Air Dangerous Goods Specialist

The Air Dangerous Goods (ADG) & Damaged Materials Compliance Specialist is responsible for ensuring the safe, compliant, and efficient handling of dangerous goods and damaged materials at a gateway operation. This position serves as the local subject matter expert for hazardous materials transportation requirements, regulatory compliance, training, auditing, and operational oversight.

The specialist works closely with airport operations, security, regulatory agencies, and corporate compliance teams to ensure adherence to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), IATA, ICAO, and company requirements. Responsibilities include conducting compliance audits, managing corrective action plans, investigating discrepancies, maintaining training programs, and serving as the primary point of contact during regulatory inspections and audits.

Key Responsibilities

Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all applicable hazardous materials and dangerous goods regulations, company policies, and operating procedures.
• Monitor regulatory changes and implement operational changes necessary to maintain compliance.
• Evaluate dangerous goods acceptance, handling, storage, loading, unloading, and transportation activities.
• Review damaged or leaking shipments and determine appropriate disposition in accordance with regulatory and company requirements.
• Maintain required compliance records, inspection reports, training documentation, and regulatory correspondence.
• Serve as the local expert for dangerous goods and damaged materials processes.

Auditing & Quality Assurance

• Conduct routine compliance audits, self-assessments, and operational inspections.
• Verify adherence to dangerous goods handling and acceptance procedures.
• Identify trends, non-compliance issues, and process vulnerabilities through data analysis and operational observations.
• Develop, track, and validate corrective and preventive action plans following audit findings or regulatory observations.
• Ensure audit records are maintained in accordance with corporate and regulatory retention requirements.
• Support internal quality assurance programs and regulatory readiness initiatives.

Training & Development

• Deliver initial, recurrent, and remedial dangerous goods and damaged materials training.
• Maintain training records and ensure employees meet qualification and certification requirements.
• Conduct operational drills, coaching sessions, and field observations to verify employee competency.
• Provide guidance to management and frontline employees on applicable regulations and procedures.
• Develop training materials, job aids, and compliance awareness programs.
• Evaluate training effectiveness and implement improvements as needed.

Regulatory Agency Coordination

• Serve as the primary gateway liaison for FAA inspections, audits, site visits, and inquiries.
• Coordinate responses to regulatory findings and compliance investigations.
• Accompany regulatory inspectors during facility visits and operational reviews.
• Gather documentation and prepare reports required by regulatory agencies.
• Partner with corporate compliance, legal, and operational leadership regarding findings, corrective actions, and regulatory communication.
• Maintain professional working relationships with FAA inspectors and other regulatory officials.

Incident Investigation & Corrective Action

• Investigate dangerous goods discrepancies, damaged shipments, spills, labeling issues, documentation errors, and regulatory violations.
• Conduct root cause analyses and identify systemic improvement opportunities.
• Develop and monitor corrective action plans to prevent recurrence.
• Prepare detailed reports for management and compliance teams.
• Support operational risk assessments and mitigation strategies.