Safety & Security Analyst/Advisor

The Safety & Security Analyst/Advisor at Mid-South Transportation Management, Inc. supports executive leadership and key stakeholders with technical, analytical expertise across safety and security for the MATA transit system. This onsite role helps strengthen regulatory compliance and improves safety performance by turning safety and security data into actionable insights, reports, and corrective actions.

What You’ll Do

• Analyze safety, security, operational, incident, accident, near-miss, injury, inspection, audit, and other performance data to identify trends, patterns, deficiencies, and emerging risks.
• Create analytical reports, dashboards, trend analyses, performance measures, and management briefings to communicate safety and security conditions and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Support hazard identification, risk assessments, threat assessments, vulnerability assessments, and root-cause analyses across transit operations, facilities, vehicles, equipment, infrastructure, employees, contractors, passengers, and other stakeholders.
• Review accident, incident, and near-miss reports for completeness, accuracy, contributing factors, corrective actions, and potential systemic safety or security concerns.
• Assist with safety and security investigations when assigned, producing professional investigative reports, findings, recommendations, and corrective-action plans.
• Monitor corrective and preventive actions tied to investigations, audits, inspections, assessments, regulatory findings, and other safety and security activities to support timely resolution and documented closure.
• Support administration and execution of MATA’s Internal Safety and Security Audit Program, including preparation, fieldwork, documentation, findings, corrective actions, follow-up, and closeout.
• Evaluate departmental and contractor compliance with MATA policies, procedures, safety plans, security programs, regulatory requirements, and industry standards.
• Research federal, state, and local safety, security, emergency management, and transportation requirements, then recommend how they may affect MATA operations.
• Support compliance activities involving agencies and organizations including the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Transit Database (NTD), and other oversight entities.
• Assist in preparing required safety, security, regulatory, audit, incident, performance, and compliance reports and supporting documentation.
• Monitor safety and security performance indicators, establishing data-driven measures to evaluate program effectiveness and identify improvement opportunities.
• Collaborate with Operations, Maintenance, Trolley, Communications, Capital Development, Procurement, Training, Human Resources, Customer Experience, and other departments to identify and address safety and security risks.
• Support safety and security reviews of new and existing vehicles, infrastructure, facilities, equipment, systems, construction projects, operational changes, and other initiatives.
• Participate in safety and security committees, task forces, working groups, tabletop exercises, and emergency preparedness activities.
• Assist with emergency management, business continuity, emergency response, and service disruption plans from a safety and security perspective.
• Support development and delivery of safety, security, emergency management, and regulatory compliance training and educational materials.
• Act as a technical resource to managers and supervisors for safety reporting, incident documentation, hazard identification, risk mitigation, corrective actions, and regulatory requirements.
• Review and help follow up on safety and security complaints, concerns, reports, and inquiries from employees, passengers, contractors, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Identify recurring safety and security issues and recommend systemic corrective actions, rather than focusing only on individual incident response.
• Support the Chief Safety & Security Officer and Manager of Safety & Security with executive-level reports, presentations, briefings, special projects, and strategic safety and security initiatives.
• Maintain confidential and sensitive safety, security, investigative, and regulatory information in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and MATA policies.
• Represent the Office of Safety & Security at meetings with internal departments, contractors, regulatory agencies, law enforcement, emergency management organizations, and other external partners as assigned.
• Maintain current knowledge of transit safety, security, emergency management, risk management, regulatory requirements, industry practices, and emerging safety and security issues.
• Perform other related duties, responsibilities, special assignments, and projects as assigned by the Chief Safety & Security Officer or Manager of Safety & Security.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Safety Management, Occupational Safety, Transportation, Transit Management, Emergency Management, Homeland Security, Criminal Justice, Public Administration, Business Administration, Risk Management, Security Management, Data Analytics, or a closely related field (preferred).
• Minimum three (3) years of progressively responsible professional experience in safety, security, emergency management, transit operations, transportation, public safety, regulatory compliance, risk management, investigations, auditing, data analysis, or a closely related field (preferred).
• Transit Safety and Security Program (TSSP) or Public Transportation Safety Certification Training Program (PTSCTP) training or certification.
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Associate Safety Professional (ASP), Certified Emergency Manager (CEM), or comparable professional credential.
• Equivalent combinations of education, training, certifications, and relevant professional experience may be considered.

Salary and Status

• Pay rate / range: $70,000 to $75,000 per year
• FLSA status: Exempt
• Safety sensitive position (49 CFR Part 655): No
• Bargaining unit: Non-bargaining unit (No)

Work Location and Environment

• Location: Memphis, TN (onsite)
• Primarily office-based with regular visits across MATA operating, maintenance, transit center, trolley, construction, and other field environments throughout the service network.
• May involve operational, industrial, outdoor, and emergency environments, including exposure to weather, transit vehicles, maintenance activities, and construction areas.
• Frequent interaction with employees, supervisors, managers, contractors, regulatory representatives, law enforcement, emergency management personnel, and executive leadership.
• Occasional extended hours, evenings, weekends, holidays, or on-call assignments may be required for critical incidents, emergency response, service disruptions, investigations, audits, exercises, training, or other agency needs.

Physical Demands

• Frequent walking and standing; sitting for periods of time; bending, stooping, crouching, kneeling, pushing, and pulling as needed.
• May be required to lift, push, or move up to 40 lbs.
• Must be able to reach with hands and arms and finger, handle or feel.

Knowledge and Skills

• Public transportation safety and security principles and practices, including Safety Management Systems and risk-based decision-making.
• Accident and incident investigation methodologies.
• Hazard identification, risk assessment, threat assessment, vulnerability assessment, and root-cause analysis.
• Federal, state, and local safety, security, transportation, and occupational safety requirements.
• Emergency management principles including emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and continuity of operations.
• Safety and security auditing, inspection, compliance monitoring, and corrective-action processes.
• Safety performance measurement, data analysis, trend analysis, and reporting.
• Transit operations, maintenance, facilities, communications, security, and passenger service.
• Ability to analyze complex safety and security information, develop defensible reports and recommendations, and translate technical findings into practical management actions.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information, manage multiple assignments and deadlines, communicate effectively across departments and external partners, and exercise sound judgment when evaluating risks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Safety Management, Emergency Management, Transportation, Public Administration, Homeland Security, Criminal Justice, Risk Management, Security Management, or a related field.
• Professional certification or specialized training in transit safety, security, emergency management, risk management, auditing, or incident investigation.
• Experience working with FTA, TDOT, OSHA, NTD, or other regulatory and oversight agencies.
• Experience with safety management systems, risk assessments, internal audits, corrective-action programs, incident investigation, or safety performance analysis.
• Experience in a public transportation, law enforcement, emergency management, public safety, or other highly regulated environment.
• Experience with data analysis and reporting, including dashboards, spreadsheets, GIS, safety management systems, or other analytical tools.

Background, Screening, and Drug/Alcohol Requirements

• Employment is contingent upon successful completion of the Company’s pre-employment background investigation and all applicable screening requirements.
• The incumbent may be required to undergo criminal history, employment, education, professional certification, motor vehicle record, and other background checks based on responsibilities and access.
• Subject to the Company’s Drug and Alcohol Policy and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
• If the position performs a federally regulated safety-sensitive function, DOT and FTA drug and alcohol testing requirements apply, including 49 CFR Parts 40 and 655.
• Employees authorized to operate Company vehicles must maintain a valid driver’s license and comply with applicable Company requirements for vehicle operation.

Degree equivalency: Bachelor’s Degree equals four (4) years of education plus the required professional experience. Master’s Degree equals two (2) additional years of education beyond a bachelor’s degree plus the required professional experience.