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Director of Health, Safety & Environmental (HSE)

Columbia, SC or Washington, DC

The Nuclear Company is the fastest growing AI tech-enabled startup in the nuclear and energy space, pioneering a fleet-scale approach to building the next generation of nuclear reactors. Through our design-once, build-many model, we're accelerating the deployment of safe, reliable, and affordable nuclear energy.

We operate with an AI-first mindset. Every employee is expected to leverage AI, technology, and the Nuclear Operating System (NOS) as integral components of their role to improve the quality, speed, and impact of their work. We expect every team member to continuously identify opportunities to automate workflows, enhance decision-making, improve processes, and contribute to the ongoing evolution of NOS as a strategic operating capability that enables The Nuclear Company to scale with excellence.

We hire people who are driven by purpose, thrive in ambiguity, and are energized by building what has never been built before. Our team combines intellectual curiosity with high agency, embraces candid feedback and continuous learning, and holds themselves and others to exceptional standards. Our values—Transparency, Responsibility, Unity, Scrappy, and Tenacity—guide how we hire, collaborate, and make decisions every day. They are not words on a wall; they are the standard by which we operate. TRUST is the foundation of our safety culture, fostering intellectual honesty, accountability, and open communication, while our values challenge every team member to execute with urgency, humility, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to our mission.

TNC Services, the services division of The Nuclear Company, brings together field execution, specialized workforce solutions, and Professional Services expertise to support the nuclear industry across the full asset lifecycle. While The Nuclear Company advances the fleet-scale deployment of new nuclear power, TNC Services supports the industry today through outage and maintenance execution delivered by TNC Field Services and TNC FieldWorks, alongside Professional Services spanning project delivery, engineering, licensing and regulatory, security, cybersecurity and compliance, and workforce development. Together, our teams combine proven nuclear expertise, technology, and an AI-enabled approach to help utilities operate safely and reliably today while building the capabilities needed for tomorrow’s nuclear fleet.

 

About the role

The Director of Health, Safety & Environmental (HSE) owns the enterprise HSE strategy and provides executive-level leadership for Health, Safety, Environmental, Industrial Hygiene, and Human Performance across The Nuclear Company and TNC Services.

This leader builds and governs a world-class HSE management system supporting nuclear operations, engineering, construction, manufacturing, field services, and fleet deployment while ensuring compliance with applicable regulatory and customer requirements.

Partnering closely with Executive Leadership, Operations, Engineering, Construction, HR, and Project Management, the Director embeds safety into business and operational decisions and fosters a culture grounded in trust, visible leadership engagement, and employee ownership rather than compliance alone.

 

Responsibilities

  • Executive Leadership: Set the enterprise HSE strategy, vision, standards, and KPIs. Advise executive leadership on HSE performance, organizational risk, and regulatory compliance while championing Human Performance and organizational learning.
  • HSE Management Systems: Develop and govern scalable enterprise programs for safety leadership, hazard analysis, pre-job briefs, stop-work authority, contractor safety, industrial hygiene, corrective actions, and proactive risk identification.
  • Regulatory & Environmental Compliance: Oversee compliance with OSHA, EPA, DOT, state environmental agencies, and applicable customer and commercial nuclear requirements. Support regulatory inspections, customer audits, and third-party assessments.
  • Incident & Claims Management: Oversee incident investigations, root-cause analysis, corrective actions, regulatory reporting, workers’ compensation claims, and return-to-work programs. Ensure lessons learned are shared and applied across the organization.
  • Operational Integration: Partner with Operations, Engineering, Construction, and Project Management to embed HSE into project planning and execution across nuclear construction, manufacturing, fleet deployment, and field services. Maintain a visible presence at project and customer sites.
  • AI & Digital Innovation: Use AI, the Nuclear Operating System (NOS), and digital tools to identify trends, predict risk, automate reporting, and strengthen safety performance.
  • Organizational Development: Recruit, mentor, and develop HSE professionals while strengthening enterprise training, leadership capability, and succession planning to support company growth.

Required Experience

  • 10+ years of progressive HSE experience, including leadership responsibility within commercial nuclear, energy, construction, manufacturing, industrial maintenance, or other heavy industrial operations.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Science, Industrial Hygiene, Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field—or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
  • Demonstrated experience developing and implementing enterprise or multi-site HSE management systems.
  • Extensive knowledge of OSHA requirements, environmental compliance, industrial hygiene, and industrial safety programs.
  • Experience leading incident investigations, root-cause analyses, and corrective action programs.
  • Experience overseeing workers’ compensation claims, regulatory reporting, and return-to-work programs.
  • Strong understanding of Human Performance and organizational learning principles, with experience advising and influencing executive leadership.

Preferred Experience

  • Commercial nuclear power experience, including new nuclear construction, fleet operations, or major capital projects.
  • CSP, ASP, CIH, CHMM, and/or PMP certification.
  • Experience operating in NRC-regulated environments and supporting both union and non-union workforces.
  • Experience implementing AI-enabled safety systems, predictive analytics, or digital HSE reporting platforms.
  • Knowledge of INPO performance standards and applicable EPRI guidance.

Benefits

  • Competitive compensation packages
  • 401k with company match
  • Medical, dental, vision plans
  • Generous vacation policy, plus holidays

 

Estimated Starting Salary Range
The estimated starting salary range for this role is $198,000 - $228,000 annually less applicable withholdings and deductions, paid on a bi-weekly basis. The actual salary offered may vary based on relevant factors as determined in the Company’s discretion, which may include experience, qualifications, tenure, skill set, availability of qualified candidates, geographic location, certifications held, and other criteria deemed pertinent to the particular role. 

EEO Statement
The Nuclear Company is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an environment of inclusion in the workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We prohibit discrimination in all aspects of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, compensation, and termination.

Export Control
Certain positions at The Nuclear Company may involve access to information and technology subject to export controls under U.S. law. Compliance with these export controls may result in The Nuclear Company limiting its consideration of certain applicants.
 
Recruiting Fraud Alert
Your safety is our priority. We want to ensure your job search stays secure. Please note that the team at The Nuclear Company only communicates through official @thenuclearcompany.com email addresses. We will never ask for payments or sensitive financial information at any stage of our recruitment process. For your peace of mind, please verify all openings and submit your applications directly through our official careers page.

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