Construction Safety Specialist

Vulcan Elements; Benson (NC); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Vulcan Elements is building a Benson, NC facility and seeks a Safety Specialist to lead on-site construction safety with an EHS perspective. The role evolves into a dedicated industrial Safety Specialist once operations begin, supporting health, safety, and regulatory compliance across the project.

The candidate will design safety programs, inspect high-risk activities, develop contractor scoring, and ensure proper incident investigations, reporting, and corrective actions, while collaborating

Qualifications

• Proven experience in construction safety on large industrial or capital projects.
• Working knowledge of OSHA construction standards, JHA development, and incident investigation methodology.
• Completed OSHA 30-hour training.
• Strong communication and credibility with GC safety leadership.
• Ability to shape a program with autonomy.

Responsibilities

• Design and stand up Vulcan's Construction & Contractor Safety Program and enterprise standards.
• Develop a contractor prequalification framework and safety scorecard.
• Draft safety-related contract provisions with Legal and Procurement.
• Establish and formalize stop-work authority and escalation protocols.
• Lead independent incident investigations with root-cause findings.
• Conduct risk-based site inspections of high-consequence activities and drive corrective actions.
• Audit contractor JHAs and incident reports and ensure corrective actions.
• Build a leading-indicator safety dashboard for leadership visibility.
• Verify stormwater and erosion control compliance on construction sites.
• Collaborate with Factory Engineering to embed EHS in construction & design decisions.
• Create a scalable program template for future Vulcan facilities.

Skills

Construction safety

OSHA standards

Incident investigation

Communication

Education

OSHA 30-hour training

OSHA 510

Job description

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.