Sr Director of EHSS

About the role

QuantumScape is on a mission to transform energy storage with solid-state lithium-metal battery technology. The company’s next-generation batteries are designed to enable greater energy density, faster charging and enhanced safety to support the transition away from legacy energy sources toward a lower carbon future.

The EHSS team is a diverse group of engineers that bring various expertise as we interact with some of the most cutting-edge technologies integrating our battery solution. The team prides itself by providing compliant and safe environment both for our workers and in the product design.

As the Senior Director of EHSS, you will execute and shape strategy for all EHSS activities, including EHSS Strategy Development and Implementation, Environmental Protection, Occupational Health and Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Functional Safety, Safe Equipment Design/Installation/Operation, Emergency Response, ESG Initiatives, Safety Culture implementation, Executive communication, and Employee Development. This role is designed for a high-integrity leader who takes his/her role seriously, makes risk assessment-based decisions, prefers building practical, high-impact systems over rigid, box-ticking administrative frameworks. You will oversee all EHSS aspects of a complex operation that bridges cutting-edge lithium battery R&D with manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Be seen as a Safety leader both within and outside the company.
• Partner with the executive team to build and execute the EHSS strategic roadmap.
• Allocate resources appropriately to ensure success.
• Safety Program Architecture & Management
  • Communicate from Leadership to Technicians using appropriate methods and protocols.
  • Develop and manage the EHSS budget, resource allocation, and a multi-year strategic roadmap that scales with the company’s growth.
  • Design and implement Safety programs tailored specifically to lithium battery R&D and Manufacturing.
  • Lead the Safety Council.
  • Oversee Incident Investigation programs, ensuring a culture where reporting is encouraged and root causes lead to systemic engineering controls.
  • Manage Hazardous Materials in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.
  • Establish rigorous, common-sense protocols for the procurement, handling, storage, and usage of variety of chemicals.
  • Direct the company’s Hazardous Waste program, ensuring 100% compliance with RCRA and local regulations for Large Quantity Generators (LQG).
  • Oversee company strategy around recycling.
  • Lead the design and maintenance of specialized fire protection strategies for our technology, including thermal runaway mitigation and chemical containment.
  • Understand and oversee Functional Safety from Equipment Design to Disposition.
  • Lead EHSS training creation and delivery aligned with current technology such as the use of AI in creating hazard specific classes.
• Team Leadership & Employee Management
  • Manage and mentor a multi-disciplinary EHSS team, setting clear performance expectations and fostering professional development.
  • Serve as a visible leader on the manufacturing floor and in the labs, bridging the gap between PhD researchers and production technicians.
  • Cultivate a "Culture of Safety" where integrity, the alignment of