit. Our Targeted Resume tool can help you optimize your resume's keywords against any job description.

4. Highlight progression and leadership

Hiring managers love to see growth and progression in your career. If you've been promoted, taken on leadership roles, or expanded your responsibilities, make sure that's clear in your work experience section.

For example:

Promoted to Senior HSE Engineer after 2 years, taking on additional responsibilities including leading a team of 5 safety specialists and managing a $2M annual HSE budget.

Even if your job title didn't change, you can still show progression in your bullet points:

In year 1: Assisted with monthly safety audits of manufacturing floor
By year 3: Led weekly safety audits of manufacturing floor and 3 warehouses, reporting directly to HSE Manager

Showing this kind of progression demonstrates your ability to learn, grow, and take on more responsibility over time.

If you're having trouble fitting all your achievements into traditional bullet points, consider using a highlights or summary section at the top of your resume. This can be a great place to summarize key achievements, promotions, or leadership experience that you can then expand on in your work experience section.

Education

When applying for health and safety engineer roles, your education section needs to show you have the right technical background. Follow these tips to write a compelling education section on your resume.

1. List your degree(s) in occupational health and safety

Employers look for health and safety engineers with a bachelor's degree in occupational health and safety or a related field like engineering. Make sure to list your degree(s) first in your education section.

Include the full degree name, university attended, and graduation year. You can also add your GPA if it's above 3.5.

Bachelor of Science in Occupational Health and Safety, University of Michigan, 2018
Master of Science in Industrial Hygiene, Purdue University, 2020

If you have multiple degrees, list them in reverse chronological order with the most recent one first.

2. Highlight relevant coursework for entry-level candidates

If you're a recent graduate with limited work experience, you can beef up your education section by listing relevant coursework. This shows employers you have the specialized knowledge needed for the role.

However, avoid listing basic courses that don't relate directly to health and safety. Focus on upper-level, technical classes.

Relevant Coursework: Industrial Hygiene, Ergonomics, Safety Engineering, Toxicology

Relevant Coursework: Intro to Biology, English 101, World History, Calculus I

Once you gain more professional experience, remove the coursework from your resume to keep your education section concise.

3. Include professional certifications with your education

Many health and safety engineers earn professional certifications to advance their careers. If you have any certifications, include them in your education section to show your expertise.

Some top certifications for health and safety engineers include:

Certified Safety Professional (CSP)
Occupational Health and Safety Technologist (OHST)
Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST)

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health and Safety
University of Minnesota, 2015

Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Board of Certified Safety Professionals, 2018

You can also list certifications in a separate 'Certifications' section, especially if they are a core requirement for the job.

4. Keep your education section brief if you're a senior-level professional

If you have over 10 years of experience as a health and safety engineer, your work history is more important than your education. Keep your education section to 1-2 lines, and avoid listing dates that may lead to age discrimination.

MS and BS in Occupational Safety and Health, University of Illinois

Master of Science in Occupational Safety and Health, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, 1995
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL, 1992
Relevant Coursework: Industrial Hygiene, Ergonomics, Toxicology, Safety Engineering

The only exception is if your degree is highly prestigious or unique, and can help distinguish you from other candidates.

Skills

Your skills section is one of the most important parts of your health and safety engineer resume. It's where you showcase your technical abilities, tools you're proficient in, and the depth of your knowledge. Hiring managers and recruiters often scan this section first to decide if you're a good fit.

Here are some key tips to keep in mind when writing your skills section:

1. Highlight job-relevant health and safety skills

When listing your skills, focus on those that are directly relevant to the health and safety engineer position you're applying for. Some key skills to consider include:

Safety standards: OSHA, NIOSH, ANSI, ISO
Inspection tools: Noise dosimeters, air samplers, infrared cameras
Data analysis software: MATLAB, Minitab, SAS
Regulatory compliance: EPA, FDA, DOT

Avoid listing generic or irrelevant skills like Microsoft Office or soft skills like 'communication'. Stick to concrete, job-specific technical skills.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) often scan your resume for relevant keywords before a human sees it. To get past the ATS, make sure to include skills and keywords directly from the job description, as long as you actually have those skills.

2. Use proficiency levels strategically

Many job seekers make the mistake of simply listing their skills without any context. Instead, consider using proficiency levels to indicate your depth of knowledge in each area. For example:

OSHA Compliance (Expert)
Hazard Analysis (Advanced)
Industrial Hygiene (Intermediate)
Ergonomics (Beginner)

This gives employers a much clearer picture of where your strengths lie. However, be honest about your skill levels - don't claim to be an expert in areas where you only have basic knowledge.

Our Score My Resume tool can analyze your resume's skills section and give you detailed feedback on how to improve it based on your target job. It checks for 30+ key criteria that hiring managers look for.

3. Organize skills into categories

If you have a wide range of skills, consider grouping them into categories to make your skills section easier to read. For example:

Safety Regulations: OSHA, EPA, DOT, ANSI
Industrial Hygiene: Air sampling, Noise monitoring, Ventilation testing
Risk Assessment: Hazard analysis, Job safety analysis, Fault tree analysis
Training & Audits: Safety training, Compliance audits, Accident investigations

This approach makes it easy for hiring managers to quickly assess the breadth of your skill set and spot skills that are most relevant to their needs.

Avoid creating too many categories or listing skills that are not directly related to health and safety engineering. Keep your skills section focused and concise.

4. Tailor skills to the job description

One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is using the exact same skills section for every job they apply to. Instead, you should tailor your skills to the specific requirements of each position. Here's an example of what not to do:

OSHA
Safety inspections
Ergonomics
Hazardous waste management
DOT regulations

While these may all be valid skills, they read like a generic list that could apply to any health and safety role. Now compare that to a tailored version:

OSHA 30 certified
Experience with safety inspections in manufacturing plants
Expertise in office and industrial ergonomics
Hazardous waste management for pharmaceutical labs
In-depth knowledge of DOT HazMat transportation regulations

The tailored version includes more specifics that match the job requirements, demonstrating that you have the exact skills the employer is looking for.

To quickly check if you have the right skills for a specific job, try our Targeted Resume tool. It scans your resume against a job description and highlights important skills you may be missing.

Skills For Health and Safety Engineer Resumes

Here are examples of popular skills from Health and Safety Engineer job descriptions that you can include on your resume.

Match Your Resume To These Skills

Skills Word Cloud For Health and Safety Engineer Resumes

This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Health and Safety Engineer job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more likely you should include it in your resume.

Top Health and Safety Engineer Skills and Keywords to Include On Your Resume

For more skills, visit Health and Safety Engineer Skills & Keywords.

Turn your career into a rocketship. In 5 minutes a week.

Get a free bi-weekly coaching email from a $750/hour career coach. Get proven strategies on how to unlock your career's potential, meet VIPs in your industry and turn your career into a rocketship.

No fluff. No noise. Join the 1.2+ million professionals who are getting ahead in their careers, for free.

"I've 3x'd my salary in just two years. My friends think I'm smart (I'm not). Resume Worded's Coached email series is my secret weapon to trick them though. It's working wonderfully. Try it."
- A Coached Reader