Safety Manager

BAE Systems, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

BAE Systems in San Diego Maritime Solutions seeks an experienced Safety Manager to lead a multidisciplinary team and ensure safe execution of shipyard repair and production activities. You will implement a SIF-focused program, advance incident investigations, and drive proactive risk management, with an emphasis on psychological safety and industry-leading health and safety performance.

This role partners with Project Management, Facilities, and Production and requires strong leadership,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Health & Safety or related field with eight years of progressive safety leadership experience.
• Proven track record leading safety programs in high-hazard environments, preferably shipyards or heavy manufacturing.
• Expert-level knowledge of OSHA regulations and consensus standards with practical controls.
• Experience identifying and mitigating high-energy hazards and SIF precursors.
• Experience implementing SIF prevention strategies and leading indicators.
• Strong communication to influence stakeholders across levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of a SIF-focused program to control critical risks.
• Oversee advanced incident investigations and implement robust process improvements.
• Design and manage a proactive risk oversight framework with near-miss analysis.
• Ensure rigorous hazard analysis and control implementation throughout the facility.
• Partner with Project Management to surpass industry and regulatory guidelines.
• Modernize safety training to empower employees for high-risk shipyard work.
• Cultivate a proactive safety culture from enforcement to engagement.
• Review and update Safety & Occupational Health policies to reflect best practices.
• Develop leading KPIs to measure risk control effectiveness.

Skills

SIF Leadership

Incident Investigation

Risk Oversight

Hazard Analysis

Regulatory Expertise

Team Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety

Tools

MS Office Suite

Budget Tools

Job description

Our Mission

BAE Systems' mission is to Protect Those Who Protect Us. Within the Safety organization, our mission is to ensure we protect each other so that we can successfully meet that company mission.

The Role

BAE Systems is seeking an experienced, strategic Safety Manager to support our San Diego Maritime Solutions facility. In this role, you will lead a multidisciplinary team—including Safety Specialists, Technicians, Competent Persons, and Administrative staff—to ensure the safe execution of shipyard repair and production activities.

We are looking for a leader with a forward-leaning mindset who moves beyond traditional compliance to implement a SIF-focused (Serious Injury and Fatality) program. Your goal will be to transition the organization from simply tracking incidents to proactively identifying and mitigating the high-energy hazards that lead to catastrophic events. You will develop critical partnerships across the organization to foster a culture of psychological safety, proactive hazard identification, and industry-leading health and safety performance.

Key Responsibilities

• SIF Prevention & Strategy: Lead the development and execution of a SIF-focused program, prioritizing the identification and control of critical risks that could result in serious injury or fatality.
• Advanced Incident Investigation: Lead and mentor staff in sophisticated incident investigations. Move beyond surface-level causes to identify systemic failures and implement robust process improvements to prevent recurrence.
• Proactive Risk Oversight: Design and oversee a robust inspection and audit framework. Shift the focus from "checking boxes" to identifying precursors and "near-misses" that signal a potential catastrophic failure.
• Risk Assessment & Control: Ensure a rigorous approach to hazard analysis and the determination of controls throughout the facility. Train and coach employees in advanced root cause analysis and the hierarchy of hazard elimination.
• Strategic Partnership: Provide the Project Management team with expert guidance to ensure project sites exceed industry, local, state, and federal guidelines.
• Training & Development: Oversee and modernize occupational safety and health training, ensuring all employees are equipped with the skills necessary for their specific roles in a high-risk shipyard environment.
• Culture Leadership: Serve as the subject matter expert and catalyst for advancing a proactive safety culture, moving the organization from "enforcement" to "engagement and coaching.".
• Policy Governance: Review and modernize Safety and Occupational Health policies (including Gas Free, Industrial Hygiene, and OSHA standards) to ensure they reflect current industry best practices and regulatory requirements.
• Performance Metrics: Develop and report on leading indicators and KPIs that measure the effectiveness of risk controls, rather than relying solely on lagging injury data.
• Certification Management: Maintain external certification programs, specifically OSHA VPP Star and ISO:45001.

Overall Objectives & Goals

• Predictive Analytics: Implement proactive monitoring and reporting of metric KPIs to predict and prevent risks before they manifest.
• Collaborative Problem Solving: Partner with Facilities, Production, and other business units to find innovative, operational solutions to compliance gaps.
• Fiscal Stewardship: Manage budget monitoring and compliance to ensure the safety program is efficiently resourced.

• Typically requires a Bachelor's degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Health, Engineering, or a related discipline, and eight (8) years of progressive safety leadership experience (or equivalent professional experience).
• Proven track record of leading safety programs in high-hazard industrial environments, preferably within shipyards or heavy manufacturing.
• Expert-level proficiency in OSHA regulations and consensus standards, with the ability to translate complex requirements into practical operational controls.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, analyze, and mitigate high-energy hazards and critical risk precursors associated with shipyard activities.
• Experience implementing SIF (Serious Injury and Fatality) prevention strategies and utilizing leading indicators to drive safety performance.
• Ability to utilize conceptual and innovative thinking to develop creative solutions for complex safety challenges.
• Exceptional communication skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels, from the shipyard floor to senior executive leadership.
• Proven experience leading, mentoring, and developing a diverse team of direct and indirect reports across multiple shifts.
• Experience designing and delivering impactful safety training that drives behavioral change and improves safety culture.
• Strong working knowledge of Industrial Hygiene (IH) principles and their application in a maritime industrial setting.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and experience using project and departmental budget tools.

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

• Experience working in manufacturing or a shipyard environment.
• Familiarity with NAVSEA standards.
• Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or in the process of obtaining.
• Current certifications in First Aid, CPR, OSHA, 30-hour Maritime Safety and Industry Standards plus familiarity with 29 CFR Part 1915 highly desirable.
• Familiarity with the concepts of Serious Injury and Fatality programs.
• Knowledgeable in Safety & Health management systems such as ISO 45001.
• Root cause analysis software experience.