Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare-earth permanent magnets for a secure, resilient future. With a focus on national security and economic resiliency, we serve critical industries such as defense, aerospace, and automotive powering a high-technology future. Vulcan Elements is building a team of ambitious professionals committed to Mission Focus, Technical Excellence and Transparency.
As a Safety Specialist you will be responsible for providing on-site observation of construction activities at the Vulcan Elements facility that is being built in Benson, NC. With an EHS perspective, you will ensure health and safety compliance with applicable regulations and existing company standards. This is a full-time, day shift position that will be transferred into a Safety Specialist (industrial) once the Benson facility is operational.
Responsibilities
Program Development
- Design and stand up Vulcan's Construction & Contractor Safety Program, establishing enterprise-wide standards for every contractor working on Vulcan sites.
- Develop a contractor prequalification framework and safety scorecard that directly informs award and performance decisions.
- Draft safety-related contract provisions — stop-work rights, incident reporting timelines, and accountability measures — in partnership with Legal and Procurement.
- Establish and formalize stop-work authority, including clear escalation protocols.
- Lead independent incident investigations on behalf of Vulcan, ensuring root-cause findings aren't solely reliant on GC reporting.
Field Leadership
- Conduct risk-based site inspections focused on the highest-consequence activities underway — structural steel, crane operations, hot work, and confined space entry — and drive corrective actions to full closure.
- Audit contractor JHAs and incident reports against Vulcan's internal standards, requiring meaningful corrective action where gaps exist.
- Build and maintain a leading-indicator safety dashboard to give leadership real-time visibility into site risk.
- Own verification of stormwater and erosion control compliance, protecting Vulcan's direct regulatory exposure during construction activities.
Cross-Functional Partnership
- Collaborate with the Factory Engineering Manager to embed EHS considerations into construction and design decisions as the facility comes online.
- Build a program designed to scale — the standards you establish at Benson will become the template for future Vulcan facilities nationwide.
- Participate in the GCs pre-shift safety meetings, safety committee meetings, incident review meetings, etc.
Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business
Qualifications
- Proven experience in construction safety, ideally on large industrial, manufacturing, or DOD-related capital projects.
- Working knowledge of OSHA construction standards, JHA development, and incident investigation methodology.
- Comfort operating with real authority and autonomy — this role is built for someone who wants to shape a program, not just execute one.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to build trust and credibility with GC safety leadership while representing Vulcan's independent standards.
- Completed OSHA 30-hour training
Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.
Desired Skills
- Bilingual
- OSHA 510
- First aid/CPR/AED certified
Work Environment and Demands
- Must be willing to respond and mobilize to the site if an incident happens during the night
- Must have a valid driver’s license
- Must be able to perform activities including climbing ladders and scaffolds, lifting (up to 35 lbs), walking, balancing, and stooping.
- The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate
Physical and Environmental Requirements
The position requires regular presence on the production floor and the ability to navigate all areas of the facility. Candidates must be able to climb stairs, stand and walk for extended periods, and work in environments that may be hot, humid, or noisy. The role also requires the use of personal protective equipment, including respirators, and adherence to all applicable safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements. Employees must be able to complete required fit testing, wear appropriate PPE for the duration of assigned tasks, and respond safely to changing conditions within the production environment.
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