Director Environment Health Safety
xlightSan Jose (CA)
Director Environment Health Safety
Posted 5 days ago
xlightSan Jose (CA)
SENIORITY
Manager
About the role
Director, Environment, Health, Safety & Quality (EHS&Q)
Location:
Remote (with required on-site presence in New York and Texas during the facility build-out phase) About xLightxLight is building the world's most powerful laser to revolutionize semiconductor lithography, metrology, and for other critical applications. Our approach harnesses the power of free-electron lasers, building on accelerator technology in use globally at scientific user facilities. Extending this technology, we are developing industrial-grade light sources, engineered for continuous operation, to meet the sophisticated demands of next-generation patterning, metrology, and inspection applications. Join us in this new revolution. At xLight, we hire exceptional talent — and exceptional means more than a strong résumé. How we achieve results is just as important as the results themselves, which is why attitude and character matter as much as technical skill. We believe great talent is widely distributed, not confined to a particular school or background. We seek individuals who demonstrate ownership, a spirit of collaboration, technical curiosity, and a genuine willingness to learn and grow — guided by our core values of Respect, Integrity, Creativity, and Engineering Excellence. We don't just hire for what someone can do today. We hire for who they are and who they are becoming. What We Need — and Why It Mattersx Light is hiring its founding ESH&Q Director to build and lead the company's safety, health, environmental, and quality program from the ground up. Reporting directly to the COO, this person will be the organization's Chief Safety Officer in practice — establishing the regulatory framework, assembling the ESH&Q team, and embedding a safety-first culture at every level of the company. The role spans accelerator safety (electron beam / FEL), Class 4 laser systems, facility construction, chemical hygiene, and early-stage quality systems.
What You'll Do: Program Architecture
- Establish xLight's Injury & Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) per OSHA Title 8 §3203
- Design and implement the company's accelerator radiation control program, laser safety program, and construction safety program
- Define ESH&Q governance: committee structure, authority matrix, escalation paths, and board reporting
- Develop the ESH&Q organizational roadmap and hire/manage the first three safety specialists (Radiation, Construction, Laser) Regulatory Compliance & AHJ Relations
- Serve as xLight's primary interface with OSHA, NRC, State Radiological Boards, State and Local Building & Fire, and other regulatory bodies
- Lead all permitting activities for accelerator operations, laser systems, and facility construction
- Maintain the Radiation Use Authorization (RUA) or equivalent accelerator operating license
- Ensure compliance with ANSI Z136, NFPA 70E, IEC 60825, CFR 10 Part 20, and Local Code of Regulations Title 17 (Radiation) for respective accelerator sites, NY and TX to start. Culture & Training
- Champion a proactive safety culture — integrate ESH&Q into product development, engineering reviews, and facility design
- Develop and deliver ESH&Q onboarding and role-specific training programs
- Conduct regular workplace inspections, safety audits, and management-level safety reviews Incident Management & Quality
- Own incident investigation, root cause analysis, and corrective action tracking
- Lead the company's Quality Management System (QMS) initiation and eventual ISO 9001 / AS9100 pathway
- Manage emergency response planning and business continuity for safety-critical events
What We Are Looking For:
- 15+ years of progressive ESH experience with at least 5 years in a leadership/director-level role
- Deep expertise in at least two of: accelerator/particle beam safety, high-power laser safety, or heavy industrial/construction safety
- Working knowledge of OSHA Title 8, ANSI Z136, NFPA 70E, and 10 CFR Part 20
- Demonstrated experience building an ESH program at a startup, national lab, or DOE/DOD facility
- Strong regulatory relationship management — comfortable engaging directly with OSHA inspectors, NRC, and local AHJs
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, industrial hygiene, or a related technical field And If You Bring This — Even Better
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or Certified Health Physicist (CHP)
- Experience at a DOE, DOD or NNSA national laboratory (SLAC, LBNL, ANL, LANL, or equivalent)
- Prior experience commissioning accelerator or high-power laser facilities
- Familiarity with semiconductor fab ESH requirements (SEMI S2, S8, S14)
- Master's degree or PhD in physics, health physics, industrial engineering, or related fieldEEO Statementx
Light Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is clear: there shall be no discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, or sexual orientation. We are an inclusive organization and actively promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential. We welcome all applications from a wide range of candidates. Selection for roles will be based on individual merit alone.
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