Health & Safety and Environment Manager

Helsing is a defence AI company. Our mission is to protect our democracies. We aim to achieve technological leadership, so that open societies can continue to make sovereign decisions and control their ethical standards. As democracies, we believe we have a special responsibility to be thoughtful about the development and deployment of powerful technologies like AI. We take this responsibility seriously. We are an ambitious and committed team of engineers, AI specialists and customer‑facing programme managers. We are looking for mission‑driven people to join our European teams – and apply their skills to solve the most complex and impactful problems. We embrace an open and transparent culture that welcomes healthy debates on the use of technology in defence, its benefits, and its ethical implications.

At Helsing, we are looking for a Health & Safety and Environment Manager to ensure our rapidly scaling UK operations are as safe, sustainable, and compliant as they are innovative. Working with teams who work on Land, at Sea and in the Air you will be the cornerstone of our workplace safety, championing a culture where employee well‑being and environmental responsibility go hand‑in‑hand with rapid technological advancement. This is a ‘hands‑on’ role where you will be expected to guide and advise but also help and implement what is required. Reporting directly to the UK Head of Security, you will design and implement robust HSE frameworks that empower our engineers and operational staff to work securely and efficiently. By proactively minimising risks, ensuring compliance, and fostering a safe operational environment, your work will directly support Helsing’s core mission of protecting our democracies through advanced technology. Your leadership will ensure that our teams can focus entirely on innovation without compromising on their health, safety, or our environmental footprint.

A NEBOSH National Diploma (or equivalent advanced qualification) in Occupational Health and Safety is essential. This role is contingent on the ability to gain UK security clearance (eligibility (5 years UK Residency) and willingness to undergo the UK government vetting process).

The day‑to‑day responsibilities include:

• Develop, implement, and continuously refine comprehensive UK HSE policies in strict alignment with national regulations and Helsing's standards, ensuring coherence with Group HSE efforts.
• Conduct regular risk assessments, site safety inspections, and HSE audits across all UK facilities to proactively identify and address potential hazards before they materialise.
• Lead investigations into workplace incidents, accidents, and near‑misses — producing detailed reports, root‑cause analyses, and clear preventative measures that meaningfully reduce recurrence.
• Design and deliver HSE training programmes and site inductions that ensure all employees, visitors, and contractors understand and fulfil their safety and environmental responsibilities.
• Collaborate with site HSE leads, operations teams, and the wider security function to drive environmental compliance, with a focus on waste management, energy efficiency, and sustainability initiatives.
• Serve as the primary representative to external regulatory bodies — including the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency — during inspections and consultations.
• Track and report key HSE performance metrics to the UK Head of Security, using data to identify trends and drive continuous improvement across the UK business.
• Chair HSE working groups and senior safety leadership meetings, engaging effectively with customers and stakeholders to maintain shared accountability for safety outcomes.

You should apply if you:

• Hold a NEBOSH National Diploma or equivalent advanced qualification in Occupational Health and Safety.
• Have built and delivered HSE policy frameworks in complex, multi‑site operational environments.
• Have led workplace incident investigations, producing root‑cause analyses and preventative measures that demonstrably improved safety outcomes.
• Have represented an organisation with external regulatory bodies, including experience managing inspections or formal consultations.
• Are able to chair senior safety forums and working groups, communicating clearly and with authority across technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Are eligible for UK security clearance and willing to undergo the government vetting process.

Note: We operate in an industry where women, as well as other minority groups, are systematically under‑represented. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarised in a few bullet points.

Nice to Have:

• Experience of HSE in maritime environments.
• Background in defence, aerospace, advanced technology, or high‑growth technology sectors.
• Familiarity with implementing or managing ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) and ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety) standards.
• Existing UK security clearance (SC or DV level).
• Experience leading cross‑functional sustainability, well‑being, and safety initiatives.
• Experience designing and testing emergency response and business continuity plans for complex or secure operational sites.

Join Helsing and work with world‑leading experts in their fields. Helsing’s work is important. You’ll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both ethical and geopolitical concerns. The work is unique. We operate in a domain that has highly unusual technical requirements and constraints, and where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world. Our work frequently takes us right up to the state of the art in technical innovation, be it reinforcement learning, distributed systems, generative AI, or deployment infrastructure. The defence industry is entering the most exciting phase of the technological development curve. Advances in our field of world are not incremental: Helsing is part of, and often leading, historic leaps forward. In our domain, success is a matter of order‑of‑magnitude improvements and novel capabilities. This means we take bets, aim high, and focus on big opportunities. Despite being a relatively young company, Helsing has already been selected for multiple significant government contracts. We actively encourage healthy, proactive, and diverse debate internally about what we do and how we choose to do it. Teams and individual engineers are trusted (and encouraged) to practise responsible autonomy and critical thinking, and to focus on outcomes, not conformity. At Helsing you will have a say in how we (and you!) work, the opportunity to engage on what does and doesn’t work, and to take ownership of aspects of our culture that you care deeply about.

What we offer:

• Competitive salary and stock options (ESOP).
• Relocation support: up to €2,500 and 4 weeks temporary accommodation.
• Learning: €500/£450 yearly allowance.
• Health & wellness: gym membership and mental health support (Nilo.health).
• Social: regularly company events and monthly social allowances.
• Enhanced parental leave: 22 weeks fully paid for primary caregivers & 6 weeks for secondary caregivers.
• Family support: 5 days of paid family emergency leave, 100% remote work option during pregnancy and phased return to work.

These are the core benefits across all locations, there may be additional benefits in certain locations. Helsing is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or gender identity. Please do not submit personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, data concerning your health, or data concerning your sexual orientation. Helsing's Candidate Privacy and Confidentiality Regime can be found here.