Risk Management Engineer

SUMMARY:
Position Title: Risk Management Engineer
Department: Health, Safety, Risk, Environment, and Quality (HSREQ)
Reporting To: HSE Head of Department 
Remuneration: R95,000 – R103,000 per month (negotiable based on ECSA registration, fire rational design sign-off authority, and regulatory leadership experience)

POSITION INFO:

PART 1: ROLE SUMMARY

The Risk Management Engineer is a strategic and operational authority responsible for embedding risk intelligence, resilience planning, and regulatory defensibility across the company’s engineering, production, and facility operations.
This role is essential to the company’s ability to:

• Operate safely in high-risk, regulated environments
• Scale responsibly across multiple sites and group companies
• Maintain legal defensibility under OHSA, MHSA, SAPHRA, NNR, and municipal codes
• Integrate risk governance into the Site Master File, emergency protocols, and operational SOPs

The Risk Management Engineer plays a pivotal role in enabling the company’s license to operate, supporting its transition from outsourced risk analysis to in-house capability, and ensuring that all strategic decisions are informed by robust risk modeling and scenario planning.

Key Strategic Deliverables

1. Enterprise Risk Integration

• Develop and maintain enterprise-wide risk registers across all operational zones, including isotope enrichment, laser operations, cryogenic systems, and prototype testing
• Align risk frameworks with ISO 31000, ISO 45001, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001
• Embed risk controls into engineering design, commissioning plans, and operational workflows
• Ensure traceability, version control, and audit readiness of all risk documentation
• Support strategic planning through risk-informed decision-making and predictive modeling

2. Operational Risk Oversight

• Conduct structured risk assessments including HIRA, MHI, Hazmat, Fire, Radiation, and Environmental Impact
• Validate zoning, bunding, fire resistance ratings, suppression systems, and emergency infrastructure across all sites
• Lead the development of risk mitigation strategies for high-hazard installations, hazardous chemical substance handling, and radiological operations
• Support readiness for SAPHRA, NNR, Department of Labour, and municipal inspections
• Ensure emergency preparedness protocols are risk-informed, site-specific, and aligned with the operational risk profile

PART 2: PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Risk Management Engineer is a strategic, legally accountable, and technically authoritative role responsible for ensuring that engineering, production, and facility operations are governed by robust risk management principles and aligned with national and international standards.
This role is central to the mission to deliver world-class isotope enrichment technologies across healthcare, nuclear energy, and industrial sectors, while maintaining operational integrity, regulatory compliance, and safety excellence in high-risk environments.
The Risk Management Engineer is tasked with developing and implementing integrated risk frameworks that support the company’s license to operate, enable safe scaling of operations, and ensure defensibility under OHSA, MHSA, SAPHRA, NNR, and municipal codes.

Purpose-Driven Responsibilities

1. Lead Strategic Risk Governance Across Operations

• Develop and maintain enterprise-wide risk registers for all sites and group companies
• Align risk management systems with ISO 31000, ISO 45001, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001
• Ensure risk controls are embedded in engineering design, commissioning plans, and operational SOPs
• Support strategic planning through predictive risk modeling, scenario analysis, and resilience forecasting
• Facilitate cross-functional integration of risk intelligence into facility design, zoning, bunding, and emergency infrastructure

2. Coordinate Regulatory Engagement and Risk-Based Permit Facilitation

• Act as the primary liaison for risk-related engagements with:
  
  • SAPHRA
  • NNR
  • Department of Employment and Labour
  • Municipal fire and environmental departments
• Prepare and submit technically sound, outcome-based risk assessments to support:
  
  • Hazardous chemical substance permits
  • Major Hazard Installation (MHI) classification
  • Occupancy certificates
  • Licensing and renewals
• Ensure all regulatory engagements are supported by traceable, auditable, and legally defensible documentation

3. Oversee Operational Risk Assessments and Emergency Preparedness

• Conduct structured risk assessments across:
  
  • Isotope enrichment facilities
  • Laser operations (Class 3B and 4)
  • Cryogenic systems (LHe, LNG)
  • R&D laboratories and prototype testing zones
  • Group companies and affiliated projects
• Validate readiness for emergency response, fire safety compliance, and environmental risk mitigation
• Ensure emergency signage, suppression systems, and evacuation routes are installed, maintained, and tested
• Support the development of site-specific emergency preparedness plans based on risk profiling and hazard analysis

PART 3: KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Risk Management Engineer ensures that the company’s engineering, production, and facility operations are governed by robust, auditable, and legally defensible risk management systems. This includes:
3.1 Strategic Risk Governance and Systems Integration

• Develop and maintain enterprise-wide risk registers
• Align risk management systems with ISO frameworks (31000, 45001, 9001, 14001)
• Integrate risk controls into engineering design, commissioning plans, and operational SOPs
• Lead scenario planning and predictive modeling for high-risk operations including isotope enrichment, hazardous chemical handling, and cryogenic systems
• Ensure documentation traceability and audit readiness
• Support strategic planning with resilience forecasting

3.2 Operational Risk Assessment and Hazard Mitigation

• Conduct HIRA, MHI, Hazmat, Fire, and Radiation risk assessments
• Validate zoning, bunding, fire systems, and emergency infrastructure
• Develop risk mitigation strategies for hazardous substances, radiological operations, laser operations, and prototype testing
• Ensure emergency infrastructure and signage are compliant and functional
• Support environmental risk mitigation including spill response and waste management

PART 4: SUPERVISORY AND FUNCTIONAL OVERSIGHT

4.1 Direct Supervision and Line Management
The Risk Management Engineer supervises and directs:

• Risk Analysts
• HSE Officers
• Compliance Officer
• HSREQ Administrator
• Fire Safety Specialist Superintendent
• Registered Occupational Hygiene Specialist (RPO)
• IMS Specialist

4.2 Functional Oversight and Technical Integration
Leads integration of risk controls into:

• Facility design and zoning plans
• Commissioning strategies and emergency infrastructure
• SOPs and emergency response protocols
• Engineering reviews and project planning

Key responsibilities include validating compliance of fire systems, water reticulation, evacuation routes, hazardous substance handling, internal audits, CAPA tracking, regulatory submissions, and risk-based training programs.

PART 5: QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

5.1 Educational Background

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, Industrial, Systems, or equivalent)
• Postgraduate qualification in Risk Engineering, Safety Management, Process Safety, or Environmental Law (preferred)
• Certifications in Nuclear Engineering, Engineering Management, or Fire Protection (advantageous)
• Formal training in ISO 31000, ISO 45001, and ISO 14001

5.2 Professional Registration and Legal Competency

• ECSA Registration: PrEng or PrTechEng (preferred)
• ISO Lead Auditor Certification (advantageous)
• Legal competency for OHSA, MHSA, MHI, and Hazardous Substances Regulations
• Familiarity with SAPHRA and NNR licensing

5.3 Experience Requirements

• 8–10 years in risk engineering, safety management, or compliance within high-risk, regulated environments (nuclear, chemical, advanced manufacturing, mining, or energy)
• Proven ability in enterprise risk management, HIRA, MHI, Hazmat, and fire assessments
• Experience in regulatory submissions, permit applications, and supervising multidisciplinary teams
• Integration of risk controls into engineering design, commissioning, and operations
• Emergency preparedness and resilience planning across multiple sites

 

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