Sr. Safety Specialist

Socket.dev; De Soto (KS); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

On-site cafeterias

Job summary

Panasonic Energy is expanding its De Soto, Kansas facility and seeks a Sr. Safety Specialist to oversee occupational health and safety programs across commissioning and production operations.

You will lead risk assessments, audits, incident investigations, and training to build a strong safety culture while aligning with regulatory requirements and company standards. You will partner with cross-functional teams to drive continuous improvement, monitor safety metrics, and support emergency

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health & Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation, administration, and continuous improvement of occupational health and safety programs, policies, procedures, and systems to support regulatory compliance and operational excellence.
• Provide visible safety leadership through routine field presence, employee engagement, hazard recognition, coaching, and incident response support.
• Manage safety records, permits, reports, metrics, and documentation to support business needs and regulatory requirements.
• Support emergency preparedness and response activities, including drills, exercises, and after-hours response as needed.
• Lead risk assessments, job hazard analysis (JHA), management of change (MOC) activities, and other risk reduction initiatives.
• Serve as the lead safety resource for assigned operational areas, advising leaders on safety strategy, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance.
• Monitor, analyze, and communicate safety performance metrics, trends, and program effectiveness to support decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Lead or support moderately complex projects and cross-functional initiatives focused on safety, compliance, and operational performance.
• Conduct workplace inspections, audits, and operational assessments to identify hazards, verify compliance, and recommend corrective actions.
• Lead incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective and preventive action processes, including verification of effectiveness and completion.
• Support strategic initiatives that strengthen safety culture, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence.

Skills

Safety leadership

Regulatory compliance

Incident investigations

Risk assessments

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health & Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Overview

Do you want to join a team that's changing the world? Do you have a strong background as a Sr. Safety Specialist? Then we're looking for you! Put your skills to meaningful use, gain unique experience, and work with world-class team members with diverse backgrounds and expertise who share the same vision. Join the PECNA team today!

Responsibilities

Sr. Safety Specialist

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Meet the Recruiter: Anh Martin

Summary:

Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we’re building the world’s largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you’ll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation.

Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.

Job Summary:

The Sr. Safety Specialist leads the implementation, administration, and continuous improvement of occupational health and safety programs to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and company standards during commissioning and production operations. Serving as a subject matter expert and trusted partner, this role identifies and mitigates workplace hazards, leads risk assessments, audits, inspections, incident investigations, and corrective action programs, and supports employee training and emergency preparedness initiatives. The Sr. Safety Specialist contributes to moderately complex projects, monitors safety performance metrics, and partners with cross-functional stakeholders to promote regulatory compliance, risk reduction, operational excellence, and a strong safety culture.

Essential Duties:

Functional Operations:

• Lead the implementation, administration, and continuous improvement of occupational health and safety programs, policies, procedures, and systems to support regulatory compliance and operational excellence


• Provide visible safety leadership through routine field presence, employee engagement, hazard recognition, coaching, and incident response support


• Manage safety records, permits, reports, metrics, and documentation to support business needs and regulatory requirements


• Support emergency preparedness and response activities, including drills, exercises, and after-hours response as needed

Performance Optimization & Continuous Improvement:

• Lead risk assessments, job hazard analysis (JHA), management of change (MOC) activities, and other risk reduction initiatives


• Serve as the lead safety resource for assigned operational areas, advising leaders on safety strategy, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance


• Monitor, analyze, and communicate safety performance metrics, trends, and program effectiveness to support decision-making and continuous improvement


• Lead or support moderately complex projects and cross-functional initiatives focused on safety, compliance, and operational performance


• Conduct workplace inspections, audits, and operational assessments to identify hazards, verify compliance, and recommend corrective actions


• Lead incident investigations, root cause analyses, and corrective and preventive action processes, including verification of effectiveness and completion


• Support strategic initiatives that strengthen safety culture, regulatory compliance, and operational excellence

Training & Team Support:

• Develop, deliver, and continuously improve safety training programs, materials, and resources for employees and contractors


• Serve as a mentor and subject matter expert by providing coaching, technical guidance, and regulatory interpretation to employees, leaders, and less-experienced safety professionals


• Support onboarding, safety orientation, and employee engagement initiatives that promote safe work practices and continuous improvement

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication:

• Serve as a subject matter expert and partner to leaders, operational teams, contractors, and external stakeholders on occupational health and safety requirements, compliance obligations, and industry best practices


• Communicate safety performance, observations, trends, and improvement opportunities to leadership and employees


• Support regulatory inspections, audits, and interactions with external agencies, consultants, and contractors

Quality, Safety & Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local occupational health and safety regulations, standards, and company requirements


• Maintain current knowledge of OSHA regulations, emerging regulatory requirements, and industry best practices

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements:

• To ensure the health and safety in the workplace and for the protection of our employees, wearing PPE is a possibility and may include equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, bump cap, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.

Qualifications

Requirements - Required and/or Preferred

Education, Certifications, and Licenses:

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Safety, Environmental Health & Safety, Industrial Hygiene, Environmental Science, or a related field


• Relevant work experience may be substituted for required education

Preferred

• CSP certification or ASP certification with active pursuit of CSP


• Occupational safety certifications and training such as OSHA 30-Hour, HAZWOPER, First Aid/CPR, ISO 45001, Lockout/Tagout, Electrical Safety, and Respiratory Protection/Fit Testing

Essential Qualifications:

• 4+ years of safety experience in manufacturing, industrial, construction, commissioning, or similarly regulated environments


• Demonstrated experience leading safety programs, audits, inspections, risk assessments, incident investigations, corrective actions, and cross-functional initiatives


• Working knowledge of OSHA regulations and applicable industry standards (e.g., NFPA, ANSI, NEC, ACGIH, and NIOSH)


• Experience developing and delivering safety training, supporting contractor safety programs, and monitoring workplace hazards and exposures


• Strong analytical, project management, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate data and drive informed decision-making


• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and communicate effectively with employees, leaders, contractors, and external stakeholders


• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite


• Ability to support emergency response activities outside normal business hours as needed


• Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking


• Alignment to Panasonic’s seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude)

Preferred Qualifications:

• 6+ years of occupational health and safety experience in manufacturing, industrial, construction, commissioning, or similarly regulated environments


• Experience leading site-wide safety improvements, complex compliance initiatives, regulatory interactions, and performance reporting


• Experience mentoring safety professionals and operational leaders


• Familiarity with lithium-ion battery manufacturing, chemical handling, or other high-hazard operations


• Working knowledge of ISO 14001, ISO 45001, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, and occupational exposure assessment principles


• Experience with EHS management systems, audits, inspections, consultants, contractors, and regulatory agencies


• Familiarity with lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies

Physical Demands:

Physical Activities:

Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to:

• Sit: 20%


• Walk: 40%


• Stand: 40%

Required Lifting and Carrying:

Rare (<1%), Occasional (1-33%), Frequent (34-66%), Continuous (67-100%)

For this position, the required frequency is:

• Up to 10 lbs.: Frequent


• Up to 20 lbs.: Occasional


• Up to 35 lbs.: Occasional


• Team-lift only (over 35 lbs.): Rare

Benefits & Perks - What's In It For You:

Panasonic Energy prioritizes total well-being and offers comprehensive benefits options to support physical, emotional, financial, social, and environmental health:

• Health Benefits- Offering medical, dental, vision, prescription plans, plus Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options.


• Voluntary Benefits- Life, accident, critical illness, disability, legal, identity theft, and pet insurance.


• Panasonic Retirement Savings & Investment Plan (PRSIP)- 401(k) plan with company matching contributions and immediate vesting.


• Paid Time-Off Benefits- Vacation, holidays, personal days, sick leave, volunteer, and parental & caregiver leave.


• Educational Assistance- Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses after six months of service.


• Health Management and Wellbeing Programs-Lifestyle Spending Account, EAP, virtual health management, chronic condition, neurodiversity, tobacco cessation, substance abuse support, and life stage and fertility resources. Available to eligible employees starting the first day of the month following your start date. Eligibility for each benefit may vary based on employment status, location, and length of service.


• Employee Recognition Program- High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition


• Annual Bonus Program- Opportunity for an annual performance-based bonus.


• On-site Food Options- Several on-site cafes, plentiful snack and beverage kitchens, revolving on-site vendor visits and employee events.

Where You'll Be:

For our onsite roles, Panasonic Energy is committed to fostering an ideal working environment that goes beyond the conventional. We understand the significance of moments that matter in your onsite experience, and we prioritize creating a workspace that not only promotes productivity but also ensures a fulfilling and positive work atmosphere. Join us at Panasonic Energy, where your onsite presence is valued, and we strive to make each moment count in your professional journey.

Who We Are:

Meet Panasonic Energy! At Panasonic Energy, you'll do work that matters as we are dedicated to transforming the world through the acceleration of sustainable energy. By producing safe, high-quality lithium-ion batteries, you become part of a team that plays a crucial role in creating technologies that move us.

Our journey began in 2017, and now, as the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory, we are expanding operations to De Soto, Kansas, providing you with the opportunity to experience career growth in more ways than one.

As an innovative thinker, you'll thrive here, as we continually push the boundaries of lithium-ion battery technology and production capabilities to enhance efficiency and performance in EVs.

Being part of Panasonic Energy means positively contributing to society, aligning with our commitment to building a better world through sustainable energy solutions.

We care about what you care about, fostering an environment where your contributions make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation. Join us and be part of a team that values your work, encourages innovation, and actively contributes to a positive societal impact.

In addition to an environment that is as innovative as our products, we offer competitive salaries and benefits.

We Take Opportunity Seriously:

At Panasonic Energy, we are committed to a workplace that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. Fairness and Honesty have been part of our core values for more than 100 years and we are proud of our diverse culture as an equal opportunity employer.

We understand that your career search may look different than others and embrace the professional, personal, educational, and volunteer opportunities through which people gain experience.

Supplemental Information:

Pre-employment drug testing is required.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. All qualified individuals are required to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Due to the high volume of responses, we will only be able to respond to candidates of interest. All candidates must have valid authorization to work in the U.S. without restriction.

Thank you for your interest in Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America.

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