Summary
This Industrial Hygienist position is located at the Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital System in Hines, IL (578), a Level 1a Complexity VHA Facility, and is organizationally aligned in the Safety and Occupational Health service, under Office of the Director.
DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
ALL US CITIZENS
DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.
Current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees should apply to announcement number HN-12523471-24-PR.
Duties
Primary purpose of the position is to investigate and analyze a variety of problems or conditions in the workplace which may adversely affect the health of workers and to provide or recommend ways of eliminating problems.
Major duties of this position include, but are not limited to:
- Identifies techniques and devices for controlling or eliminating safety hazards.
- Ensures laboratories are appropriately decommissioned.
- Ensures adherence to procedures when closing laboratories, disposing of chemicals, redistributing VA equipment, and decommissioning radioactive equipment.
- Reviews vacated labs to assure compliance and provide an approval from Safety Section.
- Chairperson of Hazardous Waste and Material Management Subcommittee.
- Provides safety information to internal and external committees.
- Prepares quarterly and annual reports regarding Industrial Hygiene program.
- Annually reviews safety manual/chemical hygiene plan for Pathology, Laboratory, and Medicine Services (PLMS), to include review of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for chemicals in service, service line, and product lines; applicable hospital policies; basic safety guides, etc.
- Maintains master inventory of on-hand chemicals and monitors chemical inventories of laboratories.
- Monitors chemical inventory, discards chemicals, and ensures chemicals are appropriately stored, i.e., labeled properly, sealed securely, etc.
- Manages industrial hygiene equipment, including performing annual inventory, advising on repairs, and arranging disposal.
- Reviews and determines need for replacement equipment and ensures adequate space and resources.
Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:00am to 3:30pm
Telework: Not Suitable
Position Description Title/PD#: Industrial Hygienist/PD04231A
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
- Subject to a background/suitability investigation
- May serve a probationary period
- Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
- A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
To qualify for this occupation and grade level, you must meet one of the following Basic - Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR).
Basic Requirements
A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in industrial hygiene, occupational health sciences, occupational and environmental health, toxicology, safety sciences, or related science;
OR
A bachelor's degree in a branch of engineering, physical science, or life science that included 12 semester hours in chemistry, including organic chemistry, and 18 additional semester hours of courses in any combination of chemistry, physics, engineering, health physics, environmental health, biostatistics, biology, physiology, toxicology, epidemiology, or industrial hygiene;
OR
Certification from the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH).
Note: A copy of your transcript(s) and/or certification must be included in your application package to receive credit for meeting this basic requirement.
Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry are not acceptable.
In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements you must meet one of the following specialized experience and/or education requirements:
Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the federal service, that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the Industrial Hygienist position, and that is typically in or related to the duties of this position.
Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Demonstrated technical experience and knowledge of occupational safety, industrial hygiene and environmental standards, policies, and procedures; proven technical knowledge of the operation of clinical laboratories and duties of laboratory personnel; expertise and working knowledge of industrial hygiene programs and use of equipment to include confined space, indoor air quality monitoring, respirator program, hazardous materials and waste management, waste characterization, IH monitoring, medical surveillance, ethylene oxide, waste anesthetic gases, mold, hearing conservation, underground and above ground storage tanks, and compressed gases; professional knowledge and skill applicable to the performance of industrial hygiene duties related to a wide range of industrial settings.)
OR
Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or LL.M. obtained in an accredited college or university, with a major field of study directly related to the position being filled. This graduate education must have provided you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of an Industrial Hygienist. (Transcript required)
OR
Combination: Applicants may also possess a combination of specialized experience and successfully completed graduate education directly related to the work of the Industrial Hygienist position to qualify at this level. (Transcript required)
Note: Only education in excess of 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education may be used to qualify at the grade 11 level.
Evaluation of Experience: Qualifying experience involves the recognition, evaluation, corrective actions, and elimination of environmental conditions in the workplace that causes sickness, impaired health, or illness. This experience must demonstrate a professional knowledge of the theory and application of the principles of industrial hygiene and closely related sciences such as physics and engineering controls.
Such work must have involved experience in all of the following areas: the acquisition of quantitative and qualitative data, and the measurement of exposures for a variety of chemical, physical, and biological stresses; the analysis of the data acquired and the prediction of probable effects of exposures on the health and well- being of workers; and the selection and recommendation of appropriate controls, including management, medical, engineering, education or training, and personal protective equipment.
Evaluation of Education: All science or engineering courses offered in fulfillment of the above requirements must be acceptable for credit toward the completion of a standard 4-year professional curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in science or engineering at an accredited college or university. For engineering degrees to be acceptable, the curriculum must be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) as a professional engineering curriculum.
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.
Physical Requirements: The work includes frequent inspections or surveys of industrial workplaces, requiring the employee to carry a considerable amount of equipment, and involve a good deal of walking, standing, bending, and climbing.
Work Environment: During inspections or surveys, there is regular exposure to all of the hazards and discomforts to which the workers are subjected, including a wide range of toxic chemicals, physical stresses, and safety hazards., The employee must use a variety of protective equipment and clothing, such as respirators, ear plugs, gloves, coveralls, hard hats, etc.
Education
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.
If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.
Required Documents
Documents Required:
Documents Accepted:
- Cover Letter
- Other (1)
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application.Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.
Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.
Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/24/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12519870.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the More Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
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.
Next steps
After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to appointment date and is not guaranteed.
|