Safety & Occupational Health Specialist Job in Brussels, Belgium

Vacancy No. NC7X245845848861D Department Department of Defense Education Activity
Salary $62,107.00 to $96,770.00 Grade 11 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/20/2024 Close Date 1/3/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Brussels, Belgium


Summary

About the Position:
This position is with the Safety and Occupational Health Division in Brussels. Belgium.

Federal employees in Brussels, Belgium are currently entitled to receive a 35% Post Allowance (COLA) in addition to the base salary. This is subject to change.

Duties

  • Provide safety and occupational health support/assistance to HQ, district Superintendent, district Chief of Staff, school administrators, Chemical Hygiene Officers/Coordinators, nurses, facilities management and DoDEA employees in a timely manner.
  • Liaison and maintain close professional relationships with the host installation safety, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, environmental health, and fire departments for mission essential support.
  • Serve as technical advisor for the HQ Safety and Occupational Health Division Chief and support the district superintendent, school principals, and DoDEA employees on matters pertaining to the safety of students, employees, contractors and visitors.
  • Develop and deliver technical inspection reports, trend analysis, briefings, training, safety awareness products, conduct accident investigations, and maintain accident reporting and hazard tracking systems.
  • Conduct safety inspections and directly support special projects and policy development; obtain and maintain playground safety inspector certification.
  • Serve as an essential team member within the DoDEA Safety and Occupational Health Division and participate in projects that standardize and enhance the safety program for DoDEA.
  • Provide technical and regulatory expertise in areas such as electrical and fire safety, fall protection, chemical hygiene, material handling equipment, machine guarding, and vehicle operations.
  • Provide technical and regulatory expertise in areas such as hazard communication, construction and renovation design reviews, and OSHA record keeping requirements.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Requirement.
  • Proof of U.S. Citizenship required.
  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • One year trial or probationary period may be required.
  • Appointment subject to a suitability/fitness determination, as determined by a background investigation.
  • This position requires a Tier 1 (T1) investigation with Childcare Checks since its duties require interaction with children and youth under the age of eighteen (18) years of age.
  • You may be required to sign a transportation agreement.
  • You will be required to sign a mobility agreement, be available for worldwide placement, and be willing to rotate to any DoDEA location.
  • Must be able to satisfy the requirements of the 26JUL12 DODI 1400.25 V1230, DoD Civilian Personnel Management System: Employment in Foreign Areas and Employee Return Rights. Visit https://www.esd.whs.mil/DD/DoD-Issuances/140025/.
  • Individuals hired from the Continental United States (CONUS) and their family members (who are US citizens) are required to obtain Official Passports prior to departure to the overseas area.
  • A pre-placement medical examination is required.
  • Duties of this position require the incumbent to obtain and maintain a SECRET Clearance.
  • This position requires to have and maintain an active/valid SOFA driver's license.
  • Must be able to obtain a Certificate in Certified Playground Safety inspector within 90 days of hire.
  • Management is requesting/not requiring applicant to be able to lift 35 lbs.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: U.S. Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.

Specialized Experience GS-11: One year of specialized experience which includes managing safety or occupational health program elements, developing and recommending safety and occupational health policy to higher levels of management, and 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. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).

OR

Education: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree with a major study in safety or occupational health fields (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or Ph.D or equivalent doctoral 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.

Specialized experience GS12: One year of specialized experience which includes evaluating a school's safety hazards; developing or implementing programs to reduce the frequency, severity, or cost of accidents and occupational illnesses; and training workers, supervisors, managers, or other safety and occupational health personnel in safety or occupational health subjects. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11 or above).

Physical Demands: Consistent and repeated inspections of existing facilities, playgrounds and new construction must be performed which requires frequent standing, walking, climbing, crouching, frequent stretching and lifting of moderately heavy items such as facilities and grounds equipment.

Work Environment: Frequent inspections of new construction sites, maintenance facilities, bus operations and exercise/drill observations involve frequent exposure to operating machines and equipment, hazardous materials, high noise level, dust and fumes. May perform job duties requiring the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) against safety hazards. Such PPE may include hearing, foot, eye, hand, head and visibility protection. The incumbent may be required to travel by military and/or commercial aircraft to a variety of stateside and overseas locations for meetings and conferences. The incumbent is subject to a variety of environmental conditions typical of the overseas areas in which traveling, to include the potential for exposure to acts of terrorism.

You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Organizational Awareness

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

  • Applicants must comply with the Exceptional Family Member Program requirements as outlined in the DoD Instruction 1315.19.
  • Applicants must be U.S. citizens who are not considered Ordinarily Resident under the applicable Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). An ordinarily resident is anyone who has lived in the host country longer than the allowed number of days without being a member of the forces assigned, civilian component or a family member of either the aforementioned or who has obtained a work permit for any duration. Ordinarily Resident restrictions apply and vary depending on the host nation.
  • Applicants who have family members with special medical needs should ensure that prior to accepting a position overseas their family members' medical needs can be met. Access to care in a military treatment facility may not be available to civilian employees except on a space available basis. Consequently, host nation medical facilities may be the only care available. The availability and level of care at host nation medical facilities will vary by location.
  • Employees (and family members) who require medical or dental care in the overseas location will be responsible for obtaining and paying for such care. Access for civilian employees and their families to military medical and dental treatment facilities is on a space-available and reimbursable basis only.
  • Medical and dental care may be provided by host nation providers. The availability and level of care at host nation medical and dental facilities will vary by location.
  • Status candidates subject to the 5 year overseas rotation, who are currently overseas, must have enough time to meet the initial tour stated in the job announcement. Waivers may not be granted to meet the 5 year limitation requirement.
  • Status applicants in their fourth year of an overseas assignment cannot be selected unless a waiver of the 5 year overseas service limitation requirement is approved.
  • Selectees initially recruited from the United States may receive certain foreign area benefits such as: Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) or government quarters, home leave, etc. (Subject to approval). Overseas allowances may be authorized in accordance with Department of State Standardized Regulation (DSSR) and DoDI 1400.25 volume 1250. http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/1400.25-V1250.pdf
  • Selectees recruited outside the U.S. will have their eligibility for foreign area benefits determined at the time of hire.
  • For positions in a foreign country, that country's laws or international agreements may have a direct impact on the ability of an employee's same sex domestic partner or spouse to accompany the employee and receive certain benefits. If you believe you may be affected by these laws and agreements, you should familiarize yourself with relevant information before applying for or accepting this position.
  • The initial length of this overseas tour is 36 months.
  • Applicants with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should notify ra@dodea.edu
  • This position is not covered by a bargaining unit.
  • Eligible for Telework per DoDEA policy.
You can find more information about this vacancy in the How You Will Be Evaluated section.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Once the announcement has closed, a review of your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your résumé and supporting documentation will be compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If, after reviewing your résumé and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

Basis for Rating: Qualified candidates will be assigned to one of three quality categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified and Qualified. Veteran preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-preference eligibles within each quality category.

  • Best Qualified. Candidates in this category possess exceptional skills and experience to exceed well above the minimum requirements for the announced position.
  • Highly Qualified. Candidates in this category possess good skills and experience above the minimum requirements for the announced position.
  • Qualified. Candidates in this category meet the minimum experience requirements for the announced position.
Additional Information regarding overseas appointments:
  • If an employee brings a child to an overseas location and that child is entitled to attend a DoD school on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, the DoDEA and the Military Department responsible for providing related services will ensure that the child, if eligible for special education, receives a free appropriate public education, including related services pursuant to DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12.
  • If an employee brings an infant or toddler (up to 3 years of age) to an overseas location, and that infant or toddler, but for the child's age, is entitled to attend the DoDEA on a space-required basis in accordance with DoDEA Regulation 1342.13, then the Military Department responsible for EIS will provide the infant or toddler with the required EIS in accordance with the eligibility criteria consistent with DoDI 1342.12 and DoDM 1342.12.
  • If an employee brings a family member to an overseas location who requires medical or dental care, then the employee will be responsible for obtaining and paying for such care. Access for civilian employees and their families to military medical and dental treatment facilities is on a space-available and reimbursable basis only.
  • Family member appointments will expire based on the sponsor's rotation date. Family member appointments may not exceed two months after an employee is no longer considered a family member within the local commuting area due to PCS or divorce of sponsor or, in the case of a child, the age of 23. Family members are defined according to the DODI 1400.25, Vol.1232 as: For a military member whose duty station is in a foreign area, the member's spouse or unmarried dependent child. For a civilian US employee as defined by section 2105 of Title 5, United States Code, the employee's spouse, domestic partner, or unmarried dependent child, or unmarried child of the employee's spouse or domestic partner. A family member must physically reside with his or her sponsor to receive family member preference.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on whether or not you are eligible for preference in federal employment. A complete description of preference categories and the associated required documents is in the Applicant Checklist (External).

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume:

  • Your resume may be submitted in any format and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement.
  • If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations and you may not be considered for this vacancy.
  • For qualifications determinations your resume must contain hours worked per week and the dates of employment (i.e., HRS per week and month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application will be marked as incomplete and you will not receive consideration for this position.
  • You should list any relevant performance appraisals and incentive awards in your resume as that information may be taken into consideration during the selection process. If selected, you may be required to provide supporting documentation.
  • For additional information see: What to include in your resume.
2. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
  • License or Certification: If this position requires a job-related licensure or certification, you MUST submit a copy of your license or certification with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. To determine if this position requires a job-related licensure or certification, please review the Qualifications section listed above.Transcripts: This position has an individual occupational requirement and/or allows for substitution of education for experience. You MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible.
NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package, to include supplemental documents, may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents such as military orders and marriage certificates may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another person's personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must: (1) meet ICTAP eligibility criteria (2) be rated well-qualified for the position and; (3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. Additional information about the program is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website.

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

To apply for this position, you must complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 01/03/2025 to receive consideration.

  • To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application (https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12648861).
  • Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
  • After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
  • You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
  • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
  • Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Additional Information:
  • Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
  • Locality pay does not apply in the overseas area.
  • Management may select at any of the grade levels announced. This recruitment provides promotion opportunity to the target grade of the position without further competition when selectee is eligible and recommended by management. Duties described reflect the full performance GS-12 level. If not selected at the full performance level, duties will be performed in a developmental capacity under close supervision.
  • Be advised that effective Jan. 1 2018, under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, most civilian employee relocation allowances became taxable. The Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA) reimburses eligible employees for the additional Federal, State, and local income taxes incurred as a result of receiving taxable travel income. For more information, visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction.html.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • Pay retention may be offered to selected applicants for positions at overseas locations. Pay retention will not be offered as an incentive for employees moving between overseas positions.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Address
DoDEA Headquarters
4800 Mark Center Drive
Alexandria, VA 22311
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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