Principal Consultant, Safety (Houston)

Overview

Lead Safety Excellence Across Complex Capital Projects. As a Principal Consultant, Capital Project Safety based in Houston, TX, you will play a pivotal leadership role in helping clients proactively manage EHS risks across complex and high-profile capital projects. From early planning and design through construction, commissioning, start-up, and project closeout, you will serve as a trusted advisor, influencing critical decisions that protect people, strengthen safety culture, and drive successful project outcomes.

This role sits at the intersection of technical excellence, operational performance, and strategic risk management, partnering with multidisciplinary teams and industry-leading clients. It offers growth opportunities within ERM\'s rapidly expanding Safety Services team.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the owner's Safety representative across the capital project lifecycle, providing oversight, coaching, escalation, and ensuring contractors retain responsibility for execution and control implementation.
• Embed Safety in Design through planning, engineering, constructability reviews, PHA/PSM-informed reviews, and loss prevention assessments to identify and mitigate risks during construction, commissioning, start-up, and operations.
• Define EHS requirements for scopes of work, bid packages, execution plans, safety plans, phase gates, contractor onboarding, emergency response, LOTO, and fire protection expectations.
• Design and execute project EHS governance processes, including risk reviews, assurance routines, site audits, escalation pathways, corrective action tracking, and management reporting.
• Align project, engineering, construction, commissioning, operations, contractor, and client EH&S teams on safety expectations, accountabilities, communication protocols, and incident-free execution.
• Review contractor safe work documentation (e.g., JHAs, pre-task plans, permits, lift plans, energy isolation plans, training records, toolbox talks, emergency response plans).
• Conduct owner-side field observations and site audits to verify critical controls, identify hazards, assess contractor conformance, and escalate corrective actions.
• Participate in daily planning and pre-shift meetings to review work activities, site conditions, SIMOPS/interfaces, permit needs, and safety-critical controls.
• Track and communicate EHS observations, audit findings, contractor trends, corrective actions, leading indicators, and recommended actions.
• Support commissioning, start-up, and turnover readiness by verifying safety planning for new equipment, energized systems, LOTO, operational interfaces, permits, and emergency preparedness; assist with transition to operations.
• Support closeout by confirming safety documentation, lessons learned, corrective action closure, demobilization controls, and transfer of EHS records.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor\'s degree in safety, occupational health and safety, engineering, construction management, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 6+ years (10+ years preferred) of capital project EHS experience, including owner-side safety support, contractor oversight, construction execution, and commissioning/start-up.
• Experience with Safety in Design, constructability reviews, PHA/PSM-informed risk reviews, and project EHS governance processes.
• Strong knowledge of OSHA construction/general industry standards, LOTO, permits, emergency response, fire protection, and high-risk construction controls.
• Experience reviewing contractor safe work documentation (JHAs, pre-task plans, permits, lift plans, energy isolation plans, training records, toolbox talks).
• Strong field presence, communication skills, and ability to influence contractors, project teams, and client EHS personnel.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office; ability to manage multiple priorities and travel as needed.
• Driver\'s License required: valid license or ability to operate a company vehicle due to travel to client locations.
• Preferred: CHST, ASP, CSP, OSHA 30, confined space, fall protection/prevention, or equivalent certifications/training.
• Complex capital project experience in pharmaceutical, high-tech, chemical, LNG, manufacturing, or similar sectors is highly desired.

About ERM

ERM is the world\'s largest global pure-play sustainability consultancy. We partner with leading organizations to operationalize sustainability at pace and scale, combining strategic transformation with technical delivery. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion and strive to create a great place to build a career. We operate with a boots-to-boardroom mindset to deliver solutions across environmental, health, safety, risk, and social issues.

EEO and Application Information

ERM is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, or other protected characteristics. Please submit your resume and brief cover letter. ERM does not accept recruiting agency resumes. This posting may include information about job duties, responsibilities, and qualifications only. #LI-Hybrid