Firmwide Safety Director
Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm. We plan, design, permit, mitigate, and restore for projects across our communities, infrastructure systems, open spaces, and wildlands. We are 50 years strong in 21 offices across California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Southeastern United States.
Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is looking for a Firmwide Safety Director to join our team due to our growth and the increasingly complex projects we are supporting. ESA’s safety isn’t a compliance checkbox—it’s a core value and cultural commitment. We’re seeking an experienced, people-centered Firmwide Safety Director to lead, modernize, and champion a comprehensive, firmwide safety program that prioritizes the physical and psychological well-being of every employee-owner.
This is a high-visibility leadership role that will directly impact ESA’s strategic growth, operational excellence, and employee experience. You’ll engage field staff and senior leadership alike and help foster a culture of empowerment, accountability, and proactive risk management across our diverse environmental and infrastructure projects. This position will ideally be based out of CA (Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, or San Francisco).
Who You Are
- 15+ years of experience in safety management, preferably in AEC, environmental consulting, or infrastructure sectors.
- Proven success in designing and implementing comprehensive safety programs across field-based teams and multi-disciplinary projects.
- Deep knowledge of health and safety risk factors in diverse environments (construction, marine, remote, urban) and be personally engaged with supporting the safety needs of ESA’s project teams.
- Strong communication and leadership skills—capable of influencing field teams and executives alike – as you will serve as the senior safety professional for more than 700+ employees.
- Experience with safety tracking systems (e.g., ISNET, AVETTA, DISA) and compliance reporting tools.
- A collaborative, confident, and empathetic leadership style with a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Familiarity with ESA’s geographies (California, Pacific Northwest, Southeast U.S.) is a plus and willingness to visit project sites throughout ESA’s regions.
- Ability to successfully work from home and travel to project sites, attend key in-person meetings, and visit leadership and staff in other offices and regions at least 15-20%.
What You Will Do for ESA
- Lead ESA’s Safety Program and Team
- Manage, implement and continuously evolve ESA’s firmwide safety management program through the efforts of assigned members of the Safety team and safety representatives across the firm
- Collaborate with the COO, Director of Practices and executive leadership to integrate safety into firmwide strategy, operations, and culture.
- Implement and train staff on emergency response procedures and tools, including the use of AlertMedia and HSI safety platform and site-specific emergency action plans.
- Assess real time and emerging hazards that may affect ESA offices or operations; advise senior leadership and communication team regarding notification of staff and offices using AlertMedia and provide feedback loops to leadership based on site observations and field staff input.
- Go beyond compliance to build a robust safety culture, where every employee-owner feels confident and supported in prioritizing safety.
- Work closely with ESA’s Environmental Compliance Director to ensure safety protocols are properly implemented and the safety needs of our employees are properly supported while meeting the needs of clients and project delivery.
- Regularly connect with regional safety representatives, field teams and project managers to identify and assess risks, plan site-specific safety protocols, and ensure engagement in safety best practices.
- Elevate ESA’s “Field Proud” Positive Safety Culture
- Promote a “safety-first” mindset across field and office environments, prioritizing both physical and psychological safety.
- Communicate and share safety goals, information, achievements, and lessons learned openly, reinforcing shared accountability and collective progress.
- Build strong, inclusive working relationships with our Regional Directors and Business Group Directors. This is essential for developing and implementing safety-focused initiatives, collaboration on policies, procedures and company rollouts.
- Ensure project sites are visited by a Safety representative on a regular basis.
- Periodically review onboarding procedures for new staff to ensure training, safety gear and orientation procedures remain current and adequately support the needs of our field staff.
- Use ESA’s digital project planning tools to support and review project safety plans, flag high-risk scopes, and increase visibility of field conditions.
- Develop a multimodal safety training curriculum, tailored to a variety of environments—from construction zones and overwater sites to remote ecological monitoring projects. Address topics like hazard recognition, intervention authority, psychological safety, and general awareness.
- Manage Compliance Reporting and Drive Improved Safety Performance
- Leverage creativity and team input to launch programs that highlight safety leadership, initiative, and best practices.
- Ensure inclusive safety practices value all voices and perspectives.
- Lead firmwide safety reporting and compliance efforts, working with HR, Finance, Fleet Management and project Regional Leadership to improve safety performance.
- Coordinate all safety data submissions to meet client-specific, agency, and industry standards (e.g., ISNET, OSHA, municipal compliance).
- Prepare and present safety performance metrics and progress reports to the COO and Executive Management Team.
What’s Special About Our Safety Team
ESA’s safety team works to enhance safety culture across the organization to support the work we do. Our field teams are focused on data collection in a wide variety of environments, ranging from office and indoor inspection environments to data collection in urban, suburban, desert, mountain and overwater environments in our six priority markets: Airports, Community Development, Energy, Natural Resource Management, Transportation and Water. A key focus is compliance services for infrastructure construction, where our teams are integrated into construction management teams and although not operating machinery, face the same exposures as contractors. Creating a safety culture that addresses the needs of these various environments, client types, and project management teams is ESA Safety Team’s focus.
What We Offer:
- Competitive compensation + annual performance bonus
- Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) – You’re an owner!
- 401(k) with company contribution
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family (70% paid by ESA)
- Generous paid time off and 9+ paid holidays
- Professional development support & career growth paths
- A highly flexible hybrid work environment
- A purpose-driven, values-led company culture that champions innovation, sustainability, and collaboration
ESA has established multiple pay ranges tailored to the economic factors in the geographies in which ESA staff reside. For this position, the range is approximately as listed based on our anticipated hiring locations as noted in the above job details. Actual compensation is determined by several factors including but not limited to an individual’s related experience, education, skills, and the city in which the applicant lives.
CA Pay Transparency Clause
$174,000 - $220,000 USD
Who We Are
We are a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm who values diversity and inclusion and celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. Our culture is built on mutual respect, recognizing that our variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives leads to better solutions, which fosters our continued success for our employee-owners and clients.
In accordance with ESA’s duty and responsibility to provide and maintain a safe workplace that is free of known hazards and to minimize the exposure to potential hazards, any employee who works from an ESA office or conducts any other in-person ESA work-related activity is required to submit their proof of vaccination status or have received an approved exemption and accommodation in states which this applies.
If you are an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability—or unable to use—the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact our Human Resources Department via email: humanresources@esassoc.com for assistance.
Please include the following in your message so we can promptly address your request:
- Full name
- The best method to contact you (phone number and/or email address)
- Title of Job Position Applied
- Description of your accommodation request
ESA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. (EOE M/V/F/D)
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