Will Bond

Describe your job: 

I manage the on-road safety program for Amazon’s line haul and delivery operations. Our team is responsible for the safety of employees, contractors, and the general public from the dock door of an Amazon warehouse to the customer’s door. My job includes assessing risks of different transport options and to look for effective controls that make the journey safer for all involved.

What do you find interesting or exciting about your job?

The technology we are installing on our vehicles and the advanced driver coaching programs are saving lives on the road and pushing the entire logistics industry forward across the globe.

Describe the path you took from UW to your present job:

I got an internship with the Amazon Fresh unit in Bellevue as part of the BS in Environmental Health program requirement. This unit was having a serious uptick in injuries among drivers and I spent the summer looking at a variety of solutions to make it safer. I was offered a job at an Amazon Fulfillment Center in Phoenix as an EHS Specialist following graduation. I was the boots on the ground EHS contact for a shift of a thousand employees. From there I worked up through Amazon to my role today back in the corporate office in Seattle.

How did your experience at DEOHS prepare you for this position?

The undergraduate program taught me to think critically and gave me the tools to continue my education on the job. I am so grateful for the internship requirement of the program. It set me up to have a job with an employer immediately following graduation.

What was the most valuable thing you learned at DEOHS?

DEOHS taught me the importance of teamwork. When it comes to the safety of others, nobody has all the answers.

What advice would you have for students currently enrolled in the department?

Environmental health is an immense field. You may find your passion in something surprising. The principles of risk reduction are similar across the field and you are never limited to just one type of job. Most importantly, take your internship seriously, as it may become your future employer.

What opportunities exist in your sector for new graduates?

Not all fields are growing in this economy, but there will always be a need for well-trained, enthusiastic environmental health and safety professionals. Amazon has over 10 graduates from the department and is always looking for more.