Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current, permanent employees of the Birmingham VA Health Care System and CTAP eligible.

The Chief Safety and Occupational Manager will be responsible for conducting safety management functions at any future expansion healthcare operations in the CAVHCS catchment area. CAVHCS' Catchment covers forty-three counties in East Alabama and West Georgia.

The Safety and Occupational Health Manager represent the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System in all matters related to Safety and Occupational Health. Other duties may include conducting investigations and fact-finding activities. Serving on designated committees within the CAVHCS Governance Structure and providing consultative services to other VA Medical Centers within but not limited to VISN-7. The incumbent may also serve on Network and National committees or boards on matters related to Safety and Occupational Health.

• The incumbent is responsible to perform all Supervisory functions to include the assessment determination of staffing levels required to support the Safety and Occupational Health Program.
• The incumbent is fully responsible for developing position descriptions, performance standards and competencies, initiating recruitment efforts, evaluating, interviewing and selecting qualified candidates to fill vacancies within the Safety and Occupational Health Office.
• The incumbent will complete all formal performance evaluations of subordinate staff and competency assessments to identify developmental and training opportunities.
• The incumbent will also identify developmental and training needs for employees, providing or arranging for needed development and training.
• The incumbent of this position has full delegated authority and responsibility for the planning, coordination, operation and internal evaluation of the AVAHCS Occupational Safety and Health Program.
• The incumbent will provide administrative and policy direction to Service Chiefs and supervisors throughout the AVAHCS as well as providing expert advice and counsel to all members of the Executive Leadership Team including the Health Care System Director.
• Incumbent will make and or approving selections for subordinate nonsupervisory positions; hear and resolve group grievances or serious employee complaints; and review and approve serious disciplinary actions (e.g., suspensions) involving nonsupervisory subordinates.

• Incumbent exercises delegated authority to oversee the overall planning, direction, and timely execution of the Safety and Occupational Health Program and associated program segments such as the Green Environmental Management Program, Respiratory Protection and Monitoring Program, Stored Energy Management and Protection Program and Material Safety Program, Fire Safety and Training Program each of which is managed through separately
• The incumbent may also serve on Network and National committees or boards on matters related to Safety and Occupational Health.
• Incumbent directs the management of the inventory management listing (EIL) and records of inspection and calibration for all equipment to include portable fire extinguishment equipment.
• Directs oversight for the proper inspection, maintenance, hydrostatic testing and re-charging and documentation of all types of fire extinguishers and fire suppression systems and ensures they remain in compliance with OSHA, NFPA, TJC and VA regulations.
• The incumbent will be responsible for a wide range of administrative duties to include the development and maintenance of historical documents for the AVAHCS related to the location of hazardous materials such as lead based paint and asbestos and the disposition of general and other hazardous materials in perpetuity as required by The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), enacted in 1976, which is the principal federal law in the United States governing the disposal of solid waste and hazardous waste
• Incumbent direct the planning, preparation and implementation of facility specific employee training via VA-Talent Management System(VA-TMS) according to applicable standards and regulations on a variety of safety and occupational health subjects including, safety, electrical safety. fall protection, slips/trips, and falls, fire, vehicle, chemical, biological or physical safety, environmental, indoor air quality, and various laboratory safety needs or ventilation requirements.
• Incumbent directs the collection, analysis, trending, and reporting of workplace accident/illness data to the Environment of Care Committee, Employee Health Physician, and Human Resources Management Services Office of Workers Compensational Program (OWCP) Specialist.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm. Work schedule subject to change based on agency needs.
Telework: This position is not authorized for telework.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Safety & Occupational Health Manager/PD009185Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• 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 or 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.

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial 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 all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/18/2025.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.
Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR): An IOR is a basic requirement that must be met in order to qualify for the 0018 occupational series. Education must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

Education:

• Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- safety or occupational health fields (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or degree in other related fields that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours of study from among the following (or closely related) disciplines: safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, and industrial psychology.

~OR

Specialized Experience: Experience in or related to safety and occupational health that provided the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:
- Managing safety or occupational health program elements.
- Developing and recommending safety and occupational health policy to higher levels of management.
- Applying safety and occupational health laws, regulations, principles, theories, practices, and procedures to advise on or resolve technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements.
- Developing safety and occupational health standards, regulations, practices, and procedures to eliminate or control potential hazards.
- Developing or implementing programs to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of accidents and occupational illnesses.
- Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of hazards.
- Designing or modifying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems to control or eliminate
hazards.
- Inspecting or surveying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems for compliance with established safety and occupational health policies or standards and to identify potential new hazards.
- Training of workers, supervisors, managers, or other safety and occupational health personnel in safety or occupational health subjects.
- Work in occupational fields such as industrial hygienist, safety engineer, fire prevention engineer, health physicist, and occupational health nurse.

~OR

Certificates:
Certification as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), or Certified Health Physicist (CHP), or similar certification that included successful completion of a written examination meets the requirements for GS-5.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Accident Investigation
• Administration and Management
• Hazardous Materials
• Planning and Evaluating
• Public Safety and Security

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.

Note: 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.

Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary. There are no special physical demands. The work environment includes everyday risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of offices and meeting and training rooms.

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.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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.

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

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.

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

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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