About This Role

Varda Space Industries is looking for an Environmental Health and Safety Engineer to support our facilities and labs on Earth and in space. Varda is a fast paced and challenging environment. The environmental health and safety team should be comfortable working on complex chemical and physical systems ranging from chemical propulsion, to pharmaceuticals, to spacecraft development.

This position requires strong overall technical skills, excellent customer service, and great organizational management. The candidate should be a self-starter, self-motivator, and possess ingenuity to work in this novel environment.

Candidates should have experience with regulatory and environmental policies at the local, state and federal level and experience in building safety and environment policies in in a startup environment. The person in this position should have strong overall technical skills, excellent customer service skills, and superior organizational and prioritization management skills. The candidate should be a self-starter, self-motivator and possess ingenuity to excel at this position.

Candidates should have experience in building high-quality systems in support of business operations, development of the spacecraft, and administering complex environments.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal regulatory standards including Cal/OSHA, OSHA SBAQMD, Cal/EPA, EPA, etc. (including maintaining records as needed)
• Conduct internal due diligence audits when needed and work closely with leadership to implement any corrective actions to implement health and safety procedures
• Review material safety data and provide technical expertise, while ensuring sheets are maintained and readily accessible
• Help develop testing systems for spacecraft components including chemicals thrusters, valves, and low voltage electrical systems
• Keep up to date with new regulations and policies, and updating internal processes and procedures for compliance
• Develop safety hardware and procedures for pharmaceutical handling and processing
• Evaluate, assess, and develop health and safety procedures and training for all areas of the company
• Lead EH&S issue resolution & assist with non-routine troubleshooting of processes and equipment
• Oversee hazardous waste storage and disposal
• Contribute to ongoing maintenance and inspection of safety systems (eyewashes, chemical showers, fire suppressions systems)
• Develops and implements inspection policies and procedures, and a schedule of routine inspections to identify safety, health, and environmental risks across facility
• Able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced work environment
• Responsible for hazardous and non-hazardous waste management including DOT and RCRA regulations

Basic Qualifications

• Expertise in understanding chemical hazards
• Extensive knowledge of environmental regulations and policies (Knowledge of OSHA and EPA standards)
• Ability to make decisions and recommendations about complex EH&S situations and topics when the solution is not clear
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Atlassian suites
• Proficient in technology and equipment used in environmental inspections.
• Physically able to conduct inspections and carry equipment used for inspections.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at a time.
• 5+ years of relevant experience in a laboratory or manufacturing environment
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physical Sciences, Environmental Safety, Occupational Safety and Health, or related field required

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Knowledge of basic laboratory and pharmaceutical operations and equipment
• Bachelor's degree in engineering with an emphasis in occupational heath and safety and/or environmental engineering
• Experience in developing EH&S systems and policies from the ground up in a startup environment
• Experience in federal, state, and local safety and environmental regulations

Additional Requirements

• Must be physically able to regularly lift 25 lbs. for duties such as delivering computers, unpacking and rack-mounting equipment, etc.

Pay Range

• Salary range: $110,000 - $130,000
• This role is on-site in El Segundo, CA
• Leveling and base salary is determined by job-related skills, education level, experience level, and job performance
• You will be eligible for long-term incentives in the form of stock options and/or long-term cash awards
• Offer compensation also includes the ability to purchase company stock through the Employee Stock Purchase Plan