Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation. This is an open continuous announcement set to close on July 15, 2026, or on the date in which the vacancy is filled, whichever comes first. Qualified candidates will be referred to the Selecting Manager approximately every 14 days from the date of posting until the closing date beginning on May 28,2026.

This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-11, however a selection can be made at any of the following grade levels: GS-09 OR GS-11. At the GS-09 grade level, you will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11.

The major duties include but are not limited to:

• Asbestos control and abatement, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, hearing conversation, hazard communication, nitrous oxide, mercury, hazardous and infectious waste management, water testing and treatment, respirator program, and anti-neoplastic drugs.
• Performs various duties in an Industrial Hygiene program to access work practices and environmental conditions for hazards to the health and safety of workers. Duties include conducting studies of work operations and processes, examining work environments, analyzing findings, promulgating recommendations, and preparing various reports. Environmental conditions involve a variety of hazards including physical, chemical, and biological hazards; ionizing and non-ionizing radiation; and other environmental agents.
• Assigned work areas include industrial shops, surgical suites, production areas, laboratories, research areas, confined spaces and outdoor work sites.
• Regularly inspects the medical center to identify potential occupational health hazards and the need for further investigative studies and surveys.
• Studies and surveys performed involve determining compliance with various established criteria, evaluating exposures, and advising on control measures and changes in work procedures or schedules to comply with established health requirements, and providing information for evaluation purposes.
• In performing surveys/studies, incumbent must: 1) select or devise methods and instruments; 2) personally or through others, conduct measurements; and 3) study and test materials associated with the work operation or work environment.
• Performs analysis to determine nature and degree of toxic materials present.
• Interprets results of studies for the work environment in terms of possible impairment to health, nature of health impairment, potential for medical center damages, etc., and presents specific conclusions and recommendations to appropriate management and health officials.
• Determines the need for and effectiveness of control measures and changes in work procedures.
• Recommends procedures that will be suitable and effective for the environment.
• Receives and disposes of hazardous wastes and maintains appropriate records in accordance with existing EPA standards, state laws, and VA regulations.
• Prepares comprehensive and legally sufficient written reports of all monitoring activities performed which are subsequently incorporated into comprehensive reports prepared to assess the overall effectiveness of the industrial hygiene program.
• Ensures proper documentation of employee exposures in medical records.

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.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday; 7:30 am - 4:00 pm (PST)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Industrial Hygienist/PD21095A and PD21094A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized to highly qualified candidates.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet Individual Occupational Requirements and Minimum Qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/16/2026.

Individual Occupational Requirements:

Basic Requirement: An IOR is a basic requirement that must be met in order to qualify for the 0690 occupational series. All applicants, regardless of grade level must meet minimum education requirements. For this occupation, the education must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

• A bachelors or graduate/higher level degree in industrial hygiene, occupational health sciences, occupational and environmental health, toxicology, safety sciences, or related science. OR,
• A bachelors 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,
• A Certification from the Board for Global EHS Credentialing (formerly American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH)).

Note: Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry are not acceptable.

In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirement you may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-9

• Minimum Qualifications: 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: Conducting surveys and investigations to identify and evaluate conditions that are hazardous to the health of employees to assist in developing and recommending corrective measures; Develops reviews and revises industrial hygiene related plans, policies, and standard operating procedures; Performs accident investigations including indoor air quality assessments, chemical exposures, lighting surveys, etc.; Advises on control measures and changes in work procedures to comply with established health requirements; Receives and disposes of hazardous wastes and maintains appropriate records. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year starting and year ending dates AND hours worked per week. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. Please see Education section for requirements. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Please see Education section for requirements.

GS-11

• Minimum Qualifications: 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: Conducting surveys and investigations to identify, evaluate, and present conclusions of conditions that are hazardous to the health of employees by selecting or devising methods and instruments, conducting measurements, and studying test materials; Develops, submits, and presents industrial hygiene reports upon request; Performs accident investigations including indoor air quality assessments, chemical exposures, lighting surveys, etc.; Drafts and maintains records in accordance with State law and EPA standards; Advises on control measures and changes in work procedures to comply with established health requirements; Develops a comprehensive industrial hygiene program consisting of environmental monitoring, record keeping, medical surveillance, personal protective equipment, respiratory fir testing, hazardous material management, asbestos control and education and training. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year starting and year ending dates AND hours worked per week. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. Please see Education section for requirements; OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Please see Education section for requirements.

Note: Experience should show 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.

Preferred Experience: Three years as an Industrial Hygienist with experience in a hospital setting.

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/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

RESUME REMINDER: Your resume must include the following information each job listed:

• Job title;
• Duties (be as detailed as possible);
• Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008);
• Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week);
• Salary/Rank etc.;
• Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held;
• References, current or recent supervisor.

Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

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.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Note: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

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