Safety and Occupational Health Manager Job in PYONG TAEK, South Korea

Vacancy No. IPFK-26-12916048-MP-R Department U.S. Army, Pacific
Salary $126,384.00 to $164,301.00 Grade 15 to 15
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 3/26/2026 Close Date 4/8/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
PYONG TAEK, South Korea


Summary

About the Position:

Serves as the Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) Director for the Eighth Army (8A) Safety Program, and the senior consultant and principal advisor to the Commanding General (CG) for all safety and occupational health matters.

Please review the U.S. Embassy website https://kr.usembassy.gov/services-controlled-substance/ for South Korea prescription/drug regulations.

NOTICE: Please read ROK entry requirements in "How to Apply" section.

This job is open to

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Land and base management

Current or former employees of a base management agency.

Veterans

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference

Military spouses

Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.

Family of overseas employees

Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.

Special authorities

Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed in another hiring path.

Clarification from the agency

See "Who May Apply" in the "Qualifications" section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.

Duties

  • Serves as the Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) Director for the Eighth Army (8A) Safety Program, and the senior consultant and principal advisor to the Commanding General (CG) for all safety and occupational health matters.
  • Responsible for directing, budgeting, developing, implementing, promoting, formulating and promulgating Republic of Korea (ROK) Theater-Level safety policies and procedures.
  • Conducts risk management, safety education and promotion, accident analysis and investigation, fire prevention, tactical, electrical, explosives, aviation, radiation, transportation and base operations safety, occupational health initiatives.
  • Maintains close liaison with Army Commands (AC), Direct Report Units (DRU), military services, and civilian agencies to ensure compliance and cooperation on SOH matters.
  • Represents the Command on U.S. Army Pacific Command (USARPAC), United States Forces Korea (USFK), Ministry of National Defense (MND), and Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) level committees and councils dealing with safety program matters.
  • Develops program vision, mission and purpose as well as specific program goals and objectives, considering such issues as transformation, stationing plans, construction, host nation activities, mission and ongoing operations.
  • Serves as the Career Program Manager for Career Program 12, providing guidance and direction to the operation of the safety career program throughout the subordinate commands.
  • Exercises the full range of delegated personnel management responsibilities performed by a second-level supervisor with operational authority and control over the Safety Program.
  • Serves as the Senior Safety Consultant/Coordinator to staff elements on the planning and conduct of major training exercises such as Ulchi Freedom Shield.
  • Responsible for establishing and maintaining close liaison with Army Commands (AC), Direct Report Units (DRU), military services, and civilian agencies to ensure compliance and cooperation on Safety and Occupational Health matters.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

  • One year trial/probationary period may be required.
  • Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
  • Applicants must comply with the Exceptional Family Member Program requirements as outlined in the DoD Instruction 1315.19.
  • 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/.
  • This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Secret security clearance or access for the duration of employment. A background investigation and credit check are required.
  • Appointment to this position is subject to a one-year supervisory probationary period to assess your ability to perform supervisory duties is required unless previously completed.
  • This position has a Temporary Duty (TDY) or business travel requirement of 25% of the time.
  • This position requires the completion of a pre-employment Physical Examination and an annual examination thereafter to ensure the continued, required level of physical health and ability or fitness to perform the duties of the position.
  • In accordance with AR 690-11, this position has been designated as "Emergency-Essential".
  • Incumbent is required to obtain and maintain standard Army Safety Program certification (CP-12 Skill Level 1 and CP-12 Explosive Level 1).

Qualifications

Who May Apply: Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet, and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected. See Proof of Eligibility for an extensive list of document requirements for all employment authorities.

  • 30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans
  • Current Army Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) Employee
  • Current Department of Army Civilian Employees Applying to OCONUS Positions
  • Current Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian Employee (non-Army)
  • Current DoD Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) Employee (non-Army)
  • Domestic Defense Industrial Base/Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce
  • Family Member Preference (FMP) for Overseas Employment
  • Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
  • Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
  • Military Spouse Preference (MSP) for Overseas Employment
  • Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentality (NAFI)
  • Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement
  • Priority Placement Program, DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible
  • Re-employed Annuitant
  • Reinstatement
  • Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998


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. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Individual Occupational Requirements

Education: Incumbent must possess an Undergraduate AND Graduate degree with a Major study in 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. (NOTE: You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts for verification).

-OR-

Incumbent must possess experience in or related to safety and occupational health that provided the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform 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 identifying potential new hazards.
  • Training of workers, supervisors, managers, or other safety and occupational health personnel in safety or occupational health subjects.
  • Works in occupational fields such as industrial hygienist, safety engineer, fire prevention engineer, health physicist, and occupational health nurse.
-OR-

Incumbent must possess certification as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), or Certified Health Physicist (CHP), or similar certification that includes successful completion of a written examination. (NOTE: You MUST submit a copy of your Certification for verification)..


Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes: 1) directing a Safety and Occupational Health for a Military Installation or similar organization that involves high-risk activities and changes in operations, tactics, techniques, and procedures; OR 2) coordinating with Military commands and civilian agencies to ensure compliance with safety standards into mission planning for training operations and other mission efforts; OR 3) reviewing plans for training operations (including live fire and other non-standard operations) to be conducted by Joint Military Services OR 4) implementing and promoting Command-Level safety policies and procedures relating to accident prevention.
.

This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-14).


Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-14).

You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency in the following areas:
  • Administration and Management
  • Managing Human Resources
  • Organizational Development
  • Public Safety and Security


Time in Grade Requirement: Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-14).

***Special Note for Military Members*** MILITARY RETIREES: A retired member of the Armed Forces may not be appointed to a civilian position in DoD (including a non-appropriated fund position) within 180 days after retirement [** unless the following conditions have been met: the Secretary concerned authorizes the appointment; or the position is authorized special pay under 5 U.S.C. 5305; or a state of national emergency exists].

MILITARY SEPARATED (NON-RETIREE): Military members may be appointed while on terminal leave, before the effective date of their military separation. Applications will only be accepted from members of the Armed Forces that indicate they are immediately appoint-able within 120 days.

If you are currently stationed in the overseas area, all of your overseas time will be credited toward your current overseas tour end date. Your overseas time served will not reset upon accepting this assignment.

If you have returned from OCONUS within the past 2 years or less, your time previously served in the OCONUS area will be credited to your 5-year overseas rotation upon accepting this assignment.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Additional information

  • Direct deposit of pay is required.
  • U.S. citizens overseas under ordinarily resident status are not eligible for appointment under the Status of Forces Agreement.
  • Locality pay does not apply in the overseas area.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Selectees may receive certain foreign area benefits such as: Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) or government quarters, home leave, etc. Selectees will have their eligibility for foreign area benefits determined at the time of hire in accordance with Department of State Standardized Regulation (DSSR) and DoDI 1400.25 volume 1250.
  • 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 and direct questions concerning a specific country (Foreign Duty Location) to the appropriate Army Human Resources point of contact prior to the acceptance of employment and your entrance on duty.
  • This is a Fire, Occupational Health & Safety Career Field position.
  • The initial length of this overseas tour is 36 months.
  • Defense National Relocation Program e authorized.
  • Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
  • When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction/ for more information.
  • Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations.
  • Selectee must obtain a Special Issuance Passport ("Official Passport") prior to travel. Command-sponsored dependents (if applicable) are required to obtain official passports.
  • Recruitment, relocation, retention or enhanced requirement incentive may be offered.

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.

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.

As part of the assessment process, your resume will be evaluated using a competency-based method. This structure evaluation measures your qualifications, experience and skills against the core competencies required for the position. Final scores will determine whether you are referred to the Hiring Manager for further consideration. .

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. Please follow all instructions carefully when applying, errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may lose consideration for this position.

Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.

If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.

"In accordance with section 9902(h) of title 5, United States Code, annuitants reemployed in the Department of Defense shall receive full annuity and salary upon appointment. They shall not be eligible for retirement contributions, participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, or a supplemental or redetermined annuity for the reemployment period. Discontinued service retirement annuitants (i.e., retired under section 8336(d)(1) or 8414(b)(1)(A) of title 5, United States Code) appointed to the Department of Defense may elect to be subject to retirement provisions of the new appointment as appropriate. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300, at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives.)"

You may claim Military Spouse preference.

Military Spouse Preference (MSP) applicants will receive preference consideration and will be placed (if selected) at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined best qualified, up to and including the full performance level.


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.

Required Documents

The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc). Please review the following links to see which documents you need to provide to prove your eligibility to apply: Applicant Checklist for Internal/Merit Promotion Announcements (OCONUS)

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 must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration.
  • For each relevant work experience, make sure you include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (include month and year), for qualifications purposes, the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that show you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position.
  • Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about what's in your resume.
  • 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 additional information, to include formatting tips, see: What to include in your resume.

2. Other supporting documents:
  • Cover Letter, optional
  • Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
  • Proof of Eligibility to Apply: Your application must include the documents which prove you are eligible to apply for the vacancy. The Proof of Eligibility document describes authorities commonly used in merit promotion recruitment and what document(s) are required to prove you meet the requirements of the authority. You must meet the requirements of at least one of the authorities listed in the Who May Apply section above to receive further consideration.
  • Time-in-grade documentation: If you are applying for a higher grade and your SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you meet the one year time-in-grade requirement so you will need to provide an SF-50 which clearly demonstrates you meet the time-in-grade requirements (examples of appropriate SF-50s include Promotions, Within-grade Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s with an effective date more than one year old).
  • This position has an individual occupational requirement and/or allows for substitution of education for experience. If you meet this requirement based on education you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses
  • This position requires a job-related license or certification. You MUST submit a copy of your license or certification with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See: Transcripts and Licenses
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.

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 04/08/2026 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/12916048).
  • Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the 'Required Documents' section.
  • 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. Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may 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://www.usajobs.gov/applicant/profile/dashboard/), 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://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status.

Before departing the United States, please be aware that South Korea has specific regulations regarding the import of certain over-the-counter (OTC) medications and prescription drugs. To ensure your medications are permitted, we strongly advise you to review the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea.

This position requires a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) to Korea.

As a condition of employment, the selectee must obtain a Special Issuance Passport ("Official Passport") prior to travel. Command-sponsored dependents (if applicable) are also required to obtain official passports. Applicants should plan accordingly to ensure timely processing.

For more information, please visit the U.S. Embassy's website: https://kr.usembassy.gov/services-controlled-substance/Notice on Extension of K-ETA Temporary Exemption
  • The Ministry of Justice decided to extend the temporary exemption period for 1 more year to stimulate the tourism industry, the exemption will be effective until December 31, 2026 (KST).
  • Extended K-ETA temporary exemption period: From January 1, 2026 (Thu) to December 31, 2026 (Thu) (KST)
  • The countries/regions that are currently exempt from K-ETA are subject to this extension. Those who are subject to the exemption will get a pop-up message when they scan a photo of their passport information page during the application.
  • Still, those who wish to receive benefits from K-ETA approval, such as not having to submit an arrival card, may apply for K-ETA; in that case, the application fee will be charged.
  • Those who have obtained K-ETA can use it until its expiration date and the application fee paid is non-refundable.

Agency contact information

Army Applicant Help Desk
Website
https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public?id=app_inq
Address
FK-APF-WJS799 HHB EIGHTH ARMY
DO NOT MAIL
APO, AP 96271
US

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.