Vice President of Environment, Health, Safety, and Security

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has the fastest, lowest cost path to commercial fusion energy.
CFS collaborates with MIT to leverage decades of research combined with groundbreaking new high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet technology. HTS magnets will enable compact fusion power plants that can be constructed faster and at lower cost. Our mission is to deploy these power plants to meet global decarbonization goals as fast as possible. To that end, CFS has assembled a team of leaders in tough tech, fusion science, and manufacturing with a track record of rapid execution. Supported by the world’s leading investors, CFS is uniquely positioned to deliver limitless, clean, fusion power to combat climate change. To implement this plan, we are looking to add dedicated people to the team who treat people well, improve our work by adding multifaceted perspectives and new ways of solving problems, have achieved outstanding results through a range of pursuits, and have skills and experience related to this role.
The Vice President of Environment, Health, Safety, and Security will be responsible for developing and leading the EHS & Security programs for the company, with a focus on the safe design, build, and operation of the SPARC tokamak and facility. They will champion a strong safety culture throughout the organization and work with leaders across all departments to implement safety & security policies, procedures, and training. At CFS, we believe that all injuries are preventable, and we look out for ourselves and each other. We’re looking for a strong safety & security leader to join us in this mission.

This team member will:

• Develop and lead comprehensive Environment, Health, Safety, and Security (EHSS) programs for the company and instill a positive safety culture throughout the organization. Create the holistic strategy to grow the EHSS function from early-stage operations into a global organization
• Lead the transformation to redefine EHSS standards for the company and set a precedent for safe and secure operations for the fusion industry as a whole
• Lead a team of EHS managers and engineers to develop and implement safety policies, procedures, and training. Work with leaders across all departments including design, R&D, manufacturing, operations, and facilities to encourage adoption company-wide
• Lead a team of security professionals with a customer-service mindset to support the employees and security of the company’s sites and assets
• Own all aspects of EHSS across all current facilities and sponsor the internal safety & security committees
• Provide EHSS oversight on SPARC construction, commissioning, and operations; particularly for systems with high-risk hazards such as high voltage, high current, high pressure, heavy lifts, cryogenics, and radiation protection
• Develop safety & security plans for upcoming facilities and provide input for building layouts and equipment purchases with a safety focus in mind. Implement and review hierarchy of controls including the access control system and emergency procedures
• Lead investigations into all safety & security incidents and near misses and continuously improve safe operations
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and city safety regulations and obtain and maintain necessary permits
• Organize EHSS milestones and schedule to meet strategic targets. Develop and track EHSS budget and scope of work for the company
• Communicate EHSS status, risks, and resource requirements to the team & leadership
• Lead of team consisting of EHS Manager, EHS Engineers and a Security team

The ideal candidate will have most, if not all, of these requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in an environmental, health, and safety discipline; engineering field; or equivalent experience
• 20+ years' experience in health & safety engineering and management roles
• Experience leading EHS and/or Security functions for a company with national or global operations
• Safety certification in at least one of the following: Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Safety Manager (CSM), Certified Safety and Health Manager (CSHM), or Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)
• Experience with creating safety programs from the ground up, incl. training and risk assessment and mitigation
• A proven track record of managing safe operations while supporting R&D and manufacturing processes
• Experience with chemical safety, hazard communication, and waste management
• Experience with high-risk hazards such as high voltage, high current, pressurized systems, heavy lifts/rigging, and cryogenics
• Project management experience working with people from all levels of an organization and also with outside consultants and regulatory agencies
• Leadership, teambuilding, and mentoring ski