Environmental Health and Safety Manager

AeroFarms • Full-time • Danville, Virginia • 4w ago

Environmental Health and Safety Manager

Company Summary
The world needs our help. Today 8 billion people live on the planet with less arable land than ever before. We need a solution to cultivate more using less and define the future of farming for generations to come.
AeroFarms is part of that solution, transforming agriculture with people and planet in mind. As a Certified B Corporation and pioneer in indoor vertical farming, we use our proprietary technology to grow produce using up to 95% less water and no pesticides ever. The result is a portfolio of products that burst with flavor, taste, and nutritional value. Leading the industry, AeroFarms has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies five years in a row, topped Fortune Magazine’s 2022 Change the World Company List, and was recognized as one of the 95 “Brands That Matter” by Fast Company.
Now in over 1,000 stores across the United States, we are scaling our award-winning brand and technology around the world. As AeroFarms approaches our next phase of explosive growth, we seek passionate and motivated individuals to join our team. If a team of intellectually curious coworkers and our change-the-world mission resonates with you, apply today. Learn more about AeroFarms and join us to change the world as we grow the best plants possible for the betterment of humanity.

Position Summary
AeroFarms is seeking a Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Manager to lead and advance our safety and sustainability initiatives. This role is responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance, driving risk reduction strategies, and fostering a proactive safety culture across our vertical farming operations. The ideal candidate will be a strong leader and change agent who partners cross-functionally to deliver continuous improvement in EHS performance.

What you’ll do

Lead the development, implementation, and oversight of EHS programs to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations (including OSHA).
Drive strategies to prevent workplace injuries, environmental incidents, and operational risks.
Conduct audits, inspections, and training to maintain compliance and reinforce internal EHS standards.
Perform risk assessments and implement effective control measures; evaluate and validate their effectiveness.
Partner with site leadership to promote a culture of safety and continuous improvement.
Lead incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action plans; track actions through to completion.
Direct and ensure completion of all mandated annual inspections of life safety systems, including CPR equipment, fire protection systems, emergency egress, and related infrastructure, in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Manage environmental programs (e.g., emergency response, spill prevention, stormwater) and regulatory reporting.
Develop and deliver EHS training programs and communication initiatives to increase awareness and engagement and manage existing programs, with annual updated, to ensure compliance.
Collaborate with Human Resources on injury management, return-to-work programs, and employee safety training.
Evaluate capital projects and operational changes for safety and environmental impact.
Oversee hazardous waste handling and vendor compliance. Handling, storage, labeling, and disposal of chemicals beyond just hazardous waste vendors. SDS (Safety Data Sheet) management and employee access and internal approved chemical list.
Ensuring third-party contractors follow company EHS standards.
Analyze incident and injury trends; implement targeted improvement actions.
Create incentive programs for safety excellence, employee engagement initiatives.
Chair the monthly Safety Committee and lead site-wide safety initiatives.
Ensure proper hazard communication, PPE usage, and job hazard analyses (JHAs).
Conduct required testing (e.g., respirator fit testing) and ensure compliance with occupational health requirements.
Conduct fire drills, lockdown drills, evacuation drills, active shooter preparation, etc. to ensure the team is prepared for all possible events.
Oversee preparation, response, and recovery for severe weather and other crisis events, ensuring employee safety, business continuity, and compliance with emergency protocols.
Prepare and present a quarterly EHS review to the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), highlighting key safety updates, performance metrics, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Conduct an annual EHS program maturity assessment in collaboration with cross-functional teams, establishing benchmarks, driving continuous improvement, and tracking progress to achieve best-in-class safety and compliance standards.
Monitor, track, and achieve all EHS-related KPIs throughout the year, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and continuous performance improvement.
Direct and oversee occupational health programs, including hearing conservation and safety footwear, to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and alignment with company safety standards.
Participate in the VOSH STAR program, ensuring compliance with program requirements and actively contributing to achieving and maintaining STAR recognition.
Provide leadership and oversight of the site security team, including interviewing, hiring, and terminations as needed; managing timekeeping and payroll adjustments; approving PTO requests; conducting regular one-on-one meetings and annual performance reviews; and coaching team members to ensure performance, accountability, and adherence to established standards and expectations.
Manage inventory of PPE and safety-related supplies, including medications, by maintaining appropriate par levels, monitoring usage, and ordering replenishments to ensure continuous availability and compliance with safety requirements.

Preferred Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Safety, Environmental Science, Engineering, or related field.
5+ years of experience in an EHS leadership role.
OSHA 30 or OSHA 511 (preferred) certification.
Deep knowledge of OSHA regulations and EHS best practices.
Strong leadership, communication, and influencing skills across all organizational levels.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills preferred to enhance communication and workforce engagement.
Ability to work flexible hours, shift work hours as needed to cover all shifts, some weekend coverage, some holiday coverage, and be on call 24-hours for emergency situations.

*Please note that AeroFarms does not work with any external staffing/recruitment vendors. Any unsolicited resumes shared with the AeroFarms team will be considered property of AeroFarms and no recruitment fees of any kind will be paid or owed unless an existing recruitment agreement exists alongside with specific engagement for the role in question.