Sr. Safety Specialist

Sr. Safety Specialist

Do you want to join a team that's changing the world? Do you have a strong background as a Sr. Safety Specialist? Then we're looking for you! Put your skills to meaningful use, gain unique experience, and work with world-class team members with diverse backgrounds and expertise who share the same vision. Join the PECNA team today!

Job Summary: The Sr. Safety Specialist leads the implementation, administration, and continuous improvement of occupational health and safety programs to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and company standards during commissioning and production operations. Serving as a subject matter expert and trusted partner, this role identifies and mitigates workplace hazards, leads risk assessments, audits, inspections, incident investigations, and corrective action programs, and supports employee training and emergency preparedness initiatives. The Sr. Safety Specialist contributes to moderately complex projects, monitors safety performance metrics, and partners with cross-functional stakeholders to promote regulatory compliance, risk reduction, operational excellence, and a strong safety culture.

Essential Duties:

• Functional Operations: Lead the implementation, administration, and continuous improvement of occupational health and safety programs, policies, procedures, and systems to support regulatory compliance and operational excellence
• Provide visible safety leadership through routine field presence, employee engagement, hazard recognition, coaching, and incident response support
• Manage safety records, permits, reports, metrics, and documentation to support business needs and regulatory requirements
• Support emergency preparedness and response activities, including drills, exercises, and after-hours response as needed
• Performance Optimization & Continuous Improvement: Lead risk assessments, job hazard analysis (JHA), management of change (MOC) activities, and other risk reduction initiatives
• Serve as the lead safety resource for assigned operational areas, advising leaders on safety strategy, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance
• Monitor, analyze, and communicate safety performance metrics, trends, and program effectiveness to support decision-making and continuous improvement
• Lead or support moderately complex projects and cross-functional initiatives focused on safety, compliance, and operational performance
• Conduct workplace inspections, audits, and operational assessments to identify hazards, verify compliance, and recommend corrective actions
• Lead incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective and preventive action processes, including verification of effectiveness and completion
• Support strategic initiatives that strengthen safety culture, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence
• Training & Team Support: Develop, deliver, and continuously improve safety training programs, materials, and resources for employees and contractors
• Serve as a mentor and subject matter expert by providing coaching, technical guidance, and regulatory interpretation to employees, leaders, and less-experienced safety professionals
• Support onboarding, safety orientation, and employee engagement initiatives that promote safe work practices and continuous improvement
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication: Serve as a subject matter expert and partner to leaders, operational teams, contractors, and external stakeholders on occupational health and safety requirements, compliance obligations, and industry best practices
• Communicate safety performance, observations, trends, and improvement opportunities to leadership and employees
• Support regulatory inspections, audits, and interactions with external agencies, consultants, and contractors
• Quality, Safety & Compliance: Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local occupational health and safety regulations, standards, and company requirements
• Maintain current knowledge of OSHA regulations, emerging regulatory requirements, and industry best practices

Qualifications Requirements - Required and/or Preferred Education, Certifications, and Licenses:

• Required: Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health & Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science, or a related field
• Relevant work experience may be substituted for required education
• Preferred: CSP certification or ASP certification with active pursuit of CSP
• Occupational safety certifications and training such as OSHA 30-Hour, HAZWOPER, First Aid/CPR, ISO 45001, Lockout/Tagout, Electrical Safety, and Respiratory Protection/Fit Testing

Essential Qualifications:

• 4+ years of safety experience in manufacturing, industrial, construction, commissioning, or similarly regulated environments
• Demonstrated experience leading safety programs, audits, inspections, risk assessments, incident investigations, corrective actions, and cross-functional initiatives
• Working knowledge of OSHA regulations and applicable industry standards (e.g., NFPA, ANSI, NEC, ACGIH, and NIOSH)
• Experience developing and delivering safety training, supporting contractor safety programs, and monitoring workplace hazards and exposures
• Strong analytical, project management, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate data and drive informed decision-making
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and communicate effectively with employees, leaders, contractors, and external stakeholders
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to support emergency response activities outside normal business hours as needed
• Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking
• Alignment to Panasonic's seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude)

Preferred Qualifications:

• 6+ years of occupational health and safety experience in manufacturing, industrial, construction, commissioning, or similarly regulated environments
• Experience leading site-wide safety improvements, complex compliance initiatives, regulatory interactions, and performance reporting
• Mentoring safety professionals and operational leaders
• Familiarity with lithium-ion battery manufacturing, chemical handling, or other high-hazard operations
• Working knowledge of ISO 14001, ISO 45001, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, and occupational exposure assessment principles
• Experience with EHS management systems, audits, inspections, consultants, contractors, and regulatory agencies
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies

Physical Demands:

• Physical Activities: Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to:
• Sit: 20%
• Walk: 40%
• Stand: 40%
• Required Lifting and Carrying: Up to 10 lbs.: Frequent Up to 20 lbs.: Occasional Up to 35 lbs.: Occasional Team-lift only (over 35 lbs.): Rare

Benefits & Perks - What's In It For You:

• Health Benefits – Offering medical, dental, vision, prescription plans, plus Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options.
• Voluntary Benefits – Life, accident, critical illness, disability, legal, identity theft, and pet insurance.
• Panasonic Retirement Savings & Investment Plan (PRSIP) – 401(k) plan with company matching contributions and immediate vesting.
• Paid Time-Off Benefits – Vacation, holidays, personal days, sick leave, volunteer, and parental & caregiver leave.
• Educational Assistance – Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses after six months of service.
• Health Management and Wellbeing Programs – Lifestyle Spending Account, EAP, virtual health management, chronic condition, neurodiversity, tobacco cessation, substance abuse support, and life stage and fertility resources.

Where You'll Be:

For our onsite roles, Panasonic Energy is committed to fostering an ideal working environment that goes beyond the conventional. We understand the significance of moments that matter in your onsite experience, and we prioritize creating a workspace that not only promotes productivity but also ensures a fulfilling and positive work atmosphere.

Who We Are:

Meet Panasonic Energy! At Panasonic Energy, you'll do work that matters as we are dedicated to transforming the world through the acceleration of sustainable energy. By producing safe, high-quality lithium-ion batteries, you become part of a team that plays a crucial role in creating technologies that move us. Our journey began in 2017, and now, as the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory, we are expanding operations to De Soto, Kansas, providing you with the opportunity to experience career growth in more ways than one. As an innovative thinker, you'll thrive here, as we continually push the boundaries of lithium-ion battery technology and production capabilities to enhance efficiency and performance in EVs. Being part of Panasonic Energy means positively contributing to society, aligning with our commitment to building a better world through sustainable energy solutions. We care about what you care about, fostering an environment where your contributions make a meaningful impact on the future of energy