EHS Manager

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a growing EHS team in a fast-paced, evolving organization
• Hire, onboard, and train EHS team members as the company scales
• Set clear priorities, performance expectations, and development plans for direct reports
• Foster accountability, adaptability, and ownership within the EHS team
• Drive a proactive and HOP-based EHS culture in a rapidly changing organization
• Support organizational change as processes, teams, and facilities evolve
• Mentor and develop direct reports through regular coaching, goal setting, and career development discussions
• Drive employee engagement and retention through effective leadership and clear communication
• Lead EHS team initiatives and responsibilities including regulatory reports, inspections, or information requests; internal audits; emergency drills; management system improvements; and program development and assessments
• Build and implement EHS programs, policies, and procedures suitable for a startup and scalable to future operations
• Establish foundational EHS management systems for shipyard and vessel testing environments
• Adapt EHS programs to support new yards, test sites, vessels, and operational profiles
• Balance operational speed of execution with risk management and regulatory requirements
• Ensure environmental programs scale with increased testing and yard activity
• Drive a proactive safety culture in high-risk maritime environments
• Support organizational change as shipyard operations, vessel capabilities, and test complexity evolve
• EHS Oversee EHS programs supporting shipyard activities such as fabrication, welding, blasting, coating, electrical work, rigging, and heavy equipment operations
• Ensure safe practices for dry dock, pier-side, and yard-based work
• Manage high-risk activities including hot work, confined spaces, working at heights, lifting operations, and contractor safety
• Ensure that environmental compliance programs are established and maintained including hazardous waste, stormwater, air emissions, chemical management, and spill prevention
• Partner with operations and engineering to embed safety into yard layout, work planning, and equipment selection
• Partner with engineering and operations to embed safety-by-design into equipment, facilities, and vessel design
• Ensure compliance with OSHA and applicable marine safety standards for vessels under 60 ft (e.g., USCG, ISM as applicable)
• Vessel Testing & On-Water Operations Develop and enforce EHS procedures for vessel commissioning, dock trials, sea trials, and operational testing
• Ensure safe launch, recovery, mooring, and towing operations
• Support safe execution of test plans involving propulsion, electrical systems, autonomy, and mission equipment
• Career Development & Coaching Support strategic people management, including hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, and succession planning
• Drive employee engagement and retention through effective leadership and clear communication
• Compliance, Risk & Incident Management Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, USCG, ISM, and state/local regulations
• Lead incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action implementation
• Prepare for and support regulatory inspections and audits
• Identify emerging risks associated with growth and operational change
• Stay current on emerging EHS regulations, trends, and best practices, and communicate relevant updates to stakeholders within the organization

  Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in occupational health and safety, environmental science, engineering, public health, or a related field; professional certification (e.g., ASP, CSP, CIH, CHMM) preferred.
  • 7+ years of experience in EHS, preferably in shipbuilding/ship repair, offshore energy, or defense maritime environments.
  • Experience leading, coaching, developing team members to achieve individual and organizational goals.

  Preferred Skills And Experience

  • 7+ years of progressive EHS experience supporting complex manufacturing and maritime operations, with expertise in industrial hygiene, exposure assessments, ventilation, and occupational health.
  • Comprehensive knowledge of applicable EHS regulations, including OSHA, EPA/TCEQ, DOT, USCG, and maritime safety requirements.
  • Experience building and scaling EHS programs in startup, high-growth, or rapidly evolving manufacturing environments.
  • Proven leadership experience developing high-performing EHS teams and partnering with engineering and operations to integrate EHS into business and design decisions.
  • Hands-on experience supporting high-hazard manufacturing processes, marine operations (including vessel testing and field operations), and environmental compliance programs.
  • Strong expertise in incident investigation, risk assessment, regulatory compliance, audits, and corrective action management.
  • Demonstrated ability to use EHS metrics to drive performance, influence stakeholders at all levels, and foster a strong safety culture in fast-paced environments.
  • Comfortable operating in an ambiguous, rapidly changing environment, balancing business priorities with effective risk management.