Campus Pride Jobs

Summary The Safety and Occupational Health Specialist works with supervisors, union officials, and safety and occupational health committees to eliminate or control hazardous operations or conditions. Safety and occupational health specialists perform nonsupervisory work and are characterized by the need to develop educational material and techniques. She/He promotes a wide variety of training activities designed to achieve awareness of safety hazards and corresponding preventive procedures. Responsibilities Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Duties include but not limited to: The employee administers safety and occupational health programs to assure compliance with applicable standards and requirements. They are responsible for drafting, revising and maintaining of all Occupational Safety policies to ensure they are accurate and identify any changes to policies and regulations. The employee advises senior level management officials on the implementations needed within the assigned area on the status of the safety and occupational health programs and recommends changes in the design of work programs to meet new safety and occupational health standards. The employee periodically, confers with safety and occupational health specialists external to the facility to identify hazards related to new laboratory equipment or other areas and to become familiar with evolving techniques and protective devices for controlling or eliminating potential safety hazards. The employee independently schedules surveys of VA buildings and offices to identify and evaluate risks involving a wide variety of work environments; determines the extent to which mechanical and physical conditions comply, and makes decisions regarding adherence to established safety policies and procedures. The employee directs investigations of accidents, analyzing precipitating factors and accident cause data in order to develop specific methods for prevention. He/she also consults with specialists from related occupations concerning work process modifications and recommends corrective or remedial safety measures. Employee is responsible for implementation and maintenance of the Environment of Care rounds and program and the implementation of the medical centers construction safety program, that includes the JC Statement of Conditions (SOC's) program. The employee trains other employees and lower grade occupational safety and industrial hygiene staff, providing instruction on a variety of subjects, including chemical, biological, or physical safety topics. He/she adapts various available media to fit special and unique training requirements and participates in the development of novel or innovative safety training and promotion activities. The employee participates in the facility Safety, Accident Review Board (ARB), and/or Environment of Care (EOC) committees. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday; 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Safety & Occupational Health Specialist/PD21466A and PD21467A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion related to frequent inspections and surveys requiring considerable standing, walking, climbing, bending, crouching, stretching, reaching or similar movements. Occasionally, there may be a need to lift and carry moderately heavy objects. The work may require some degree of agility and dexterity when, for example, it involves inspecting ships or construction sites. Work will require regular driving for extended periods of time. Selective Placement Factor (Screen-Out) - A Selective Placement Factor (SPF) has been identified for this position. Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration. A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process You must possess a current and valid state-issued driver's license Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 12/20/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Basic Requirements: You must meet the Individual Occupational Requirement, the General Experience Requirement, or the Certification Requirement listed below in addition to the grade specific requirements for this position. Individual Occupational Requirement: I have a Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- safety or occupational health fields (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or degree in other related fields that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours of study from among the following (or closely related) disciplines: safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, and industrial psychology. (Transcripts Required) OR, General Experience Requirement: I have experience in or related to safety and occupational health that provided the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Managing safety or occupational health program elements; Developing and recommending safety and occupational health policy to higher levels of management; Applying safety and occupational health laws, regulations, principles, theories, practices, and procedures to advise on or resolve technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements; Developing safety and occupational health standards, regulations, practices, and procedures to eliminate or control potential hazards; Developing or implementing programs to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of accidents and occupational illnesses; Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of hazards; Designing or modifying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems to control or eliminate hazards; Inspecting or surveying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems for compliance with established safety and occupational health policies or standards and to identify potential new hazards; Training of workers, supervisors, managers, or other safety and occupational health personnel in safety or occupational health subjects; Work in occupational fields such as industrial hygienist, safety engineer, fire prevention engineer, health physicist, and occupational health nurse. OR, Certificate Requirement: I have a Certification as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), or Certified Health Physicist (CHP), or similar certification that included successful completion of a written examination. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-9: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Recommend specific techniques (methods, procedures, training) to ensure countermeasures are in place to eliminate or control unsafe acts or conditions with management; advise management and employees of safety policies and actions taken or needed to control hazards such as fires, falls, electrical, asbestos, blocked egress, etc; Perform inspections throughout the health care system, construction sites, and long-term care facilities for compliance and hazard reduction; directs investigations of accidents, analyzing precipitating factors and accident cause data in order to develop specific methods for prevention. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week. OR, Education: See Education Tab. (TRANCRIPTS REQUIRED) Combination: See Education Tab. (TRANCRIPTS REQUIRED) GS-11: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: trains other employees and lower grade occupational safety and industrial hygiene staff, providing instruction on a variety of subjects, including chemical, biological, or physical safety topics; recommend specific techniques (methods, procedures, training) to ensure countermeasures are in place to eliminate or control unsafe acts or conditions with management; advise management and employees of safety policies and actions taken or needed to control hazards such as fires, falls, electrical, asbestos, blocked egress, etc; perform inspections throughout the health care system, construction sites, and long-term care facilities for compliance and hazard reduction; directs investigations of accidents, analyzing precipitating factors and accident cause data in order to develop specific methods for prevention; draft, revise and maintain Occupational Safety policies for accuracy and to identify changes to policies and regulations. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week. Education: See Education Tab. (TRANCRIPTS REQUIRED) Combination: See Education Tab. (TRANCRIPTS REQUIRED) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Compliance Inspection Education and Training Safety Engineering Technical Competence Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education For GS-9: Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed: a master's or equivalent graduate degree; OR 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR an LL.B; OR J.D. in a related field that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position; OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Applicants must have successfully completed graduate level education with a major appropriate to the position (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. For example, 6 months of experience at GS-7 plus 1 year of graduate-level education may qualify you for this GS. For GS-11: Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR an LL.M. if related that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position; OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Applicants must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the two years or 36 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. For example, an applicant has 9 months of specialized experience equivalent to GS-9 and 2 1/2 years of creditable graduate level education. The applicant meets 75 percent of the required experience and 50 percent of the required education, i.e., the applicant has 1/2 year of graduate study beyond that required for GS-9. Therefore, the applicant exceeds the total requirement and is qualified for the position. A TRANSCRIPT must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.