Summary
Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist. You can make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment.
Duty Location: Redding, California
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.
Individuals with disabilities
Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.
Special authorities
Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed in another hiring path.
Clarification from the agency
See Who May Apply under Requirements for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.
Duties
The following duties are at the full performance level of GS-11:
- Responsible for administering safety and occupational health directives and guidelines and provide training as developed and implemented by the Safety Manager, Deputy Area Manager and Area Manager.
- Oversees safety and occupational health for facilities which include nine dams, six hydroelectric powerplants, an area within a Superfund Hazardous Waste Cleanup Site, and associated tunnels, reservoirs, public visitation areas, etc.
- Administers safety and occupational health programs encompassing hydroelectric power plants, water control and conveyance features, maintenance, and construction activities, including the personal protective equipment (PPE), medical surveillance, hot work, fall protection, walking and working surfaces programs.
- Develops and disseminates accident prevention methods.
- Investigates accidents to ascertain facts and determine cause.
- Generates reports and recommendations to prevent recurrence according to situation and applicable code interpretations from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and other safety regulations and guidelines.
- Performs a variety of technical functions that involve the use of test equipment.
- Schedules and conducts routine safety inspections of dams, warehouses, offices, recreation sites, marinas, concessionaires, industrial areas and operations and maintenance activities to ensure work activities are conducted in accordance with safety and health regulations.
- Initiates and conducts safety education activities for Northern California Area Office (NCAO) and other offices upon request, including OSHA required programs, Reclamation Safety and Health Standards (RSHS) and NCAO site-specific standards.
Requirements
Conditions of employment
You must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
You must be suitable for federal employment, determined by a background investigation.
You must submit a resume and supporting documentation (see Required Documents).
You must submit eligibility documents for veterans' consideration (see Required Documents).
You must meet any minimum education and/or experience requirements (see Qualifications).
You must submit transcript(s) to verify education requirements (see Qualifications/Education).
You must maintain a valid State Driver's License at all times as the position requires operation of government vehicles on government and public roads. Failure to maintain a valid State Driver's License at all times will result in removal from the position.
You will be required to obtain a successful pre-employment physical examination by a licensed physician certifying your ability to perform the duties of this position. A physical exam may not be required if a comparable agency approved examination was performed within the last 12 months. The cost of the exam will be reimbursed by the agency.
You may be required to travel approximately 50% of the time to field offices and facilities.
You may be required to frequently lift, carry, and handle items weighing up to 50 pounds.
You may perform work at considerable heights up to 50 feet (i.e., ladders, climbing).
You may perform inspection in confined areas and/or construction sites.
Who May Apply:
- 30% or More Disabled Veterans
- Bureau of Reclamation Employees (Competitive)
- Bureau of Reclamation Employees (Non-Competitive)
- Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)
- Department of the Interior Employees (Competitive)
- Department of the Interior Employees (Non-Competitive)
- Federal Employees (Competitive Transfer)
- Federal Employees (Non-Competitive Transfer)
- Former Federal Employees (Competitive Reinstatement)
- Former Federal Employees (Non-Competitive Reinstatement)
- Individuals with Disabilities (Schedule A)
- Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)
- Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA)
- Military Spouses
- Miscellaneous Appointing Authorities
- Pathways Program - Conversion Eligible
- Peace Corps & AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteers
- Public Lands Corps (PLC) Hiring Authority
- Special Hiring Authorities
- Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA)
- Veterans Recruitment Authority (VRA)
Qualifications
To be eligible for consideration, you must first meet the Basic Education Requirement for this position, having:
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. NOTE: You must submit copies of your college transcripts.
OR
Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): 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. Applicants may also qualify for higher grade levels based on their education and/or experience. NOTE: Please provide copy of the certification if claiming eligibility based on the above.
In order to be rated as qualified for this position, the HR Office must be able to determine that you meet the education and/or specialized experience requirement - this information must be clearly supported in the resume.
You may combine specialized experience and education to meet the minimum qualifications.
To qualify at the GS-09, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-07 level in federal service but not limited to: assisting in administering and coordinating a safety and occupational health inspection program to include safety sub-programs (e.g., hydroelectric power plants; water control and conveyance features; maintenance and construction activities), safety training, AND accident/mishaps investigations.
OR
You could otherwise qualify on the basis of Education having successfully completed a master's degree or equivalent or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D. if related. NOTE: You must submit copies of your college transcripts.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. You may combine specialized experience and education to meet the minimum qualifications. NOTE: You must submit copies of your college transcripts.
To qualify at the GS-11, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-09 level in federal service but not limited to: assisting with developing and recommending safety and occupational health programs or policies to high level officials; interpreting, applying and/or knowledge of the development of safety and occupational health laws, regulations, policies, procedures or standings; evaluating existing safety programs or inspecting workplaces to determine possible hazards; utilizing safety and occupational health knowledge to reduce or control hazards; training individuals on safe practices and investigating work place accidents.
OR
You could otherwise qualify on the basis of Education having successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. NOTE: You must submit copies of your college transcripts.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages. You may combine specialized experience and education to meet the minimum qualifications. NOTE: You must submit copies of your college transcripts.
You may combine specialized experience and education to meet the minimum qualifications.
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). 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.
Time-In-Grade: Current career or career-conditional employees of the Federal government, or former career or career-conditional employees, who have a break in service of less than one year, are required to meet the time-in-grade restriction of one year of Federal experience at the next lower-grade, with few exceptions outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b). Applicants eligible under the Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act (LMWFA) are not required to meet time-in-grade restrictions in order to be considered.
You must meet all Eligibility and Qualification requirements, including time-in-grade restrictions and any selective placement factors if applicable, by 04/08/2026.
Education
This vacancy announcement allows substituting education for experience at the GS-09 and GS-11 grade levels. You must submit a copy of college transcript(s) (unofficial copy is acceptable) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include the name of the college or university and date the degree was conferred. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position.
You will be required to provide official college transcripts to verify educational qualifications, if selected. An official transcript must be sent directly from the University's Registrar's office and must be provided from the institution awarding the degree. Academic transcripts certified by notary publics are NOT official. Official transcripts must be submitted prior to reporting to work as a condition of employment. Failure to submit official transcripts may be grounds for dismissal or rescission of the job offer.
Accreditation: Only education from an accredited college or university recognized by the Department of Education is acceptable to meet education requirements or to substitute for experience, if applicable. For additional info, refer to the Office of Personnel Management and U.S. Department of Education.
Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For additional info, refer to the U.S. Network for Education Information.
Additional information
Condition of Employment For Probationary Period: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will 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.
Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Current, permanent Federal employees who are selected from this announcement may be required to serve a probationary period.
If otherwise eligible and qualified, you
MAY BE offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit:
Recruitment Incentive or
Relocation Incentive.
The decision to offer an incentive to the selectee(s) of this vacancy will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed.
If otherwise eligible and qualified, you
MAY request consideration for a Superior Qualifications Appointment. For information, visit:
OPM Fact Sheet.
Related non-Federal experience or related experience as retired members of the uniformed services
MAY BE credited towards computing entitlement to leave accrual, at managerial discretion, providing that experience meets certain criteria. This provision allows new employees to earn annual leave at a higher rate than would otherwise be allowed. (5 Code of Federal Regulations, 630). For additional information, please visit:
Creditable Service for Annual Leave
DOI uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including applicant rights and responsibilities, please visit
https://www.e-verify.gov/
This position is designated as a MODERATE RISK Public Trust position. It requires a fully completed and favorably adjudicated Public Trust Suitability Background Investigation (T2S or T2RS or equivalent) that is current (within the last 5 years). This is a condition of employment.
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.
Continuation...
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must certify registration with the Selective Service System or that the applicant is exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Go to: https://www.sss.gov
This is a bargaining unit position represented by a Union.
Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.
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.
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide to the application questionnaire, and the result of the additional assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
- Compliance Inspection
- Decision Making
- Public Safety and Security
- Teaching Others
In order 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 successful completion of additional assessment(s), including a SME Panel Resume Review. These assessments measure the critical competencies listed above that are required to successfully perform the job.
The application questionnaire can be previewed here:
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12918817
Your answers will be verified against information provided in your resume. Your resume must clearly support the responses to all the questions by addressing experience, education, and/or training relevant to this position. You must make a fair and accurate assessment of your qualifications. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than what is apparent in the description of your experience, competencies, skills, and/or education/training (or that your resume/application is incomplete), you could be rated ineligible or your score could be lowered.
Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies with the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s). Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration. You may choose to opt in of having your information shared with other agencies when applying for this position. If an agency requests a copy of a certificate you are on, you will be notified.
Required Documents
Please submit the supporting documents outlined below applicable to your claimed eligibility status and the position and grade to which you are applying. Failing to submit required documents will result in non-consideration due to an incomplete application package.
RESUME: You must submit a resume that demonstrates how skills and experiences through job duties meet the qualifications and requirements listed in the job announcement to be considered for the job. Each job experience must include dates of employment including start and end dates (month and year), work schedule (full-time or part-time), and hours worked per week. Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages and resumes longer than two pages will not be accepted. The minimum font size is 10-point for all body text. Headers may be slightly larger but must remain legible. All resumes must maintain a minimum 0.5-inch margins on all sides to ensure readability and prevent excessive content compression. Including supplemental pages or attachments disguised as resume extensions are prohibited and will not be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.For more information, click here.
TRANSCRIPTS: Required for candidates using education as a basis for qualifications.
PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL: Please submit 1) a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, and 2) a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act/achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level. This documentation is required to be considered as a current or former federal employee and optional for all other appointment types (e.g., veterans, individuals with disabilities, etc.)
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Competitive Service current and/or former federal employees eligible for Promotion, Reassignment, Transfer, Reinstatement, etc. You must submit a copy of your SF-50, verifying highest rate of pay and documenting career or career-conditional status in the competitive service (Tenure 1 or 2) for which the applicant is claiming eligibility. Do not submit award SF-50s. 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). For more information, click here. See above section for Performance Appraisal documentation requirement.
CAREER TRANSITION PROGRAMS: Permanent Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated. You must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal, proof of eligibility, and most current SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location. To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including selective factors, education and experience requirements) and score at least 85.0 on the assessment questionnaire as established, and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry. For more information, click here.
VETERANS: Veterans preference eligible under VRA (GS-11 and below only), VEOA, 30% or more Disabled, or Disabled Veterans Enrolled in a VA Training Program. If you are claiming eligibility based on veterans preference entitlement, you must submit a copy of your latest Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (copy indicating character of service) or other proof of your service which includes character of service. If claiming disability preference, you must also submit the disability letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs or Armed Service and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15. For more information, click here.
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
LAND MANAGEMENT WORKFORCE FLEXIBILITY ACT: Current or former land management agency appointees. You must submit (1) a copy of your SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, that reflects having initially been hired under competitive examining procedures to a time limited (temporary/term) appointment; (2) a copy of SF-50(s), Notification of Personnel Action(s), that reflect having served under one (1) or more time-limited (temporary/term) appointments by a land management agency for a period totaling more than 24 months without a break in service of two (2) or more years; and (3) a copy of your Performance Appraisal Plan and/or Supervisor Memorandum that reflects having performed at an acceptable level during each period of service. For more information, click here.
PUBLIC LAND CORPS: Former PLC members. You must provide a copy of your signed Certificate of Non-Competitive Eligibility and clearly state in your resume time served and duties performed on an appropriate conservation project. For more information, click here.
OTHER HIRING AUTHORITIES: Applicants claiming eligibility based on a Special Hiring Authority must submit applicable proof of eligibility as outlined in the following site(s): Special Hiring Authorities, Schedule A, Peace Corps & AmeriCorps, Interchange Agreement, Military Spouse.
Applications (resume, assessment questionnaire, and supporting documentation) for this vacancy MUST be received online BEFORE midnight Eastern Time (Washington, DC time) on 04/08/2026. To apply, click the blue APPLY ONLINE button at the top of the page.
Do not submit photographs with the application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials - applicant must remove any images from badges, licenses, etc.
Next steps
Upon successful submission of the application packet, you will receive a confirmation email from USAJOBS. If you do not receive this email confirmation, the application has not yet been accepted by the system.
After all application packages have been received, resumes and supporting document(s) will be reviewed to ensure applicants meet the basic qualification requirements. Each applicant who meets the basic qualifications will be further evaluated on the information provided in the resume, application questionnaire, and other assessment criteria identified in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section above. Best-qualified applicants will be referred to the selecting official. After making a tentative job offer, a suitability and/or security background investigation will be conducted. A final job offer is typically made within 40 days after the deadline for applications. Applicants should monitor their status for positions with the Bureau of Reclamation by regularly checking their public status notifications in the USAJOBS profile.