Industrial Hygienist

Clarification from the agency

Open to all US Citizens, CTAP, and ICTAP eligibles. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

Position Description Title/PD#: Industrial Hygienist/PD070230
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm
Telework: Not Available
SLRP Authorized: This occupational series is eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP). Repayment is limited to $40,000 annually, up to $100,000 in lifetime awards. Participants must sign a service agreement and maintain an acceptable level of performance to remain eligible for this program.

Major Duties include but are not limited to:

• Utilizes professional knowledge of the theories practices and methodologies of natural, physical and social sciences as they relate to the natural and human environment to serve as a regulatory specialist with technical expertise to organize, analyze, interpret, and evaluate scientific data in the solution of environmental engineering problems.
• Development, implementation and sustainment of a comprehensive Environmental Management System program performing compliance audits annually.
• Management of facility recycling, waste minimization, pollution prevention and sustainment programs.
• Ensure proper development, implementation and management of programs designed to ensure ongoing compliance with local, state and federal environmental statutes and associated regulations including but not limited to Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, National Historic Preservation Act, Resource Conservation Act, Toxic Substance Control Act, Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act and Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.
• Responsible for the preparation and submission of environmental plans, permits, and reports and maintains proper recordkeeping.
• Manages the hazardous materials management program including but not limited to inventory of hazardous material, Safety Data Sheets, lead and asbestos etc.
• Chairs the GEMS committee reporting up to Leadership Forum.
• Participates and assists the Recycling Coordinator with leading the Green Team.
• Responds and tracks all Environmental and GEMS related suspense actions including initial/routine update and management of facility environmental surveys.
• Management of facility recycling, waste minimization, pollution prevention and sustainability programs.
• Environmental contract acquisition and management.
• Training program development and execution for environmental programs as outlined by supervisor but no less than once per quarter.
• Provides extensive expert advice and direction on industrial hygiene matters to VA personnel, including use of toxic and hazardous substances, control measures for reducing exposure to hazardous agents and disposal of hazardous chemical agents.
• Investigates accidents, which may include those involving fatalities and serious injury, and complaints of employees concerning unhealthful work conditions and determines corrective measures, prepares necessary reports and records.
• Recommends corrective measures such as engineering controls, administrative controls, or personal protective equipment to eliminate or reduce occupational health hazards.
• Provides support for the oversite and evaluation Radiologic and any laser program activities ensuring compliance with directives including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
• Develops, maintains and sustains a comprehensive Respiratory Protection Program to include policy development, Fit Testing and training.
• Develops and administers the Medical Center's Hazard Communication Program.
• Provides technical assistance to the Employees Health Unit in the interpretation of OSHA requirements, development of occupational health program policies and procedures, and in response to employee's exposure incidents.
• Supports the development of facility industrial hygiene policies, programs, and procedural documentation.
• Develops, maintains and sustains a comprehensive Hearing Conservation Program to include policy development and training.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment: There will be walking, climbing, bending, stooping and lifting up to 50lbs when at field locations or conducting inspections. On occasion, the work requires the employee to wear various types of Personal Protective Equipment to include respirators, hard hats and steel toe shoes. Incumbent must remain physically fit to perform all assigned duties. May be required to operate a government vehicle. Work is usually performed in an office setting, although there may be occasional work that may be performed in a variety of heights, dusty and dirty environments, outside during inclement weather, and during off hours. This employee will be required to travel off site to perform inspections and work areas throughout BVAHCS. Travel to each campus, CBOC and other VA and contract sites of care is required. A valid state license must be maintained for the operation of government vehicles.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc. is required
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

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

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period (OR INSERT "2-year trial 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

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Individual Occupation Requirement (IOR): Applicants must meet one of the following 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 (Transcripts Required); 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 (Transcripts Required); or
• Certification from the Board of Global EHS Credentialing (formerly American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH)).

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

In addition to the approve applicants must meet the specialized experience requirement below.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:
GS-12 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes:

• Development, implementation and sustainment of a comprehensive Environmental Management System (EMS) program performing compliance audits annually
• Plan, coordinate, and conduct environmental conservation, restoration, compliance and pollution prevention projects and carry out actions to ensure compliance of operations using applicable standards
• Management of facility recycling, waste minimization, pollution prevention and sustainment programs
• Participates in the coordination and implementation of financial and budget execution activities related to environmental programs
• Development of facility policy, guidance and procedures related to environmental requirements for regulatory and statutory analysis
• Plans, coordinates and carries out advanced long-term project assignments dealing with functional technical disciplines that are required to meet environmental compliance requirements

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.

Selective Placement Factor: Bachelor of Science Degree (or higher) in Safety Management, Industrial Hygiene or Environmental Management

Preferred Experience: Chemical assessments, exposure and PPE requirements. Experience with respiratory protection program i.e. FIT testing and other IH and environmental program testing : hearing (noise) conservation, air and water.

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.

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. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

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.

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.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

Documents Accepted:

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

Documents Required:

• Resume
• 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.

Next steps