VP of Environmental Health and Safety

Saronic · Defense · Austin, TX · People

Saronic is seeking an experienced VP of EHS to lead and scale their EHS organization globally, focusing on defense, maritime, and AI-driven autonomous systems manufacturing. The role involves developing EHS strategy, ensuring regulatory compliance (ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ASTM E2920-24), managing risks, and overseeing incident investigations, with a strong emphasis on safety-critical maritime environments and integration of AI/robotics.

What you'd actually do

  1. Develop and execute a global EHS strategy that supports the rapid growth of defense, maritime, and AI/autonomous manufacturing programs.
  2. Scale the EHS organization across multiple international sites, ensuring regional compliance, consistent standards, and operational excellence.
  3. Lead efforts to achieve and maintain ISO 14000 and ISO 45001 certifications and ensure compliance with ASTM E2920-24, DoD/NAVSEA standards, ISM, and other applicable defense and maritime environmental and health and safety regulations.
  4. Develop and implement scalable, data-driven EHS management systems.
  5. Oversight of serious incident investigations, regulator engagement, and executive communications.

Skills

Required

  • Environmental Engineering, Safety Engineering, Industrial Hygiene, or related field
  • 15+ years of progressive EHS leadership experience in a global EHS program in defense, maritime, shipbuilding, or advanced manufacturing industries.
  • Experience in high hazard environments including shipbuilding or ship repair, aerospace or defense manufacturing, offshore oil & gas, heavy industrial manufacturing, large-scale energy.
  • Maritime experience in shipyard safety, pier-side and at-sea testing, vessel commissioning and sea trials.
  • Experience managing EHS for autonomous or remotely operated systems, robotics or unmanned platforms, complex software-hardware integration.
  • Proven track record in achieving ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications and ensuring ASTM E2920-24 compliance.
  • Proven expertise in offshore EHS and safety compliance, leveraging industry standards such as API recommended practices, ISO 14001/45001, ISM-based safety management systems, and class-verified marine safety and environmental requirements.
  • Strategic, visionary leadership with deep operational and technical EHS expertise.
  • Strong understanding of risk management frameworks for autonomous and AI-enabled systems.
  • Excellent cross-functional collaboration skills across engineering, software, and manufacturing disciplines.
  • Exceptional communication, stakeholder engagement, and cross-cultural leadership abilities.
  • Commitment to continuous improvement, sustainability, and ethical responsibility

Nice to have

  • Master’s degree
  • Professional certifications such as CSP, CIH, CHMM, ICS, PE, or CPEA

What the JD emphasized

  • global EHS strategy
  • ISO 14000
  • ISO 45001
  • ASTM E2920-24
  • 15+ years of progressive EHS leadership experience
  • ISO 14001
  • ISO 45001
  • ASTM E2920-24