Occupational Health Program Manager, GS-0601-14 DE Job in Alexandria, VA

Vacancy No. OD-26-13072565 Department National Science Foundation
Salary $143,913.00 to $187,093.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/23/2026 Close Date 9/28/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Alexandria, VA


Occupational Health Program Manager, GS-0601-14 DE

National Science Foundation
Office of the Director (OD), Office of Polar Programs (OPP)

Summary

This Occupational Health Program Manager position is located in the Office of Polar Programs (OPP). The primary purpose of the position is to establish policy, provide technical expertise, and oversee the implementation of environmental, safety, occupational health, and medical programs supporting U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) polar operations.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Any U.S. citizen and ICTAP/CTAP eligible employees. This opportunity is also open to current/former competitive service employees, those with status, or those eligible for special hiring authorities under announcement OD-26-13068748.

Duties

As an Occupational Health Program Manager, you will perform the following duties:

  • Serve as the principal clinical manager responsible for planning, implementing, coordinating, and evaluating contractor occupational health programs supporting U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Arctic and Antarctic operations.
  • Provide expert clinical direction and authoritative guidance concerning medical surveillance programs, fitness-for-duty evaluations, employee health services, and deployment medical readiness activities.
  • Provide advanced clinical expertise in the review and evaluation of complex medical qualification examinations and waiver requests, detailed medical histories, laboratory findings, diagnostic specialty evaluations, and other clinical documentation to determine suitability for deployment to remote and austere polar environments.
  • Support implementation of the NSF Antarctic Medical Clearance Program in accordance with applicable Federal requirements, including 45 CFR 675 (Medical Clearance Process for Deployment to Antarctica).
  • Plan, coordinate, and evaluate occupational health surveillance programs designed to identify and control occupational health hazards affecting NSF personnel and contractors and provides clinical expertise and oversight concerning occupational health testing programs.
  • Ensure occupational health compliance, conduct clinical research and analysis, evaluate program effectiveness, and support safety investigations by developing evidence-based recommendations to improve compliance, efficiency, and operational readiness.
  • Serve as the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) occupational health and clinical liaison supporting Medical Review Panel activities and provide subject matter expertise regarding occupational health program requirements and risk mitigation strategies.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  1. You must be a U.S. citizen.
  2. Selectee will be required to have a background investigation prior to onboarding.
  3. Selectee may be required to serve a 2-year trial/1-year probationary period.
  4. Selectee will be required to complete a physical examination prior to onboarding.
Additional Requirements:
You must answer all job-related questions in the NSF eRecruit questionnaire and any external assessment that is included.

Antarctic travel is required for this position. This appointment is contingent upon successful completion of a physical examination according to standards used for U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) medical/dental screening that is required in order to travel to Antarctica. Please review the Office of Polar Programs Physical Qualification (PQ) Guidelines that can be found here.

All online applicants must provide a valid email address. If your email address is inaccurate or your mailbox is full/blocked, you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

It is NSF policy that personnel employed at, or Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) individuals detailed to, NSF are not permitted to participate in foreign talent recruitment programs. Failure to comply with this NSF policy could result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from Federal Service or termination of an IPA assignment and referral to the Office of Inspector General.

NSF has determined that all of its positions are eligible for situational telework. Situational telework may be approved on an occasional basis in accordance with agency policy, supervisory approval, and operational requirements. Selected candidates interested in telework, or other workplace flexibility arrangements, should discuss available options with the selecting official. Participation in telework is voluntary and requires an approved telework agreement.

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements:

Basic Occupational Series Requirements
Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree with a major of study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences, or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

In addition to meeting the Basic Occupational Series Requirements, applicants must have the following:

Specialized Experience
To qualify at the GS-14 level, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the federal government directly performing clinical risk assessments, managing complex occupational medical surveillance programs, or determining medical readiness for deployment to high-risk environments.

Examples of Specialized Experience:

  • Providing subject matter expertise regarding occupational health program requirements and risk mitigation strategies.
  • Performing clinical risk assessments by evaluating occupational exposures, injuries, illnesses, medical restrictions, and clinical trends.
  • Assessing medical readiness for deployment to high-risk environments by evaluating health status, immunizations, medical conditions, medications, and functional capabilities.
Experience refers to paid/unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training/experience that translates directly to paid work. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

To verify you meet the Basic Occupational Series Requirements outlined in "Qualifications",you must submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

Education may enhance skills required for this position; however, no substitution of education for specialized experience may be made at this level.

Additional information

Relocation expenses WILL NOT be paid.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)
ICTAP and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP or CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP or CTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified you must meet the following: OPM qualification requirements for the position, all selective factors, where applicable; special OPM approved qualifying conditions for the position; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate, to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and receives a rating of at least "Very Good" on the questionnaire. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP or CTAP eligibility, or a copy of your separation personnel action form.
Additional information regarding ICTAP or CTAP eligibility is available from OPM's Career Transition Resources

Veterans' Preference:
If you are entitled to veterans' preference, you should indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming on your resume. Your veterans' preference entitlement will be verified by the employing agency. For 5-point veterans' preference, please provide your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that proves your military service was performed under honorable conditions. For 10-point veterans' preference, please submit a SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference), DD-214, and official documentation of a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more or other required documentation as specified on the SF-15.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests:
If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

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.

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.

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. 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.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


Final rating will be based on category rating procedures. Based on your assessment, you will be assigned a score. Your score will determine in which of three categories you will be placed: Excellent, Very Good, or Good. Ratings will be assigned based on your responses to the assessment.

Under this process, veterans will be assigned to the appropriate category (without additional preference points) and then placed at the top of their category.

Applicants eligible for selection preference under the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) or CTAP must meet the agency definition of "well qualified." In NSF categories, this means at least "Very Good" with a score of 85.

To Preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13072565

Required Documents

All applicants are required to submit a legible resume/CV that is no longer than two pages. The resume must include a list of all significant jobs held and duties performed, with dates specified in month and year, and indicates hours worked per week. If a military or civilian Federal employee, you must include your rank and/or grade.

  • IMPORTANT NOTE: Only the two-page resume, starting at your work experience, will be reviewed to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the specialized experience. Additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letters, links to additional information) will not be reviewed to determine if you meet the specialized experience listed in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement. In describing your experience, please be clear and specific. We may not make assumptions regarding your experience.
Applicants are required to submit proof of meeting the basic education requirement described in the QUALIFICATIONS and EDUCATION sections. Therefore, you MUST submit TRANSCRIPTS (unofficial copies are acceptable) or a DIPLOMA that verifies that the requirement is met.

Additional Documents, if applicable, may include:
  • Applicants may submit an optional cover letter.
  • Applicants are encouraged to submit professional references as a supplemental document with their application. References will not be contacted during the initial review process and will only be contacted if requested by the hiring official as part of the selection process.
  • Veterans' Preference Documentation (DD-214, VA Letter, and SF-15): If you are eligible and claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you MUST submit a copy of your "member copy 4 version" DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you MUST submit a copy of your DD-214, SF-15, and official documentation of a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or other documentation required by the SF-15. (Please note: An SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, showing veterans' preference will not be accepted as proof of entitlement.)
  • CTAP/ICTAP Documentation: If you are applying under CTAP or ICTAP, you MUST submit proof of eligibility under 5 CFR 330.602(a) for CTAP and 5 CFR 330.704 for ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of your most recent performance rating, and a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) showing your position, grade level, and duty location. Please annotate your application to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP or ICTAP eligible.
  • Performance appraisals and awards may be considered during the evaluation process if voluntarily submitted.
  • All uploading must be completed before 11:59 PM Eastern time on the vacancy closing date.
IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, DATE OF BIRTH OR ANY OTHER PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ON YOUR APPLICATION DOCUMENTS.

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

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

  1. Click the Apply Online button.
  2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
  5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
  6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
  7. Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
  8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Agency contact information

Talent & Acquisition Management Branch
Email
erecruit@nsf.gov
Address
US National Science Foundation, Office of the Director
401 Dulany Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
US

Next steps

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.

Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments. You may check the status of your application at any time on the USAJOBS website.

Applicants should click 'Track this Application' in the Applicant Dashboard to receive application updates.

National Science Foundation

Come join our talented workforce and help us keep the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) at the frontier of discovery!

NSF is on the leading edge of discovery in areas from astronomy to geology to zoology and beyond. In addition to funding research in traditional academic areas, the agency also supports innovative ideas, novel collaborations and numerous projects that may seem like science fiction today, but become the reality of tomorrow.

NSF ensures that research is fully integrated with education so that today's revolutionary work will also be training future scientists and engineers. We are also at the forefront of federal business and operations best practices, ensuring accountability and efficacy of the work we do.

Become a part of our mission to maintain and strengthen the vitality of the U.S. science and engineering enterprise. For over 75 years, NSF has remained the premier Federal agency supporting basic research at the frontiers of discovery across all fields, as well as science and engineering education at all levels.

Agency contact information

Talent & Acquisition Management Branch
Email
erecruit@nsf.gov
Address
US National Science Foundation, Office of the Director
401 Dulany Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
US