Senior Range Safety Manager

The Test Technology Division (TTD) of Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) is seeking an experienced Senior Range Safety Manager. In this role you will lead TTD’s safety program - providing oversight and leadership for R&D testing on Department of War (DoW) ranges, ARA-operated facilities, and commercial proving grounds. You will create, mature, and continuously improve safety programs for the division, then implement these programs on the test bed.

You will work closely with ARA engineers, scientists, technicians, and client stakeholders to design and execute safety measures, verify safe conditions, ensure regulatory adherence, and maintain operational excellence.

As Senior Range Safety Manager, you will serve as the lead safety interface for the ARA test team, providing clear guidance to our test staff and conducting collaborative problem-solving while upholding safety requirements. In addition, you will also be the primary safety representative to TTD’s clients - conducting direct client communication, safety coordination, and negotiation to ensure safety requirements are clearly understood and integrated into test plans.

You will conduct professional communication between multiple customers, maintain composure under time-sensitive test schedules, and de-escalate operational tension.

ARA’s test range programs include operations involving heavy equipment, concrete structure fabrication, surface and subterranean testing, permit required confined spaces (PRCS), chemical hazards, environmental compliance, electrical work, and close coordination with explosive energetics operations. Note that energetics safety is managed by our dedicated explosives safety team. Work is primarily conducted at Kirtland Air Force Base, White Sands Missile Range, and ARA’s test range in Moriarty, NM.

Our programs operate under OSHA 29 CFR 1910 (General Industry) guidelines.

Due to the nature of work performed, candidates must be U.S. citizens eligible for a Department of Defense Secret or higher security clearance.

Key Responsibilities

Division Safety Program Development

• Develop, implement, and maintain comprehensive EHS programs, policies, and procedures aligned with OSHA and national consensus standards (ANSI, NEC, NFPA, MSHA, DOT, NIOSH).
• Monitor regulatory updates and ensure compliance with all relevant federal, state, and local requirements.
• Hazard & Risk Documentation:
  Perform Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs) using quantitative data and translate technical engineering, hazard, and environmental information into clear safety briefs and analysis documents.
• Author and maintain the division's comprehensive Health and Safety Plan that includes all safety aspects pertaining to test operations and environmental considerations.
• Procedural Review:
  Review and modify Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for test operations, ensuring strict adherence to safety plans.

Strategic Safety Leadership

• Lead multi-disciplinary safety readiness reviews to verify that all required controls are in place before testing begins.
• Authority and responsibility to immediately pause operations if a test procedure deviates from safe protocols.
• Draft formal written safety variance requests, incident investigation reports, and safety justifications tailored for a wide audience, including technical clients, regulatory auditors, and executive leadership.
• Work with customers and our test team to safely adjust test procedures when technical conditions change, ensuring mission data needs are met without compromising safety.
• Oversee the full range of hazard and risk management activities for test operations.
• Define, verify, and enforce exclusion zones to maintain safe operating boundaries.
• Develop and implement safety protocols for diverse testing…