Health & Safety Specialist

Company Overview:
Our Client is rebuilding American industrial capability for a new era of autonomy, robotics, and electrification.
We are the only U.S. company with a fully integrated rare earth supply chain-from mining and refining to advanced metal and magnet manufacturing. Our products include both the critical materials used to make permanent magnets and the finished magnets themselves-enabling next-generation technologies in robotics, automation, aerospace, transportation, defense, and energy systems. These materials are the foundation of physical AI-the convergence of computation, movement, and control.

We hire ambitious, mission-driven people who want to tackle complex challenges and shape the future of strategic industries. Our culture is rooted in teamwork, resiliency, and integrity, with a deep commitment to operational excellence and national purpose. We are a rapidly evolving from a materials producer into a leading U.S. manufacturer-and our people are driving that transformation.

Position Overview:
The Health & Safety Specialist supports the implementation and maintenance of health and safety programs across the Site Operation. This position performs day-to-day safety activities including inspections, audits, training, incident investigations, and compliance monitoring to ensure a safe work environment in alignment with all federal, state, and local regulatory requirements (Cal/OSHA and MSHA). The Health & Safety Specialist takes an active role in the facilities emergency response plans and incident investigations by assisting in developing, inspecting, auditing procedures, coordinating response actions, and developing corrective actions to deal with hazards and emergencies.

Under the supervision of the Health & Safety Manager, the Health and Safety specialist leads investigations, identifies, reports, and recommends corrective action for a wide variety of workplace industrial hygiene factors that may impact employee safety, health, and productivity.

Position Responsibilities:
* Monitors, assesses, and resolves health and safety issues in the work environment.
* Completes routine site wide inspections to remain in compliance with regulations.
* Evaluates proposed process modifications, additions, and changes to identify potential safety concerns and recommends appropriate safeguards.
* Ensure that contractor personnel working on the property work in compliance with company policies and safety requirements.
* Assist site champions as needed in development, roll out and updating SOP's as needed.
* Provide advice, assistance, and audit procedures to ensure overall effectiveness.
* Develop safety training and conduct physical training across all shifts.
* Ensure inspections by regulatory agencies are coordinated and deficiencies corrected.
* Assist with field activities by conducting inspections and audits and providing training to employees and contractors on hazard recognition, unsafe acts and conditions and regulatory compliance with Cal/OSHA and MSHA.
* Assist in the development, implementation, and maintenance of Cal/OSHA compliance programs, policies, and procedures, including recordkeeping requirements and regulatory reporting.
* Conduct and document incident, injury/illness, and near-miss investigations, identifying root causes and recommending corrective actions.
* Deliver and coordinate EHS training programs, ensuring workforce competency in hazard recognition, regulatory compliance, emergency response, and safe work practices specific to rare earth metal and magnet manufacturing.
* Support the development and implementation of emergency response plans and conduct regular drills and exercises.
* Maintain EHS documentation, records, and data entry in compliance tracking systems and dashboards.
* Participate in management of change (MOC) reviews and pre-startup safety reviews (PSSRs) for new processes and equipment.
* Assist with industrial hygiene monitoring, including air sampling, noise monitoring, and chemical exposure assessments.
* Support the Safety Committee by coordinating meetings, tracking action items, and facilitating employee engagement in safety programs.
* Other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications:
* 2-5 years' experience in a Health and Safety role.
* Working knowledge of Cal/OSHA and MSHA regulations
* Excellent organizational and motivational skills.
* Outstanding attention to detail and observation ability, and strong communication and interpersonal skills

Desired Qualities:
* Certified MSHA Part 48 Instructor.
* Certified First Aid/CPR/AED Trainer.
* The ability to take initiative, to maintain confidentiality, to meet deadlines, and to work in a team environment is essential.
* Ability to work under tight deadlines and manage multiple/detail-oriented tasks.
* Ability to address industrial hygiene issues with management and coworkers

Other Functions:

* Assist with the care and provision of medical services to injured employees.
* Conduct detailed exposure assessment, analyses of operational procedures, equipment, and materials.
* Prepare accurate and complete technical reports of survey findings and provide recommendations on how to correct hazardous conditions.
* Work with the facility management team to ensure compliance with MP Materials policies, Cal/OSHA, MSHA, and other regulations.
* Other duties as assigned.

We are Proud to be an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Underrepresented groups/Women/Disabled/Veterans are encouraged to apply.

Candidates whose disabilities make them unable to meet the position's requirements will still be considered qualified if they can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation.

Your Right to Work - In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment verification document form upon hire.

Safety Provision - Employees are responsible for following all company, industry and regulatory procedures and laws to ensure a safe work environment for themselves and the company. Employees must have a willingness to promote safety among the workforce, participate in Process Hazard Analysis procedures and Pre-Startup Safety Reviews.
(PPE) Personal Protective Equipment is required when performing work in a mine, manufacturing, outdoor, or plant environment. Required PPE may include, but is not limited to, hard hat, hearing protection, safety glasses, safety footwear, respirator, rubber steel-toe boots, protective clothing, gloves, and any other protective equipment as required.

Working Conditions - Our facility sits at an elevation of 4,700 feet. Employees may be subject to extreme weather conditions when working in an outdoor setting (heat and cold, wind). Work is at an open pit mine or manufacturing/chemical plant setting, which may include exposure to moving mechanical parts, toxic chemicals, risk of electrical shock, explosives, fumes, or airborne particles.

Physical Demands - Manual dexterity; sense of touch; sense of smell; speaking clearly; hearing-speech range; hearing - all ranges; seeing, reading and comprehensions; seeing - distant/near; depth perception; color vision. While performing the job responsibilities, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to stand and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel and to manipulate laboratory equipment. The employee is occasionally required to walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Vision abilities required by this job include close vision. Employees must pass a full-face respiratory fit test. Employees must be able to lift 50 lbs. Must be able to work in PPE level C. These requirements are representative, but not all-inclusive, of the knowledge, skill, and ability required of the employee.