Environmental, Health & Safety Program Manager

At TerraFirma, we’re redefining how the world moves earth for construction. Founded by former SpaceX engineers and backed by Kleiner Perkins and Bain Capital Ventures, TerraFirma is automating construction to make it faster, cheaper, and safer.

 

Our Story & Mission

At SpaceX, we were part of the teams that built the largest rocket in human history, launched the largest constellation of satellites ever made, and delivered connectivity to millions of people worldwide. What we learned was simple: infrastructure is everything.

At Starbase, the biggest barrier to launching missions to Mars was not building the rocket. It was how slow, expensive, and complex it was to build the infrastructure around it. We lacked buildings, roads, water, power, communications, and waste management, and constructing them took far more time and resources than it should have.

From a first-principles perspective, that doesn't make sense. It shouldn't be this hard or costly to create the foundations for progress. That’s when we realized something important: the same engineering mindset that enabled us to tackle space exploration and mass manufacturing could be applied to infrastructure. By bringing the principles of simplification, iteration, acceleration, and automation to construction, we can unlock a new era in how the world builds.

Accelerating infrastructure unlocks progress across every domain, creating a self-sustaining engine for tackling humanity’s toughest challenges. The innovations we develop on Earth will lay the groundwork for the technologies that one day make settlement on Mars possible.

Job Overview

You'll build our EHS program from the ground up, establishing the policies, processes, and site standards that keep our people safe as we build and deploy autonomous heavy equipment across active construction sites. You'll provide timely, clear, and high-quality technical expertise across civil construction safety, with hands-on experience in heavy equipment operation, excavation, earthwork, and welding and fabrication. You're skilled across both environmental and occupational safety, hands-on by nature, and thrive in a fast-paced environment where you're defining the playbook, not following one. This role will directly touch the success of every program at TerraFirma, and as we scale, you'll be the person who builds the EHS function into what it becomes.

Responsibilities

• Own the day-to-day EHS site management of fast-paced, high-impact construction and deployment projects, including the responsibilities below

• Implement, enforce, and audit our site-level construction and contractor EHS management program, ensuring TerraFirma employees, contractors, and subcontractors understand and follow requirements

• Develop and maintain documented safety observations from regular hazard identification inspections of facilities, machinery, safety equipment, and on-site construction to identify and mitigate hazards, ensuring compliance with OSHA, NFPA, NIOSH, and other applicable regulations, with particular attention to heavy equipment, autonomous machine operation, excavation, and welding and fabrication activities

• Collaborate with department leadership to complete job hazard assessments, establish PPE requirements, determine safeguards, and implement health and safety policies across all construction sites and projects, with strong emphasis on civil construction activities

• Provide technical oversight and support for high-risk civil construction tasks including heavy equipment and autonomous machine operation, excavation, grading, and welding and fabrication support

• Monitor and evaluate employee exposure to hazards during nominal operations and emergency situations

• Develop recommendations for remedial action when safety policies aren't met

• Educate and train construction personnel on safety, including technical training on heavy equipment, excavation, and welding and fabrication

• Investigate and write reports for incidents, spills, injuries, or occupational illness to determine root causes and establish corrective and preventive measures, with focused analysis on events involving heavy equipment, excavation, and welding and fabrication

• Develop and maintain compliance with EPA, RCRA, DOT, and other applicable regulations

• Ensure resources are allocated appropriately to safety-related priorities

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree

• 5+ years of experience in the design, development, and operational oversight of environmental, health, and safety disciplines within the construction industry

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in engineering with an emphasis in mechanical engineering or occupational health and safety

• Experience in health and safety on commercial/industrial construction projects

• OSHA 30 Construction certification

• Competent Person — Excavation certification

• Construction Health and Safety Technician (CHST) certification

• Certified Safety Professional (CSP)

• Proficient in managing high-risk activities including earthwork, excavation, and trenching; grading and site development; heavy equipment and autonomous machine operation; utility installation; welding and fabrication; confined space; electrical safety; fall protection; and material handling

• Strong knowledge and experience interpreting, applying, and documenting federal, state, and local safety and environmental regulations

• Strong organizational and communication skills

• Familiarity with and implementation of machine guarding and industrial hygiene programs

• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook)

Additional Requirements

• Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment

• Must be willing to relocate to Austin, TX if not within commuting distance

• Must be willing to work extended hours or weekends when needed to support critical construction, deployment, or operational deadlines