| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Environment, Health and Safety |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | EHS Manager |
| Direct reports | EHS Executive |
| Experience | 2 to 5 years in EHS at a plant or project |
EHS Engineer job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: EHS Engineer
Department: Environment, Health and Safety
Reports to: EHS Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
An EHS Engineer implements environment, health and safety on the ground at a plant or project, turning EHS systems into daily practice. They run risk assessments, issue permits, inspect the site, deliver training, and support incident investigation. The role reports to the EHS Manager. A good EHS engineer keeps hazardous work controlled through good risk assessment and permits, catches unsafe conditions on inspection, builds worker awareness, and keeps EHS records and evidence ready for audits.
Key responsibilities
- Carry out risk assessments and job safety analysis for site activities.
- Issue and check permits to work and verify controls before hazardous jobs.
- Inspect the site and equipment and raise and track unsafe conditions.
- Deliver safety induction, toolbox talks and EHS training to workers and contractors.
- Monitor environmental parameters and waste handling in the assigned area.
- Support incident and near miss investigation and corrective actions.
- Maintain EHS records, checklists and evidence ready for audits at all times.
- Verify contractor safety documents and safety compliance on site before work.
- Support emergency drills and site response arrangements as part of the team.
- Promote hazard reporting and safe behaviour among the workforce.
Requirements
- Engineering degree or diploma with a safety qualification
- Diploma in Industrial Safety is an advantage
- Knowledge of EHS regulations
- 2 to 5 years in EHS at a plant or project
KRAs and KPIs for a EHS Engineer
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Risk control | Hazardous jobs covered by risk assessment and permit with no critical gap |
| Inspection closure | Unsafe conditions raised and closed within the agreed time |
| Training | Assigned training and induction delivered to the monthly plan |
| Contractor compliance | Contractor safety documents verified before work starts on every job |
| Records | EHS records and evidence kept complete and audit ready |
| Near miss reporting | Hazard and near miss reporting encouraged to meet the area target |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Risk assessment tools, Permit to work system, Gas and safety monitors, Inspection checklists, EHS software.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior EHS Engineer, EHS Manager, Safety Manager
Interview questions for a EHS Engineer
- How do you carry out a job safety analysis before a hazardous task?
- What do you check before issuing a permit to work?
- How do you handle an unsafe condition you find during an inspection?
- How do you make a toolbox talk actually change behaviour?
- How do you verify a contractor is safe to start work?
- Tell me about an unsafe situation you stopped on site.
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What does an EHS engineer do?
An EHS engineer implements environment, health and safety on the ground at a plant or project. They run risk assessments, issue permits, inspect the site, deliver training, and support incident investigation. They keep hazardous work controlled, catch unsafe conditions, build worker awareness, and keep EHS records ready for audits.
What qualifications do you need to be an EHS engineer?
Most EHS engineers hold an engineering degree or diploma with a safety qualification, and a Diploma in Industrial Safety is an advantage. Employers look for knowledge of EHS regulations, skill in risk assessment and permit to work, site inspection and training ability, and the discipline to keep records audit ready.
What is the difference between an EHS engineer and an EHS manager?
An EHS engineer implements EHS on the ground, doing risk assessments, permits, inspections and training. An EHS manager leads the whole EHS function, setting systems, managing the team, owning compliance and reporting to leadership. The engineer executes daily EHS work, while the manager leads and is accountable for site performance.