Summary
This position is located with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), located in Arlington, VA. The Mine Safety and Health Specialist is responsible for the design, development, implementation and monitoring of highly technical programs in the mining industry that impact and interface with other safety and health programs.
This position is inside the bargaining unit.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
This announcement is open to all US Citizens; and ICTAP/CTAP eligibles in the local commuting area. This position is also being announced under job announcement MS-24-DAL-MSHA-12442274-RW. To be considered for each job opportunity announcement, you must apply to BOTH.
Duties
The GS-13 position is developmental, leading to the full performance level, GS-14.
- Leads or actively participates in the development and revision of mandatory safety standards.
- Consults with other offices and recommends new or revised regulations and represents the MSHA at public hearings.
- Provides technical guidance, service and staff assistance in all areas of mining to Headquarters and the Field.
- Develops and holds seminars in assigned program area to promote applicable new technology to assist in developing new programs for improving techniques aimed toward eliminating accidents. Manages the development and implementation of training classes or seminars for field personnel and others.
- Approves, implements and monitors field evaluations of mining or safety systems at complex mining operations. Analyzes data and monitors state-of-the art mine technology which has significant implications on national safety programs.
- Recommends approval or disapproval of petitions for modification of standards filed under 101 (c) of the Act. Analyzes and disseminates complex technical, regulatory or safety related information.
- Promotes, plans, manages and evaluates one or more of the following programs: Roof Control, Ventilation, Electrical, Mine Emergencies, Impoundments and other miscellaneous safety areas in underground and surface mines.
- Communicates orally regarding mining technology and related safety enforcement issues.
- Presents speeches at conferences, symposiums or seminars.
- Testifies as an MSHA expert witness at hearings regarding mine safety and enforcement. Testifies at Congressional Committees or Subcommittee hearings or inquiries.
- Designs, implements and monitors highly specialized, multi-faceted, and adaptable mine safety programs which impact and interface with other safety programs.
- Evaluates. monitors and reviews district and national safety related enforcement programs and information, such as pattern of violations.
- Conducts comprehensive analyses of data from wide variety of mine accidents that are critical interest to MSHA.
- Evaluates and advises supervisor on state-of-the-art activities in mine equipment development and technology. Prepares in-depth technical reports at conclusion of analyses which identify causes of recurring mine accidents, data trends and recommends new enforcement strategies, method of prevention, and corrective actions to eliminate identified problems and weaknesses.
- Writes directives and policies regarding implementation and interpretation of mine safety standards, inspection procedures and enforcement guidelines on safety standards.
- Plans, organizes, directs and monitors the creation and revision of inspection handbooks.
- Writes technical reports, briefing papers, speeches, bulletins, correspondence, etc.
- Prepares and reviews manuscripts, speeches, reports, draft regulations, etc.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Must be a U.S. Citizen.
- Must be at least 16 years old.
- Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
- Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
- Subject to financial disclosure requirements.
- Requires a valid driver's license.
- Subject to pre-employment and random drug tests.
Qualifications
The Mine Safety and Health Inspection Series, GS-1822, has basic requirements for positions covered by this standard. Applicants must meet both the basic requirements and specialized experience for the specific grade level to qualify. To qualify for Mine Safety and Health Specialist position, your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements as defined below. If qualifying based on experience, be sure these types of examples are evident in your resume.
Basic Requirement:
One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower level: Performing mine safety and health inspection, analysis and evaluation of health/safety aspects of mining industry operations and processes; or evaluation, analysis or development of agency programs.
Examples of creditable experience include: Direct on-site inspection; special accident investigation; development of mine safety and health standards; data analysis and evaluation of operational mine safety and health programs; special assessments; and development of industry-wide training or safety and health awareness programs.
Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.
For the GS-13 grade level: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-12 in Federal Service.
Specialized experience must include at least three (3) of the following:
- Direct on-site inspections or investigations and/or conducting accident investigations.
- Serve as a Subject Matter Expert providing advice and recommendations to others on matters related to mine safety policies.
- Apply analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to develop new procedures.
- Provide guidance in the enforcement of Mine Safety and Health standards.
- Produce, edit, and proofread, written logical, technical and analytical reports and documents.
For the GS-14 grade level: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-13 in Federal Service. Specialized experience must include at least five (5) of the following:
- Direct on-site inspections or investigations and/or conducting accident investigations.
- Serve as a Subject Matter Expert providing advice and recommendations to others on matters related to mine safety policies.
- Apply analytical and evaluative methods and techniques to develop new procedures.
- Provide oversight and guidance in the enforcement of Mine Safety and Health standards.
- Produce, edit, and proofread, written logical, technical and analytical reports and documents.
- Planning, developing, and implementing safety measures accomplishing MSHA's mission.
NOTE: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Education
There is no educational substitution in lieu of specialized experience at the GS-13/14 levels.
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.
If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be evaluated against the evaluation factors below and will be placed into a category based on your vacancy question responses.
Category A - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and has successful experience in the same or similar job that has demonstrated superior proficiency in applying critical competencies required by this position to work of increased levels of difficulty and complexity.
Category B - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and demonstrates satisfactory proficiency in the critical competencies required by this position.
Category C - Meets the specialized experience described in the minimum qualification requirements section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the basic competencies.
Evaluation Factors (Competencies) - All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:
- Interpersonal Skills
- Mine Safety and Health
- Oral Communication
- Problem Solving
- Written Communication
Click here for Evaluation details.
You may preview questions for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12442275
The information you provide may be verified by a review of your paid, unpaid, volunteer, and other lived experience, as it demonstrates the competencies or skills required for the position to be filled. Your evaluation may include an interview, reference checks, or other assessment conducted by HR specialists, subject matter experts, or panel members and may include other assessment tools (ex. interview, structured interview, written test, work sample, etc.). The examining Office of Human Resources (OHR) makes the final determination concerning applicant ratings. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your vacancy question responses. If not, the OHR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency indicated by the content of your resume.
INFORMATION FOR ICTAP/CTAP ELIGIBLE(S) ONLY: If you are eligible for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration. ICTAP/CTAP eligible(s) who are placed into Category B or higher will be considered well-qualified. Be sure to review the eligibility questions to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation.
Click Application of Veterans Preference for Category Rating Jobs for more information.
Required Documents
The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date.
- Resumes: Required and applicants must provide a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one from your profile. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please list the month, year, and number of work hours worked for the experience listed on your resume. We also suggest that you preview the vacancy questions and confirm that your resume supports your question responses.
- Veterans Documents (if applicable): To be considered as a 5-point (TP) preference eligible, you must submit a copy of your DD214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Your DD 214 must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. To claim 10-point (CP/CPS, XP) preference, you must submit a copy of your DD214; an Application for 10-point Veteran's Preference, SF15; and the proof of entitlement of this preference, which is normally an official statement, dated 1991 or later, from the Department of Veterans Affairs certifying to the present existence of the service-connected disability and indicating the percentage of your disability. (For active-duty service members expecting honorable or general discharge or release within 120 days, click Active Duty). Without this documentation, you will not receive the veteran's preference. For more information, go to Feds Hire Vets - Veterans Preference
- Displaced Employee Placement Documents: Only required if requesting priority consideration under CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.
Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience but may be submitted.
Do not upload password-protected documents.
Applicants selected for employment who are not current DOL employees will be required to provide proof of citizenship, and the E-Verify system will be used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have speech disabilities, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.
To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, including submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section.
Your application and ALL required supplemental documents MUST be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the vacancy closing date to receive consideration.
Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Click here for information on Reasonable Accommodations.
Important - Save your information before the 30 minute system timeout! For help, go to USAJOBS Help Center.
STEP 1 - Create USAJOBS Account on www.usajobs.gov, including Resume and Saved Documents. Your resume must provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the self-assessment vacancy questions. If not, HR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the competency indicated by resume content. For each employment period, include start/end month & year and note full-time or part-time (if part-time, include # of hours worked per week) otherwise, your application may be considered incomplete.
STEP 2 - Complete the 1st part of the application process (USAJOBS) Once you have identified a job on USAJOBS that you wish to apply for, click on the job title and then click the Apply button. For questions about the vacancy, contact the Agency Contact at the bottom of the announcement. Proceed through the steps noted at the top of the USAJOBS page. You will be able to select a resume and documents from your USAJOBS Account that you can submit as a package as part of your DOL application. In the final step, once you have certified your application, click the Continue to agency site button.
STEP 3 - Complete the 2nd part of the application process (DOL). On the Department of Labor (DOL) page, create a DOL Account if you have not already and click Apply to this vacancy. Continue through the progress steps at the top of the DOL page. The 2nd progress step is where you answer the vacancy-specific questions. The 3rd progress step Documents is where you submit the required documents (only if applicable to you) specified in the Required Documents section of this vacancy.
STEP 4 - On the Review and Submit step, verify each section of your application is complete and correct. In order to submit your application, you must have a check mark next to each section listed. If there is an X, return to the appropriate section and follow the prompts. When it is ready for submission, certify your application and click the Submit Application button.
STEP 5 - Edit Application as needed by 11:59 pm Eastern Time of Closing Date by returning to USAJOBS, clicking the vacancy, thenUpdate Application.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
For more detailed information on applying for positions with DOL click here to view the U.S. Department of Labor, How to Apply website.
Next steps
Once your complete application is received, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications and refer candidates for selection consideration. Candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interviews. You will be notified of the outcome. A selection is expected to be made within 30 calendar days of the issuance date of the certificate.
For instructions on how to check the status of your application, go to USAJOBS Help Guide.
USAJOBS will no longer send status alert email notifications. You can check your application status in the TAS by logging into USAJOBS and in the Applicant Dashboard, click the hiring agency Talent Acquisition System (TAS). If the TAS does not provide application tracking information, contact the agency's point of contact on the job announcement.
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 Application 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.
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