Safety Summer Associate (Summer 2027)

Location: Richmond, VA

The Summer Associate – Safety role provides you with the unique opportunity to safeguard the health and well-being of thousands of craft workers and team members across our jobsites. Working directly alongside Clark’s safety and operational leaders, you will gain hands-on field experience advancing company safety policies, programs, and procedures while actively driving our 24/7 "Culture of Care.”

We empower you to take on significant responsibility early, backing your growth with extensive resources, mentorship, formal training, and a culture that challenges you to advance your career further. Here, the standard is higher. Our team doesn't just build landmark projects—we build the leaders who make them possible.

The Role

The Summer Associate Program is your opportunity to build a comprehensive understanding of the construction industry and our business.

As a summer associate, you will be fully embedded with a team on a jobsite or in a department, gaining hands-on experience.

Beyond your project work, you will become an integrated member of the Clark community through training and development opportunities. Build your network through social events and jobsite tours, and sharpen your skills with formal training sessions led by Clark experts.

Other cornerstones of the Summer Associate Program include

The Capstone Project: A team-based project that challenges you to develop innovative solutions for real-time business opportunities. You will present your findings directly to company leadership, gaining visibility and the chance to make a tangible impact.

The Passport Experience: A curated series of experiences designed to guide your summer journey. The Passport showcases the full breadth of Clark’s business, helps you establish meaningful connections across the company, and ensures you gain essential industry knowledge.

This immersive, full-time program runs for 8 -10 weeks and begins in late May or early June.

Responsibilities

Throughout the summer, you will be exposed to

Program Implementation: Assisting in executing corporate and project-specific safety and health programs in alignment with federal, state, and local safety standards.

Culture & Education: Helping promote a proactive safety culture by coaching, mentoring, and educating trade partners and internal team members on occupational health and safety requirements.

Field Inspections & Analytics: Conducting daily jobsite walks to monitor safety compliance, track metrics, and assist in reporting project safety performance and forward-looking plans.

Safety Planning: Partnering closely with field superintendents and project leadership to plan for high-risk operations, including critical crane lifts, hazardous material handling, fire prevention, and site evacuation strategies.

Basic Qualifications

Currently attending university and working to complete a bachelor's degree in Occupational Health and Safety

Interest and passion for the construction industry

The work environment and requirements described below are representative of those necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this role.

The Physical Side of the Role: This is an active, hands-on role. You can expect to be on your feet frequently, navigating active job sites with uneven terrain, stairs, ladders, and hoists. The work is physically demanding and requires a full range of motion, including bending, kneeling, and reaching. You’ll need to be comfortable frequently lifting and carrying materials up to 25 pounds, and occasionally up to 50 pounds. This role requires the ability to communicate effectively, as well as visual acuity for reading plans and inspecting work. The role does include desk time in the office that may require prolonged periods of sitting for tasks like computer work, document review, and meetings.

Your Work Environment: You’ll spend a significant amount of your time on active construction sites, which means being adaptable to all kinds of weather and moderate to loud noise levels, and comfortable in elevated or confined work areas with moving mechanical equipment and with the fast-paced nature of a project in progress. You will also spend time in a typical office setting with moderate noise levels. Your safety is our top priority, and you'll be expected to follow Clark Construction's safety policies and procedures, and all applicable laws, at all locations.

Our High-Performing Culture: This is a demanding, high-performance environment. We are looking for candidates who are energized by challenge, thrive under pressure, and are prepared to do what it takes to achieve exceptional results. Success in this role requires significant commitment, including flexibility to work extended hours, especially during critical project phases or client deadlines.

A Drug Free Workplace: Clark promotes a drug free workplace. A pre-employment fitness for duty screening is required, and random fitness for duty tests of employees are conducted quarterly.

Clark offers a total compensation package. Benefits could include commuter benefits or fitness reimbursement. Hourly rates will be determined by factors such as geographic location, education, experience, and market considerations. For this role the hourly rate is $23 - $29/ hr.