Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) Manager

Fusion innovation demands world-class safety—come build it with us.  The EHS Manager will lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of Realta Fusion’s Environment, Health, and Safety programs during a critical phase of company growth. This role will be highly hands-on, responsible for building EHS systems, processes, and culture from the ground up while supporting facility expansion, laboratory operations, and fusion device development.

Realta Fusion is a rapidly growing start-up developing compact magnetic mirror fusion energy systems to address the biggest challenge of our time – tackling global climate change while ensuring a sufficient energy supply for at least ten billion people on (and off) earth. We are building a team with diverse talents dedicated to making fusion energy a real solution to humanity’s most pressing problem.

Key Responsibilities 

EHS Program Development & Compliance

• Design, implement, and maintain comprehensive EHS programs aligned with federal, state, and local regulations (e.g., OSHA, EPA, state agencies).
• Establish policies, procedures, and documentation for laboratory safety, facility safety, hazardous materials, waste management, and emergency preparedness.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for EHS regulatory agencies, inspections, audits, and reporting.

Facility & Laboratory Safety 

• Support the design, build-out, and operation of facilities housing fusion devices, laboratories, and support infrastructure.
• Conduct risk assessments, job hazard analyses, and safety reviews for equipment, experiments, and facility modifications.
• Partner with engineering and operations teams to integrate safety into design, installation, and commissioning activities.

Environmental Management 

• Oversee environmental compliance related to air, water, waste, and hazardous materials.
• Manage chemical inventory systems, waste disposal programs, and vendor relationships.
• Ensure appropriate permits, plans, and reporting are in place and maintained.

Training & Safety Culture 

• Develop and deliver EHS training programs for employees, contractors, and visitors.
• Promote a proactive safety culture where employees are engaged, informed, and empowered to raise concerns.
• Lead incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective action plans.
• Track EHS metrics, trends, and performance indicators to identify improvement opportunities.
• Stay current on evolving regulations, industry best practices, and emerging risks relevant to fusion energy and advanced R&D environments.
• Help define the long-term vision for the EHS function, including future staffing and leadership needs.

Continuous Improvement & Growth

• Track EHS metrics, trends, and performance indicators to identify improvement opportunities.
• Stay current on evolving regulations, industry best practices, and emerging risks relevant to fusion energy and advanced R&D environments.
• Help define the long-term vision for the EHS function, including future staffing and leadership needs.

Qualifications 

Required Education & Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Health & Safety, Engineering, Physics, Health Physics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of EHS experience in a regulated environment (e.g., advanced manufacturing, energy, R&D labs, industrial facilities).
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA, EPA, and applicable state regulations.
• Experience building or significantly improving EHS programs.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize effectively, and operate in a fast-moving startup environment.

Preferred 

• Experience supporting facility construction, expansion, or commissioning.
• Background in high-hazard, complex technical, or highly specialized laboratory environments (high voltage, energy generation, fusion and plasma physics, advanced manufacturing, or similar).
• Professional certifications (e.g., CSP, CIH, CHMM).
• Experience with radiation safety in commercial, healthcare, R&D, or military settings (nuclear power, medical, laboratory, US Navy, or similar).

Compensation & Benefits

What we are working on is hard… and hugely important. Realta Fusion is assembling a talented team bound together by a passion to solve humanity’s biggest challenge with first-of-a-kind technology. Additionally, Realta offers:

• Competitive compensation package, including equity stock options
• Comprehensive benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance, plus a 401(k)
• Flexible paid time off (PTO) to support work-life balance
• Work and live in Madison, Wisconsin — one of America’s most livable and vibrant cities

We value diversity as a critical factor in innovation and believe a diverse team is necessary to solve the toughest problems. We aim to create an inclusive environment that unleashes the full creativity of our team members from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals based on merit and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws.