To safely deliver an all-electric, autonomous aircraft, safety has to start long before takeoff. That’s a guiding principle for Joe Xie, Wisk’s Senior Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Specialist.

Joe’s interest in environmental health began in his hometown of Changzhou, China, where he saw firsthand the impact of pollution on the Yangtze River. Those early experiences shaped his understanding of industrial hygiene and the importance of proactive environmental standards.

With more than 12 years of EHS and industrial hygiene experience, Joe plays a key role in making Wisk’s facilities and labs operate to the highest standards. He joined Wisk driven by his belief that sustainable electric flight is the future, and brings deep experience supporting R&D across complex environments.

We asked Joe to share a bit more about his path and experience:

Q: Where did you grow up and were there any clues back then as to the career path you’d end up taking?

Joe: I grew up in Changzhou, a city in China. Near my grandmother’s apartment blocks, there was a tributary to the Yangtze that changed color almost daily due to industrial discharge upstream. From a young age, I had an inkling of the dangers of environmental degradation.

Q: You joined Wisk because you believe sustainable electric flight is the future. Can you elaborate on what drew you to this mission?

Joe: I’ve always been drawn to new technology. Joining Wisk seemed to be a natural progression after working in the electric vehicle and battery space in the automotive industry. I was also intrigued by autonomous tech; a self-flying plane just seemed really cool, especially since nearly all the automakers are working on autonomy, too.

Q: What does your role as a Sr. EHS Specialist look like on a day-to-day basis?

Joe: There’s a lot of variety, which keeps things interesting! My primary role is supporting the propulsion, battery, and Iron Bird teams with their EHS needs in our Fremont, CA facility. I also spend at least two days per week in Mountain View supporting all of our buildings, including HQ. I may be doing in-person battery safety training, providing High Voltage gloves and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), assessing environmental contaminants, conducting hazwaste inspections, and coordinating HVAC, fire, or other vendor visits.

Q: You came from the automotive industry – how have your experiences transferred to the electric aviation industry?

Joe: A lot of the equipment used in the automotive industry pertaining to Li-ion batteries is also used at Wisk. Thus, the hazards and controls are similar. Many of the things I’ve learned during my career in the automotive industry have been applied directly to Wisk, such as developing the battery safety program, including training and live drills.

Q: What do you think are the most important pillars of workplace safety and industrial hygiene?

Joe: Working directly with line employees on hazard identification and risk assessments. Oftentimes, the best solutions for controlling hazards come from the folks who work directly with the hazards. I am always impressed by how ingenious some of the solutions are.

Q: What is the best career advice you ever received?

Joe: My mentor when I worked at Stanford taught me: “People skills are just as important as technical skills, no matter where you are.” 

Q: If you could do anything in the world for a day, what would you do?

Joe: Visit the Vacheron Constantin manufactory located in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland, and take a tour of their entire facility.

Q: What’s your favorite way to start (or end) the day?

Joe: I usually take a 20-30 minute power nap after work in my car before driving home. It helps me to regain some energy levels for the evening at home.

Q: What show are you binge-watching right now?

Joe: I’m rewatching the first season of True Detective. I usually do it at least once a year. I consider it one of the greatest pieces of modern-day television. I am also working my way through The Three Body Problem since I love hard sci-fi.

A big thank you to Joe for taking the time to share his story and his passion for EHS. His expertise gives Wisk the secure foundation we need to keep innovating and safely building the future of flight.

Interested in working at Wisk? Explore open roles here.