Lab Safety Manager Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: TSQ Manager (Training, Safety & Quality)

Job Summary

The TSQ Manager plays a critical role in ensuring excellence in Training, Safety, and Quality across all projects and operations, with a strong emphasis on building deep technical and field-readiness competency across the full technician career ladder (L1–L3 Field Technicians, Fiber Splicers, PoP Field Services Technicians, and Field Logistics Technicians). This position drives compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, customer requirements, and internal standards while fostering a proactive safety culture and continuous improvement. Acting as a strategic partner to operations and project teams, the TSQ Manager integrates technical, safety, and quality practices throughout project execution. Key responsibilities include owning the technical training program for field personnel entering and advancing in the field, overseeing Safety Management Systems and quality observation programs, developing SOPs, risk assessments, and technical training curricula, and mentoring TSQ Specialists. Success in this role requires strong technical field expertise, leadership, and organizational skills, along with the ability to balance strategic oversight with hands-on technical instruction.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Safety Management

● Maintain and continuously improve all elements of the Safety Management System.

● Ensure compliance with OSHA, ANSI, NFPA, and other applicable regulations.

● Lead incident analysis for injuries and significant near-hit events; manage corrective actions.

● Serve as primary liaison with external agencies (fire departments, health departments, regulatory bodies).

● Develop and maintain emergency response plans and ensure employee familiarity.

● Conduct routine observation / audits of job sites, facilities, equipment, and work practices.

● Create and update risk assessments and Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs) for new scopes of work.

● Facilitate employee safety recognition programs.

● Management of Workers’ Compensation and Return-to-Work programs.

Training

● Design, build, and own the technical training program for the complete data center field technician career ladder (L1–L3), Fiber Splicer role, PoP Field Services Technician role, and the Field Logistics Technician role.

● Deliver hands-on, field-based technical instruction covering fiber optic installation and fusion splicing, copper and structured cabling, cable testing (OTDR/OLTS), data center and PoP network hardware, and warehouse/inventory logistics operations.

● Establish skills progression benchmarks and formal competency checkpoints for each career level; hold sign-off authority on technician advancement (e.g., L1 to L2 readiness).

● Author and version-control technical MOPs, SOPs, installation guides, and job aids used for field training and reference.

● Manage the physical training lab and hands-on skills environment, including equipment and consumables.

● Support certification preparation (e.g., BICSI, OFC, OTDR/OLTS, customer-specific credentials); track cohort progress and coordinate exam scheduling.

● Organize and oversee internal and external safety training programs.

● Support integration of safety into all technical and hands-on training.

● Coordinate creation and distribution of safety toolbox talks.

● Maintain training documentation, competency assessments, and compliance records for all field personnel.

Quality

● Manage the Site Quality Observation Program, including tracking, reporting, and driving corrective actions.

● Monitor adherence to quality standards across projects and implement continuous improvement initiatives.

● Collaborate with project teams to resolve quality issues and ensure compliance with customer specifications.

● Develop and implement SOPs and lessons learned based on-site observations.

● Ensure development and maintenance of procedural documentation (administrative, customer-specific, and JHAs per SOW).

Leadership & Reporting

● Lead and manage TSQ Specialists assigned to projects, providing guidance and performance oversight.

● Prepare and distribute weekly, monthly, and quarterly reports.

● Manage reward and incentive programs (field observations, giveaways, tenure recognition).

● Drive continuous improvement initiatives across TSQ functions.

● Act as mentor for professional development of technical, safety, and quality professionals.

Other

● Interface with operations managers, project managers, and field leaders to integrate TSQ practices into project planning and execution.

● Interface with customers to demonstrate support for TSQ program and culture.

● Perform additional TSQ-related duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

● Working technical knowledge of fiber optic installation and splicing, structured cabling systems, and cable testing (OTDR/OLTS) sufficient to train and evaluate field technicians.

● Familiarity with data center / PoP network hardware and warehouse/field logistics operations sufficient to train and evaluate technicians in those roles.

● Proficiency in instructional design, adult learning methodologies, and technical curriculum development for field workforces.

● Advanced proficiency in MS Office Suite and Microsoft Teams.

● Strong leadership and team management skills.

● Excellent oral and written communication with critical thinking ability.

● Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines.

● Understanding of federal, state, and local safety requirements.

● Highly organized, detail-oriented, and results-driven.

● Ability to handle confidential information.

● Bilingual proficiency preferred.

Education and Experience

● Bachelor’s degree in safety management, Quality Assurance, Business Administration, or related field (or equivalent work experience).

● Minimum of five (5) years of experience in Training, Safety, or Quality management roles within construction/telecommunications.

● Documented field experience in fiber optic installation, splicing, structured cabling, or telecom/datacenter field operations, or equivalent hands-on technical training experience, strongly preferred.

● Proven experience developing SOPs and implementing process improvements.

● Prior experience managing teams or specialists in a multi-project environment.

● Certifications such as CHST, STSC, and OSHA 500 preferred; fiber optic/technical certifications (e.g., BICSI, FOA CFOT) a plus.

Physical Requirements

● Ability to stand or sit for prolonged periods.

● Ability to lift, carry, push, and/or pull up to 50 lbs.

● Ability to work in datacenter, PoP, and field environments — including confined spaces and at various heights — to conduct hands-on technical training and observations.