Sr Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Manager
Position Title: Senior Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Manager
Job Family: Human Resources
Company: Paligen Technologies
Location: On-Site, Tampa FL or Graham KY
The Sr Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Manager provides strategic leadership, direction, and oversight for Paligen Tech’s EHS programs across all operations. This role is responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive EHS strategies, managing high‑hazard chemical and explosive manufacturing risks, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, and driving a strong interdependent culture that is committed to incident-free performance and where employees care about each other and collaborate on safety.
A key requirement for this position is expert-level knowledge in construction safety, specifically for design‑build projects, including pre‑construction planning, contractor management, site safety leadership, and integration of safety and risk management principles into engineering and architectural design processes.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute the company’s multi‑year EHS strategy aligned with organizational objectives, growth plans, and regulatory frameworks.
- Advise senior leadership on emerging regulations, industry trends, and risk management opportunities.
- Establish and promote a proactive, prevention‑focused EHS culture across all departments and project sites.
Operational and Tactical EHS Support
- Lead the implementation of EHS programs, policies, and procedures to ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, NFPA, local regulatory bodies, and company standards.
- Develop programs in alignment with ISO 14001/45001 and support certification/recertification efforts.
- Support incident response, investigation, root cause analysis, and corrective/preventive action plans.
- Provide hands-on support to facilities, project teams, and field operations for risk assessments, safety planning, and regulatory compliance.
- Serve as the subject matter expert to internal teams on occupational safety, environmental, emergency response, and industrial hygiene programs.
- Stay current with emerging regulations, industry trends, safety technologies, and best practices specific to chemical and explosive manufacturing.
Construction Safety and Design‑Build Expertise
- Lead EHS planning and hazard mitigation strategies during the design, engineering, and pre‑construction phases.
- Partner with program managers, process safety managers, construction managers, risk management, and engineering leaders to embed safety requirements into project specifications.
- Oversee contractor safety programs, subcontractor qualification, and site-specific safety plans.
- Conduct site audits, inspections, and readiness assessments for complex construction and design‑build environments.
- Support project managers in maintaining compliance with construction safety standards, including OSHA, DoD requirements, and industry best practices.
Leadership and Collaboration
- Manage and mentor EHS staff, contractors, and site safety personnel.
- Interface with cross-functional teams including Operations, Engineering, Programs, Facilities, HR, and Legal.
- Lead multisite EHS committees, training, and communication/promotion initiatives.
Continuous Improvement
- Develop KPIs, dashboards, and reporting systems to track EHS performance.
- Identify trends, create root-cause-based action plans, and champion continuous improvement initiatives.
- Evaluate and implement new technologies, tools, and systems to advance safety and environmental performance.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Safety, Construction Management, Safety Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- 10+ years of progressive EHS experience supporting industrial, manufacturing, or construction environments, including significant work in construction projects; at least 5 years in chemical, energetic, or explosive manufacturing highly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience leading EHS programs during construction, capital projects, or site expansions.
- Proven success implementing ISO 14001/45001 systems or similar management frameworks.
- Strong knowledge of OSHA construction standards, risk management methodologies, and contractor safety management.
- Experience leading strategic EHS initiatives in a multi‑site or project-based organization.
- Excellent communication, written and verbal, and attention to detail.
- Acts with integrity, works collaboratively, and drives continual improvement.
- Strong understanding and working knowledge of OSHA, EPA, NFPA, DoD 4145 and other applicable regulatory requirements.
- Demonstrated track record of building high‑performance EHS teams, driving large scale EHS initiatives, and influencing at all organizational levels, including contractors.
- Background supporting large capital projects, equipment installations, or construction contractor oversight.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s Degree or professional certifications such as CSP, CHMM, CIH or equivalent.
- Experience in DoD, defense manufacturing, or other high‑hazard regulated environments.
Other Requirements
- Travel: ~30% Travel to project sites or manufacturing locations as needed.
- Work Environment: Manufacturing sites, active construction projects/fieldwork, and office settings.
- Background Investigation / Drug Screen / US person: Required.
Paligen Technologies is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value the unique skills and capabilities that our team members bring to our mission. We make all hiring and employment decisions based solely on individual qualifications, merit, and business needs. We strictly prohibit discrimination, ensuring a fair and objective selection process for all applicants.