Lead EHS Engineer Huntington Beach, California, United StatesAbout Mach Industries Founded in 2023, Mach Industries is a rapidly growing defense technology company focused on developing next-generation autonomous defense platforms. At the core of our mission is the commitment to delivering scalable, decentralized defense systems that enhance the strategic capabilities of the United States and its allies. With a workforce of approximately 350 employees, we operate with startup agility and ambition. Our vision is to redefine the future of warfare through cutting-edge manufacturing, innovation at speed, and unwavering focus on national security. We are dedicated to solving the next generation of warfare with lethal systems that deter kinetic conflict and protect global security.
The Role:
We are seeking a knowledgeable and proactive Lead Environmental Health & Safety Engineer to provide technical leadership and hands-on execution of EHS programs across our engineering, manufacturing, prototyping, testing, and operational environments. This role will serve as a senior technical EHS resource, partnering directly with Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Facilities, and site leadership to identify hazards, evaluate risk, develop engineering and administrative controls, and ensure compliance with applicable environmental and occupational safety requirements. The Lead EHS Engineer will be highly engaged in day-to-day operations and is expected to spend significant time in manufacturing, laboratory, prototype, test, and other operational areas. The ideal candidate is comfortable operating in rapidly evolving environments where new equipment, processes, materials, and hazards are regularly introduced. The successful candidate will combine strong regulatory knowledge with an engineering mindset; focusing on eliminating or reducing hazards through design and practical risk controls rather than relying solely on procedures or administrative compliance. Key ResponsibilitiesEHS Technical Leadership & Risk Management Serve as a technical subject matter expert for environmental, health, and safety matters across Mach operations. Identify, assess, and mitigate occupational and environmental hazards associated with manufacturing, engineering, prototyping, testing, maintenance, and facility operations. Lead and support Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs), Job Safety Analyses (JSAs), risk assessments, and task-specific hazard evaluations. Apply the hierarchy of controls to eliminate or reduce hazards, prioritizing engineering controls and inherently safer solutions wherever practical. Partner with engineering teams during equipment, tooling, process, and facility design to integrate safety requirements early in the design process. Review new and modified equipment, processes, materials, and operations prior to implementation. Support operational readiness and pre-startup safety reviews for new equipment and higher-risk processes. Identify high-consequence hazards and develop practical risk-reduction strategies.
High-Hazard & Manufacturing Safety:
Provide technical EHS support for manufacturing and high-hazard activities, including electrical systems, machinery, hazardous energy, chemicals, pressure systems, hot work, material handling, lasers, robotics/automation, and other production hazards. Develop and maintain machine safety, guarding, lockout/tagout (LOTO), electrical safety, confined space, fall protection, hot work, and other applicable safety programs. Support process safety evaluations for operations involving hazardous materials, energetic materials, flammable materials, compressed gases, or other high-consequence hazards. Participate in Process Hazard Analyses (PHAs), What-If analyses, FMEAs, or similar structured risk-assessment activities where appropriate. Partner with Engineering and Operations to ensure safety controls remain effective as prototype processes transition into higher-rate production.
Industrial Hygiene & Occupational Health:
Identify and evaluate employee exposure to chemical, physical, and environmental hazards.
Develop and support industrial hygiene assessments and exposure-monitoring strategies for noise, airborne contaminants, chemicals, welding fumes, particulates, and other workplace exposures.
Coordinate third-party industrial hygiene monitoring and interpret results to determine appropriate corrective actions.
Develop or support respiratory protection, hearing conservation, PPE, ergonomics, and other occupational health programs.
Maintain appropriate exposure records and documentation in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements.
Environmental Compliance & Management:
Lead and support environmental compliance programs across Mach facilities, ensuring adherence to applicable federal, state, and local environmental regulations. Manage hazardous materials and hazardous waste programs, including proper identification, classification, labeling, storage, handling, transportation, and disposal in accordance with EPA, DTSC, RCRA, and applicable California regulations. Oversee environmental permitting, compliance monitoring, and reporting requirements associated with air emissions, wastewater discharge, stormwater management, and hazardous materials storage. Develop and maintain Hazardous Materials Business Plans (HMBPs), chemical inventories, Safety Data Sheets (SDSs), and applicable reporting requirements through the California Environmental Reporting System (CERS).Coordinate environmental compliance activities with applicable regulatory agencies, including local Certified Unified Program Agencies (CUPAs), DTSC, Regional Water Quality Control Boards, and Air Quality Management Districts. Support environmental assessments for new manufacturing processes, equipment installations, facility modifications, and operational expansions to identify potential permitting requirements and environmental impacts. Establish and maintain hazardous waste accumulation areas, inspection protocols, waste manifests, disposal documentation, and waste minimization initiatives. Develop and implement spill prevention, containment, and emergency response procedures, including Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans where applicable. Conduct routine environmental compliance inspections and audits, identify deficiencies, and drive corrective actions through closure. Partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Facilities, and Operations to incorporate pollution prevention, responsible material management, and environmental risk mitigation into operational planning. Maintain environmental compliance calendars, permit conditions, inspection records, and reporting deadlines to ensure timely regulatory submissions.
Regulatory Compliance:- Maintain working knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local EHS regulations, including OSHA, Cal/OSHA, EPA, and other relevant regulatory requirements.
- Ensure EHS programs, policies, and operational practices align with applicable regulatory standards and company requirements.
- Maintain required regulatory documentation, inspection records, permits, and compliance reports.
- Serve as a technical resource during regulatory inspections, agency inquiries, audits, and enforcement-related activities.
- Monitor regulatory changes, assess operational impacts, and implement necessary compliance measures in partnership with Engineering, Manufacturing, Facilities, and Operations
- Incident Investigation & Corrective ActionLead or support investigations of injuries, illnesses, near misses, spills, releases, property damage, and other EHS events.
- Apply structured root-cause analysis methodologies to identify underlying system, process, equipment, and behavioral contributors.
- Develop corrective and preventive actions that address root causes rather than symptoms.
- Track corrective actions through closure and verify effectiveness.
- Communicate lessons learned and help deploy applicable corrective actions across other Mach operations.
- Support required incident notifications, recordkeeping, and regulatory reporting.
Inspections, Audits & Continuous Improvement:
Conduct routine EHS inspections and operational audits across manufacturing, engineering, laboratory, test, and support areas.
Identify unsafe conditions and behaviors and work directly with operational teams to implement corrective actions.
Develop risk-based inspection programs focused on higher-consequence hazards.
Support internal EHS compliance assessments and external audits.
Analyze leading and lagging EHS indicators to identify trends and prioritize improvement activities.
Develop practical metrics for hazards, near misses, incidents, corrective actions, inspections, and other EHS performance indicators.
Contractor & Vendor Safety:
Support contractor safety requirements for construction, maintenance, equipment installation, commissioning, and other work performed at Mach facilities.
Review contractor work plans and higher-risk activities for appropriate EHS controls.
Participate in contractor onboarding, pre-job planning, permitting, and field safety observations.
Identify contractor safety deficiencies and coordinate corrective actions with project and operational owners.
Training & Safety Culture:
Develop and deliver EHS training for employees, contractors, supervisors, engineers, and operational teams.
Translate regulatory and technical requirements into clear, practical expectations that can be implemented on the floor.
Coach employees and leaders on hazard recognition, risk assessment, incident prevention, and regulatory requirements.
Promote proactive reporting of hazards, near misses, and safety concerns
