Sr. Advisor, Emergency Response

What is the Opportunity?

As part of an alliance agreement, Aecon has been awarded a contract in an Aecon-led partnership with Kiewit Nuclear Canada by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) for the execution phase on the Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) in Clarington, Ontario. Beginning in 2025 Aecon will support the Construction of the Unit 1 Small Modular Reactor at the Darlington site.

Reporting to the EHS Director, the Sr. Advisor, Emergency Response is responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining a world-class emergency preparedness and rescue capability for the SMR-X construction program. This role ensures the project is fully prepared to prevent, respond to, and recover from high-risk events including fire, medical emergencies, high-angle rescue, and confined space incidents across complex, multi-employer work environments.

This position serves as the technical authority and operational lead for all emergency response planning, readiness, training, and field execution—ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations, industry best practice, and nuclear-grade operational standards

What You'll Do Here:

• Develop and maintain the Project Emergency Response Framework, integrating fire suppression, medical response, high-angle rescue, and confined space rescue into a unified, auditable system.
• Establish emergency response standards, procedures, and performance requirements aligned with regulatory, client, and constructor expectations.
• Build and maintain formal rescue plan templates and scope-specific rescue packages for all high-risk work activities.
• Lead the development and approval of task-specific rescue plans for confined spaces, elevated and high-angle work, hot work and fire risk environments, and complex, multi-employer work fronts.
• Act as the project’s technical authority for emergency response methods, equipment selection, and rescue system design.
• Review method statements, permits, and hazard analyses to ensure rescue and response requirements are fully integrated.
• Maintain continuous oversight of emergency response readiness, including staffing levels, equipment availability, and response capability across all active work zones.
• Lead routine and unannounced response drills, simulations, and performance assessments.
• Conduct field audits and readiness inspections to verify compliance and effectiveness.
• Establish and lead a full-time Emergency Response Team (ERT), augmented by trained craft workers embedded within the workforce.
• Define training, certification, and competency standards for all response personnel.
• Build a culture of readiness, professionalism, and disciplined execution across the response organization.
• Design and implement a project-wide emergency response training program, including confined space rescue, high-angle rescue, first aid, trauma response, and medical coordination, fire suppression and incident command
• Maintain competency tracking, certification records, and refresher training schedules.
• Coordinate with local emergency services, site security, medical providers, and regulatory agencies to ensure seamless external response integration.
• Support leadership during incident response, investigations, and post-event learning reviews.
• Provide technical briefings and readiness reports to project leadership and client representatives.
• Other duties as assigned.

What You Bring to the Team:

• 10–15 years of experience in emergency response, rescue operations, or high-risk industrial safety environments.
• Proven experience in oil & gas, heavy industrial construction, major infrastructure, or energy projects.
• Demonstrated expertise in confined space rescue systems, high-angle and technical rope rescue, fire response and suppression planning, and Industrial medical response and trauma management.
• Hands-on experience developing, authoring, and executing formal rescue plans for complex work scopes.
• Strong understanding of regulatory and compliance frameworks governing emergency preparedness in high-hazard environments.
• Experience on nuclear, petrochemical, LNG, or megaproject construction programs considered an asset.
• Formal training or certification in Incident Command Systems (ICS), technical rescue disciplines, and emergency management or crisis leadership considered an asset.
• Experience building and leading dedicated industrial ERT programs considered an asset.
• Operational Control Mindset: Thinks in systems, not just response—designs prevention, readiness, execution, and learning loops.
• Field Credibility: Trusted by trades, supervisors, and leadership as a technical and operational authority.
• Leadership Under Pressure: Calm, decisive, and structured in high-consequence environments.
• Technical Rigor: High standards for documentation, training, and procedural discipline.
• Communication: Clear, authoritative, and able to brief executives and field teams alike.
• Zero uncontrolled emergency response failures.
• Fully auditable and regulator-ready emergency response system.
• Demonstrated field readiness through drills, audits, and performance metrics.
• A trained, professional, and embedded emergency response culture across the workforce.
• Able to lift at least 50 pounds and climb ladders, if required
• Must be comfortable with different work locations and job sites
• Ability to work with limited supervision and to be proactive
• Adaptable to flexible work schedule when required to meet deadlines
• Valid Driver’s License

Reason for vacancy: Replacement

Pay Range: $100,000 - $120,000

Individual pay is determined based on several factors, including work location, education, experience, unique skills and job conditions. Other considerations may include certifications, specialized training, and the complexity or scope of the role.

We strongly encourage applicants who identify as Indigenous to apply to work with us on the Darlington New Nuclear Project. At Aecon, Indigenous is an umbrella term for First Nations (status and non-status), Metis and Inuit.