Independent Contractor Engineer Jobs in Minnesota

At Seagate, safety is a core value and an important part of how we operate every day. Our EHS team supports two Minnesota metro sites, partnering with Engineering, Facilities, Operations, contractors, and site leadership to create safe, healthy, and productive workplaces.

Our team identifies risk, solves problems, and drives continuous improvement across complex manufacturing environments. This is an opportunity for an experienced, self-directed safety professional who enjoys being in the field, taking ownership, and making a visible impact.

As a Safety Engineer supporting wafer fabrication operations, you will serve as a technical safety resource and program owner responsible for helping protect employees, contractors, equipment, and business operations in a complex, high‑technology manufacturing environment.

This role is focused on the safety side of EHS, with primary responsibility for occupational safety, equipment and process safety, contractor safety, emergency preparedness, incident investigation, corrective action management, and continuous improvement of site safety performance.

Success in this role requires initiative, strong field presence, sound technical judgment, and consistent follow‑through. You will be expected to identify needs, establish priorities, engage the right stakeholders, and independently drive work to completion.

This role offers the opportunity to independently lead high‑impact safety work, influence equipment and operational decisions, and build deep technical expertise within a complex manufacturing environment.

Role is primarily onsite at the Bloomington, MN campus with up to 10% time at the Shakopee location.

• Lead safety reviews for new and modified equipment throughout purchase, installation, startup, operation, and decommissioning. Evaluate technical documentation, identify safety gaps, and verify required controls before operational use.
• Oversee hazard identification and risk assessment activities for manufacturing, maintenance, facilities, equipment, and contractor work. Translate findings into practical controls and drive identified actions through completion and effectiveness review.
• Own and continuously improve assigned safety programs, ensuring effective implementation, regulatory alignment, field execution, and timely completion of related actions.
• Conduct incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action effectiveness reviews.
• Partner with Engineering and Operations teams to evaluate process changes and implement risk reduction measures.
• Perform field audits, inspections, and safety observations to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Support emergency response planning, drills, and response team readiness activities.
• Analyze safety performance data and develop actions to improve leading and lagging indicators.
• Deliver training, coaching, and communication programs that strengthen site safety culture and employee engagement.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to leaders, engineers, supervisors, employees, and contractors on safety‑related matters.
• Maintain assigned safety programs in alignment with applicable regulatory requirements, internal standards, and relevant industry or certification expectations. Identify gaps and lead improvements needed to strengthen compliance and field execution.
• Provide technical safety leadership for contractor high‑risk work subject to general industry and construction requirements, including crane and aerial‑lift operations, work at height, and energized electrical work.

Seagate’s Normandale campus, spanning Bloomington and Edina, MN, serves as the global hub for recording head development and manufacturing. The campus offers an on‑site café, fitness center, wellness programs, indoor walking paths, meditation rooms, and frequent cultural and community events. Numerous dining, shopping, and recreational options are located just minutes away.

The estimated base salary range for this position is $94,140.80 - $134,625.20. The individual salary is based on work location and additional factors, including job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

Seagate offers comprehensive benefits to its eligible employees, including, but not limited to, eligibility to participate in discretionary bonus program, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, short‑and long‑term disability, 401(k), employee stock purchase plan, health savings account, dependent care, and healthcare spending accounts. Seagate also offers paid time off, including 12 holidays, flexible time off provided pursuant to Seagate policy, a minimum of 48 hours of paid sick leave, and 16 weeks of paid parental leave. The benefits for this position are based on a full‑time schedule for a full calendar year and may differ depending on work location.

You are an experienced safety professional who combines strong technical knowledge with practical and creative problem‑solving, sound judgment, and consistent follow‑through. You are comfortable working in the field, engaging directly with employees and contractors, and making sound recommendations when operating needs and safety risks compete.

You can independently identify hazards, assess risk, develop practical controls, and drive actions to completion. You know when to make a decision, when to involve others, and when to elevate a significant risk. You build productive relationships across functions and can influence decisions without direct authority.

You are comfortable working in an environment where equipment, technologies, priorities, and processes regularly change. You bring structure to ambiguous situations and take ownership without waiting for detailed direction.

• Strong hazard recognition and risk assessment capabilities.
• Excellent analytical and root cause investigation skills.
• Sound judgment when evaluating safety risks and prioritizing actions.
• Ability to build strong working relationships, collaborate across functions, and influence diverse stakeholders. Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities.
• Passion for developing a strong safety culture through engagement and leadership.

• Your experience includes: 4+ years of experience in occupational safety, EHS, manufacturing safety, industrial safety, or a related field.
• Experience conducting risk assessments, job hazard analyses (JHAs), incident investigations, and corrective action management.
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA General Industry (1910) and demonstrated experience applying relevant OSHA Construction (1926) requirements to contractor and project work.
• Ability to interpret technical information and communicate risk effectively to operational stakeholders.
• Experience supporting safety programs such as: Hazardous Energy Control (LOTO), Electrical Safety, Contractor Safety, Machine and Equipment Safety, Confined Space Entry, Hot Work, Emergency Response, Fall Protection
• Experience leading audits, inspections, and field safety assessments.
• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Safety Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Health and Safety, Industrial Hygiene, or a related technical discipline.

• Experience in semiconductor manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, electronics manufacturing, chemical processing, or other highly regulated industrial environments.
• Experience supporting equipment installation, process changes, commissioning, or Management of Change (MOC) activities.
• Familiarity with semiconductor industry safety standards and practices, including SEMI S2/S8 equipment safety concepts.
• Experience working with hazardous chemicals, compressed gases, and other high‑consequence manufacturing hazards.
• Certified EHS professional (ASP, GSP, CSP, or similar) or working toward certification or similar EHS certification(s).
• Experience supporting emergency response teams, crisis management, or incident command systems.
• Current HAZWOPER 40‑hour certification or willingness to complete company‑sponsored certification after hire.