VP, EH&S (Global)

About the role

About Nscale At Nscale, we are building the infrastructure for the AI revolution. Nscale is developing cutting-edge, sovereign generative AI solutions powered by a new generation of high-performance, sustainable data centers and GPUs built specifically for AI workloads. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence is driving unprecedented global demand for compute and GPU infrastructure. Positioned at the heart of this transformation, Nscale is delivering the platforms that will enable the next decade of innovation. Working closely with the world's most advanced AI technology providers, including Microsoft and NVIDIA, Nscale integrates next-generation compute hardware and GPU clusters across both partner and self-delivered facilities. This is a unique opportunity to join Nscale's journey, play a pivotal role in delivering transformative AI infrastructure, and help shape a company designed to scale rapidly across North America, Europe, and beyond. About the role We are hiring a VP, EH&S (Global) to lead Nscale's Health & Safety organization and own environment, health, and safety across the global data center portfolio. Nscale is building at extraordinary speed: greenfield campuses in the Nordics, the UK, and the United States, retrofits and colocation deployments, and a multi-gigawatt development pipeline. On any given day, thousands of people are working on Nscale sites, most of them employed by someone else. Keeping all of them safe is the mandate of this role. This is a build role. Nscale needs a global EH&S function that can scale faster than the construction program in front of it: one set of standards, one management system, one reporting line for incidents, and a team positioned at sites before mobilization rather than after. You will define what is set globally and what is executed regionally, and you will build the organization that carries it. The role spans the full delivery lifecycle. You will engage during site selection and design so hazards are engineered out before they reach the field, own owner-side safety across active construction and the contractor chain, carry EH&S accountability through commissioning and energization, and set the standards that govern live data halls once assets are operational. You will bring the discipline of critical environment operations to safety, treating availability and safety as one problem rather than two. You will report to the SVP, Global Data Center Programs and work across Construction, Commissioning, Operations, Development, Energy, Legal, People, and Sustainability, alongside general contractors, regulators, and hyperscale customers whose own safety standards are a commercial condition of the work. This is a strategic and hands-on leadership role. You will set global policy and present performance to executive leadership, and you will also be on site, in the field, and in the incident review. Candidates who want one without the other will not enjoy this job. The role is based in the United States, with regular international travel to sites across the US, UK, and the Nordics (40–50%). What you'll be doing Global EH&S strategy and management system - Own Nscale's global EH&S strategy, policy, standards, and performance targets across site development, construction, commissioning, and live data center operations. - Establish and maintain a single global EH&S management system aligned to ISO 45001 and ISO 14001, with defined regional implementation paths rather than site-by-site variation. - Define the global metrics framework: SIF potential exposure, critical control verification, TRIR and DART, environmental compliance events, and contractor performance. - Select and implement the enterprise EH&S platform supporting incident reporting, inspections, permit-to-work, contractor management, and compliance tracking. - Direct internal and third-party audit and assurance programs, and own corrective action end to end, including verification of effectiveness rather than administrative closure. - Report EH&S performance, risk exposure, and program maturity to Data Center Programs and executive leadership, and support board and risk committee reporting. Construction and contractor safety - Own owner-side safety accountability across a multi-site global construction program, including greenfield campuses, retrofits, colocation deployments, and partner-delivered builds. - Establish contractor prequalification, pre-mobilization, onboarding, and performance management requirements for general contractors and the full subcontractor chain. - Define and enforce standards for the hazards that actually cause serious harm: electrical work and arc flash, work at height, cranes and rigging, excavation, confined space, hot work, mobile plant, and energized commissioning. - Lead Serious Injury and Fatality prevention as the organizing principle of the program, built on high-energy hazard identification, critical control verification, and field presence. - Integrate EH&S requirements into contract terms, bid evaluation, and consequence management, so safety performance carries commercial weight. - Own EH&S governance across the transition from construction through commissioning to operations, so accountability does not lapse at handover. Operational and critical environment safety - Establish electrical safety programs for energized MV and HV environments, including NFPA 70E and equivalent regional standards, arc flash assessment, and qualified worker programs. - Own lockout/tagout, permit-to-work, and safe systems of work across live data halls, substations, and yard infrastructure. - Embed EH&S requirements into critical environment work practices, including MOP and EOP discipline, management of change, and switching operations. - Set standards specific to high-density AI infrastructure: direct liquid cooling systems, battery energy storage, backup generation, and chemical handling. - Define occupational health programs covering industrial hygiene, noise, ergonomics, fatigue and shift management, and cold exposure and remote-site medical response for Arctic and northern locations. - Represent EH&S in design reviews and design gates so hazards are engineered out on paper rather than managed in the field. Regulatory and environmental compliance - Ensure compliance with US occupational safety requirements including OSHA and state plan programs across all owned, leased, and partner-operated sites. - Ensure compliance with UK requirements including the Health and Safety at Work Act, CDM 2015 duties, and HSE enforcement processes. - Ensure compliance with EEA requirements including Norway's Working Environment Act, the Internal Control Regulations, and statutory safety delegate frameworks, and Icelandic equivalents. - Own site and operational environmental compliance: air permitting for backup generation, stormwater and SPCC, water use and discharge, waste and hazardous materials, refrigerants, and noise. - Support Development and Legal on environmental due diligence, impact assessment, and permitting strategy for new sites, acquisitions, and brownfield land. - Establish the compliance framework for new jurisdictions ahead of market entry, and serve as the primary EH&S liaison to regulators and inspectorates during inspections and enforcement. - Provide operational environmental data to Sustainability in support of greenhouse gas inventory, water and heat reuse reporting, and disclosure frameworks including CSRD and CDP. Incident management and crisis response - Direct global incident reporting, investigation, and escalation across all sites and contractors, with defined notification thresholds and timelines. - Oversee root cause analysis and organizational learning, ensuring findings propagate across the portfolio rather than remaining local to one site. - Lead emergency preparedness and response planning for injuries, fires, electrical events, spills and releases, severe weather, and remote-site medical evacuation. - Serve as EH&S lead in crisis management, coordinating regulatory notification, customer communication, Legal, Security, and Communications. - Build and sustain the reporting culture required for near misses and hazards to surface early and be acted on. Building the function - Build and lead the global EH&S organization: regional leads, site-based construction and operations EH&S professionals, and environmental compliance specialists. - Staff ahead of the construction curve so EH&S capability is in place before mobilization, and set hiring, performance, and succession standards across regions. - Establish global training standards, competency requirements, and certification tracking for employees and contractors, designed to scale with rapid headcount growth and high-volume contractor mobilization. - Coach project directors, site leaders, and operations managers on their personal EH&S accountabilities and visible leadership expectations. - Build relationships with regulators, industry associations, labor organizations and works councils, and local communities across all operating regions. - Support hyperscale customer EH&S assurance, audit, and contractual requirements. About you - 15+ years in EH&S, including 5+ years leading a global or multi-region function across both construction and operational environments. - Deep owner-side or EPC experience on large, complex capital construction programs: data centers, semiconductor fabrication, power generation, energy, or heavy industrial. - Demonstrated ownership of occupational health and safety at enterprise scale, with working command of operational environmental compliance and permitting support. - Multi-jurisdictional regulatory command, including US OSHA and at least one European regime (UK CDM and HSE, or EU/EEA). Nordic experience is a strong advantage. - Track record of building an EH&S management system from an early or fragmented state, not solely maintaining a mature one. - Electrical safety depth in energized medium- and high-voltage environments, and comfort with the vocabulary and discipline of critical environment operations. - Proven ability to hold general contractors and subcontractors to standard, and to resolve disputes on the basis of evidence rather than escalation. - Credibility with senior delivery and operations leaders, and the judgment to hold a line on risk under commercial and schedule pressure. - Comfort operating with ambiguity in a fast-scaling environment where systems must be built while the work is already running. - Bachelor's degree in occupational safety, environmental science, engineering, or a related field. CSP, CIH, CHMM, or NEBOSH Diploma is an advantage. - Willing and able to travel internationally on a regular basis (40–50%), including to Nordic and remote sites. What we can offer you At Nscale, you'll find a collaborative, supportive, and innovative environment where your contributions spark real impact. We're building something extraordinary, and our people are driving it. - Highly competitive US compensation package (base + bonus + equity), with performance reviews every 12 months - Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage - 401(k) retirement plan with company match - Generous PTO plus US federal holidays - A career-defining opportunity to be an early leader in one of the fastest growing AI infrastructure companies in the world - A human-first approach: we treat you as humans first. Our flexible workplace trusts Nscalers to deliver, giving you the autonomy needed to get the job done. Equal opportunities statement At Nscale, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable workplace. We believe that a variety of perspectives enriches our work environment, and we encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, parents, carers, and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds. If there's anything we can do to accommodate your specific situation, please let us know. The responsibilities outlined in this job description are not exhaustive and are intended to provide a general overview of the position. The employee may be required to perform additional duties, tasks, and responsibilities as assigned by management, consistent with the skills and qualifications required for the role. The range below reflects the base salary for the position. Actual compensation may vary based on job-related factors such as skill set, experience, education, and location. In addition to base salary, this role may be eligible for bonus, equity, and/or commission programs. Nscale may offer a competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, flexible paid time off, parental leave, and retirement plan participation. Salary Range $260,000 — $450,000 USD For information on how Nscale handles candidate personal data, please see our Employee & Candidate Privacy Notice: Here. Nscale does not accept unsolicited candidate submissions from recruitment agencies.