Environmental Health & Safety Director

About the role

Dudek’s journey began in 1980 with a vision to serve Southern California’s water and wastewater agencies. Today, we are a 100% employee-owned firm supporting clients nationwide and delivering projects that improve and protect the built and natural environments of communities throughout the United States. Our work has been recognized by leading industry organizations, and we’ve been honored with multiple national Top Workplace Awards. Our employee-owners are unified by a singular commitment to supporting projects that address key societal issues, such as the transition to renewable energy, infrastructure hardening and repair, environmental protection, and community resilience.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic direction, development, and continuous improvement of Dudek’s EHS programs and safety culture.
• Design and implement a scalable EHS operating model, including aligning EHS Managers to business practices and ensuring consistent support across regions.
• Partner with Company leadership and Practice Leaders to embed safety accountability at all levels and integrate safety into operational planning and performance management.
• Lead and continue to grow a cohesive, high-performing EHS team, ensuring alignment across safety, training, field support, and incident management functions.
• Establish scalable systems for training, audits, inspections, and compliance that support a multi-state, multi-practice organization.
• Ensure EHS programs effectively support both field-based and office-based work environments, with appropriate differentiation based on risk and work type.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, tools, and systems to increase efficiency, consistency, and impact.
• Establish a consistent EHS partnership model with business practices, ensuring each practice has clear EHS support, expectations, and regular engagement.
• Provide technical guidance and support to project teams, including safety planning, risk assessments, and field execution.
• Ensure structured field-level safety oversight is in place, including audits, inspections, and support for higher-risk projects.
• Oversee company and project compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local EHS regulations (e.g., OSHA, Cal/OSHA, etc.).
• Oversee the company’s incident management framework, including investigation standards, root cause analysis, and corrective actions.
• Work with EHS Managers to partner with Human Resources and Legal on workers’ compensation programs and claims management as applicable.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for regulatory agencies, client safety inquiries, and inspections.
• Oversee and monitor leading and lagging safety metrics, ensuring visibility, consistency, and accountability across practices.
• Prepare and present safety performance reports to executive and operational leadership, identifying trends and driving continuous improvement.
• Use data and insights to refine programs, improve outcomes, and support strategic decision-making.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), or a related field.
• In-depth working knowledge of health and safety regulations, including federal, state, and local requirements (OSHA, Cal/OSHA, etc.).
• Valid driver’s license required.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in safety management within the Environmental and Engineering consulting industry, including at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Professional certifications such as CSP, CIH, ASP, CHST, CHMM or equivalent.
• Ability to travel to project sites and Dudek offices as needed to support field operations, audits, and engagement with practice teams.
• Preferred candidate is based in Southern California or has the ability to travel to the Encinitas corporate office on a frequent and consistent basis.
• Demonstrated success building and scaling EHS programs across multi-location organizations.
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills, with the ability to influence across all levels of the organization.
• Experience working in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and EHS management systems.

Benefits

Compensation: $160,000 - $205,000 annually*

Pay

$160,000 - $205,000 annually*

Schedule

Remote - USA, Remote - California