Sr Director of EHSS

QuantumScape; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

QuantumScape seeks a Senior Director of EHSS to shape and execute strategy for Environmental Health and Safety, Industrial Hygiene, and Safety programs across R&D and manufacturing. You will lead a multidisciplinary team, drive regulatory compliance (OSHA, EPA, DOT), and build practical safety systems for lithium battery research and production.

This role demands a high-integrity, risk-focused leader who communicates clearly to the CEO and frontline teams while advancing sustainability and a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in a technical field (Chemistry, Environmental Science, Chemical Engineering, Occupational Health)
• Master's or PhD preferred for advanced roles
• 20+ years of progressive EHSS experience with 10+ years in management
• Domain expertise in battery, semiconductor or advanced hardware manufacturing
• Strong leadership and communication skills for executive level interactions

Responsibilities

• Be the safety leader; partner with executives to build EHSS roadmap
• Develop and manage EHSS budget and multi-year strategy
• Design and implement safety programs for lithium battery R&D and manufacturing
• Lead the Safety Council and incident investigations
• Oversee hazardous materials and hazardous waste programs with regulatory compliance
• Establish chemical handling, storage and procurement protocols
• Oversee recycling strategy and fire protection systems
• Ensure functional safety from equipment design to disposition
• Lead EHSS training including AI-enabled hazard classes
• Mentor and develop a multi-disciplinary EHSS team
• Bridge manufacturing floor and labs to promote a Culture of Safety
• Liaise with regulators (OSHA, EPA, DOT) and advance sustainability

Skills

EHSS leadership

Regulatory compliance

Risk assessment

Safety program design

Industrial hygiene

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Environmental Science, Chemical Engineering, Occupational Health or related field

Master's degree or PhD preferred

Job description

QuantumScape is on a mission to transform energy storage with solid-state lithium-metal battery technology. The company’s next-generation batteries are designed to enable greater energy density, faster charging and enhanced safety to support the transition away from legacy energy sources toward a lower carbon future.

About the team: The EHSS team is a diverse group of engineers that bring various expertise as we interact with some of the most cutting-edge technologies integrating our battery solution. The team prides itself by providing compliant and safe environment both for our workers and in the product design.

What we need: As the Senior Director of EHSS, you will execute and shape strategy for all EHSS activities, including EHSS Strategy Development and Implementation, Environmental Protection, Occupational Health and Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Functional Safety, Safe Equipment Design/Installation/Operation, Emergency Response, ESG Initiatives, Safety Culture implementation, Executive communication, and Employee Development. This role is designed for a high-integrity leader who takes his/her role seriously, makes risk assessment-based decisions, prefers building practical, high-impact systems over rigid, box-ticking administrative frameworks. You will oversee all EHSS aspects of a complex operation that bridges cutting-edge lithium battery R&D with manufacturing.

Key Responsibilities

Be seen as a Safety leader both within and outside the company. Partner with the executive team to build and execute the EHSS strategic roadmap. Allocate resources appropriately to ensure success.

Safety Program Architecture & Management

Communicate from Leadership to Technicians using appropriate methods and protocols.

Develop and manage the EHSS budget, resource allocation, and a multi-year strategic roadmap that scales with the company’s growth.

Design and implement Safety programs tailored specifically to lithium battery R&D and Manufacturing.

Lead the Safety Council.

Oversee Incident Investigation programs, ensuring a culture where reporting is encouraged and root causes lead to systemic engineering controls.

Manage Hazardous Materials in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.

Establish rigorous, common-sense protocols for the procurement, handling, storage, and usage of variety of chemicals.

Direct the company’s Hazardous Waste program, ensuring 100% compliance with RCRA and local regulations for Large Quantity Generators (LQG).

Oversee company strategy around recycling.

Lead the design and maintenance of specialized fire protection strategies for our technology, including thermal runaway mitigation and chemical containment.

Understand and oversee Functional Safety from Equipment Design to Disposition.

Lead EHSS training creation and delivery aligned with current technology such as the use of AI in creating hazard specific classes.

Team Leadership & Employee Management

Manage and mentor a multi-disciplinary EHSS team, setting clear performance expectations and fostering professional development.

Serve as a visible leader on the manufacturing floor and in the labs, bridging the gap between PhD researchers and production technicians.

Cultivate a "Culture of Safety" where integrity, the alignment of thought and action, is the standard for every employee.

Regulatory & Sustainability Strategy

Be seen as a trusted leader both within and outside the company.

Act as the primary liaison with regulatory agencies (OSHA, EPA, DOT) and manage all environmental permitting.

Drive sustainability initiatives that focus on the material circularity of lithium batteries and reducing the carbon intensity of the production process.

Ensure all products and shipping procedures meet global DOT/IATA standards for the transport of batteries.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's Degree required in Chemistry, Environmental Science, Chemical Engineering, Occupational Health, or a related technical field. Master's or PhD. preferred

Experience: 20+ years of progressive EHSS experience, with at least 10+ years in an employee management role overseeing diverse teams.

Domain Expertise: Proven track record in battery, semiconductor, or advanced hardware manufacturing involving complex chemical usage, hazardous waste management, safety systems, and safety leadership

Leadership Style: A grounded, mission-driven executive who values practical safety solutions over administrative overhead.

Communication: Exceptional ability to translate complex technical risks into clear, actionable guidance for the CEO and the frontline workforce alike.

This role is for a leader who sees EHSS as a personal mission. You will have the autonomy to build a legacy of safety and sustainability, ensuring that as we power the future of energy, we do so with the highest level of integrity and care for our people. managing our processes and systems, interfacing with multiple departments and external customers.

Onsite

This position requires you to work onsite 5 days per week to meet the minimum essential duties and requirements of this position. As an on-site R&D and manufacturing operations organization, in-person face to face interaction is essential to building authentic relationships, trust, teamwork, and collaboration. Emergency Response may require you to come to the site during off-hours.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.