Energetics Safety Manager

Cantos Ventures; Rio Rancho (NM); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity opportunities

Paid time off (4 weeks)

10 company holidays

Health benefits (medical/dental/vision

Fitness stipend

Onsite EV charging

Job summary

Castelion is accelerating the development of advanced defense systems. The Energetics Safety Manager leads the enterprise Energetics Safety Program, establishing policies, standards, and training to support safe design, manufacture, storage, and testing of energetic materials across Castelion locations.

You will partner with Engineering, Manufacturing, Test, Facilities, Security and Quality to integrate safety, perform hazard analyses, and ensure risk is managed in accordance with DoD and NFPA

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in a technical discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in energetic materials or explosives operations in aerospace/defense.
• Experience developing energetic safety programs, standards and procedures.
• Experience leading hazard analyses and risk assessments (PHAs, HAZOPs, FMEAs, What-If, QRAs).
• Experience in multidisciplinary design/reviews and high-consequence test/manufacturing.
• Knowledge of DoD explosives safety requirements, ATF, OSHA, DOT, NFPA.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and continuous improvement of Castelion's Energetics Safety Program.
• Establish and maintain safety policies, standards, and training for energetic operations.
• Promote safe practices across manufacturing, ground/test flight, storage and disposal.
• Coordinate risk management activities and hazard analyses.
• Integrate energetics safety across engineering, manufacturing and test operations.
• Represent EHS in design, readiness, and verification reviews.
• Ensure compliance with applicable safety standards and regulatory requirements.
• Develop and maintain Energetics Safety Training and investigate incidents.

Skills

Energetics safety

Hazard analyses

Risk assessment

Safety program development

Regulatory compliance

Cross-functional influence

Written and verbal communication

Project coordination

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Root cause investigations

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, Occupational Safety, Chemistry, Physics or related field

Job description

Why Castelion, Why Now

Castelion is moving incredibly fast to develop and deliver advanced defense systems at a time when execution matters more than ever. We believe focus and technical excellence are decisive advantages - and we are building a team that can deliver real capability, not just concepts.

This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage, where your work will directly shape critical systems, influence major technical decisions, and have immediate, real-world impact.

Energetics Safety Manager

The Energetics Safety Manager leads Castelion's enterprise Energetics Safety Program and is responsible for establishing the policies, standards, procedures, training, and risk management framework needed to support the safe design, manufacture, storage, transportation, testing, and disposal of energetic materials.

As part of the Environmental, Health & Safety organization, this role provides independent energetics safety oversight and partners with Engineering, Manufacturing, Test, Facilities, Security, Supply Chain, Quality, and Program Management to integrate safety throughout the product and operational lifecycle. The position supports and coordinates energetics safety across all Castelion locations conducting energetic operations.

Responsibilities

Energetics Safety Program

• Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of Castelion's Energetics Safety Program.
• Establish and maintain company-wide policies, standards, procedures, specifications, and training for energetic operations.
• Promote consistent practices across manufacturing, ground test, flight test, storage, transportation, and disposal activities.
• Incorporate lessons learned, regulatory changes, and industry practices into program improvements and the broader EHS Management System.

Energetics Risk Management

• Develop and maintain processes for identifying, evaluating, documenting, and managing risks associated with energetic materials and operations.
• Lead or facilitate qualitative and quantitative hazard analyses, including PHAs, HAZOPs, FMEAs, What-If analyses, QRAs, and Quantity-Distance evaluations, as appropriate.
• Support facility siting, hazard classification, blast and fragmentation assessments, consequence analysis, and operational readiness activities.
• Partner with Engineering and Operations to develop risk reduction strategies using sound engineering principles and the hierarchy of controls.
• Ensure residual risks, assumptions, and required safeguards are clearly documented and elevated through the appropriate risk acceptance process.

Safety Integration & Operational Support

• Lead the integration of energetics safety across engineering, manufacturing, and test operations without assuming ownership of technical design or operational execution.
• Establish standardized approaches for safely conducting energetic manufacturing, ground test, and flight test activities.
• Coordinate energetics safety support for major test campaigns and other high-consequence operations to ensure personnel, facilities, equipment, and safeguards are aligned.
• Support operations conducted at external ranges and ensure alignment with applicable customer and range safety requirements.

Engineering & Test Review Participation

• Represent EHS as a key stakeholder throughout the engineering and operational lifecycle.
• Participate in design reviews, manufacturing and production readiness reviews, operational readiness reviews, and ground and flight test readiness reviews.
• Evaluate whether energetics hazards, risk controls, and verification requirements are appropriately identified and addressed before execution.
• Provide independent recommendations regarding energetics risk, operational safeguards, and residual risk acceptance while preserving Engineering's authority over technical design decisions.

Regulatory Compliance & Governance

• Lead enterprise compliance with applicable energetics and explosives safety requirements.
• Interpret and implement applicable DoD explosives safety standards, DoD 4145, ATF, OSHA, DOT, NFPA, and federal, state, local, customer, and range-specific requirements.
• Develop compliance strategies, maintain required documentation, and support regulatory inspections, customer audits, government reviews, and explosives safety approvals.

Training & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain Castelion's Energetics Safety Training Program, including qualification and competency expectations based on operational hazards and regulatory requirements.
• Lead or support investigations involving energetic materials, identify root and contributing causes, and ensure corrective and preventive actions are implemented.
• Integrate lessons learned into standards, procedures, training, and future design and operational reviews.
• Track leading and lagging indicators, identify trends, and implement improvements that strengthen safety performance and operational effectiveness

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Occupational Safety, Chemistry, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
• Eight or more years of progressively responsible experience supporting energetic materials or explosives operations in aerospace, defense, military, manufacturing, or another high hazard industry.
• Demonstrated experience developing or implementing energetics safety programs, technical standards, procedures, and operational requirements.
• Experience leading or facilitating hazard analyses and risk assessments, including qualitative and quantitative methodologies such as PHAs, HAZOPs, FMEAs, What-If analyses, QRAs, and Quantity-Distance evaluations.
• Experience participating in multidisciplinary design reviews, readiness reviews, and high consequence test or manufacturing activities.
• Working knowledge of applicable DoD explosives safety requirements, ATF regulations, OSHA, DOT hazardous materials regulations, and NFPA codes and standards.
• Ability to provide independent safety oversight, influence cross-functional teams, and communicate risk-based recommendations without direct operational or engineering authority.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience supporting solid rocket motor manufacturing, propulsion systems, missile programs, or other energetic defense applications.
• Experience supporting ground and flight test operations, external government test ranges, explosives safety approvals, facility siting, or quantitative consequence modeling.
• Professional certification such as CSP, CIH, CHMM, or equivalent.
• Active Secret security clearance or the ability to obtain one.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Benefits And Perks

All full-time employees are granted meaningful long-term equity, sharing in the company's significant growth trajectory. We offer four (4) weeks of paid time off, ten (10) company-paid holidays, and comprehensive health benefits - including 100% employee-covered medical and strong dependent coverage, along with dental and vision plans. We also provide paid parental leave to support growing families, a $100 monthly fitness stipend to promote health and performance, and onsite EV charging for convenience. In addition, employees enjoy perks like catered meals, company-covered food during high-demand periods, and a fully stocked kitchen to stay fueled throughout the day.

While this position does not currently require a U.S government-issued security clearance, it may in the near future. Therefore, the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government–issued security clearance is required. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement

Employment with Castelion is governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.