Safety and Occupational Health Specialist (Title 32) (Indefinite) Job in Fort Pickett, VA

Vacancy No. VA-12764106-AR-25-256 Department Army National Guard Units
Salary $77,236.00 to $100,402.00 Grade 11 to 11
Perm/Temp Temporary FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/16/2025 Close Date 8/15/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Fort Pickett, VA


Summary

THIS IS A NATIONAL GUARD TITLE 32 EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITION.

This National Guard position is for a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist (Title 32) (Indefinite), Position Description Number D2939000 and is part of the VA JFHQ DET HQ, National Guard.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Indefinite appointments may be made permanent at a later date without competition. In order to be eligible for this position you must currently be a Warrant Officer (W1/WO1-W3/CW3).

Duties

As a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist (Title 32) (Indefinite), GS-0018-11, you will perform the below duties:

  1. Serves as the State, Territory, District of Columbia Safety and Occupational Health Specialist in the maintenance of a comprehensive ground and explosives, safety program for the State. Coordinates with senior safety personnel and provides quality actions and plans for the sustainment of State ARNG Safety and Occupational Health Management Systems (ASOHMS) within the broad framework of statutory public law, DOD, Army, and National Guard policy, goals, and objectives. Implements plans, methods, and assess risks to improve safety in the workplace and off-duty environments. Reduces preventable mishaps in the preservation of ARNG personnel, equipment, facilities, and resources. The SOH Specialist executes a complex SO&EH program for a broad occupational field involving a wide variety of changing, high-risk operations, environmental conditions, and hazardous materials. Reviews and updates the State SOH Plan to include all applicable Army SOH functional areas. Reviews and updates State safety policy and Standard Operating Procedures for SOH programs.
  2. Performs inspections of daily operations and workplaces. Conducts or participates in. Identifies high risk hazardous operations and procedures and ensures mitigation countermeasures are effective. Performs inspections, assessments, and surveys of daily safety and occupational health operations and workplaces requiring a degree of physical exertion and considerable standing, walking, climbing, bending, crouching, stretching, lifting of moderately heavy objects, reaching or similar movements.
  3. Conducts safety education. Prepares and distributes safety promotional and informative materials to maintain safety awareness. Prepares and conducts briefings, meetings, training classes, and associated functions. Determines safety education requirements for individuals or groups. Develops training plans to ensure worker qualification and competency. Prepares and conducts general and specialized training courses for supervisors, collateral duty representatives, labor union representatives, safety committees, and employees on safety related matters. Participates in safety committee meetings to answer questions and provide recommendations.
  4. Performs or participates in mishap investigations involving Army personnel, equipment, property, or operations. Utilizes the Army Safety Information Management System (ASMIS) to upload mishap reports. Interviews witnesses and supervisors to gather factual data. Identifies elements contributing to human and machine failure which may lead to injury or property damage. Assesses and analyzes findings and prepares reports including recommendations to reduce, eliminate, or control the hazards and minimize the potential of recurrence. Prepares a final report of findings with recommendations to correct the unsafe acts or conditions which caused the injury or property damage, ensures on the spot correction. Measures trends and conducts analysis for meeting strategic objectives.
  5. Reviews purchase, service, and construction contracts. Reviews drawings and specifications for new construction and building alterations to determine the degree of compliance with standards and regulatory criteria. Recommends procedures to control or eliminate hazardous operations or conditions. Prepares safety criteria applicable to the contracts. Reviews contract proposals, statements of work, performance work statements, local purchase requests, and work requests for inclusion of safety criteria. Reviews contractor safety plans' inclusion of safety requirements which are applicable to the type of work being performed or product to be delivered for acceptance. Participates in preconstruction conferences, pre- and post- award meetings, and pre- and final inspections.
  6. Coordinates with external agencies and prepares and revises safety instructions, guides, and taskers that are relevant to higher Army headquarters, States, contractor, and subordinate installation employees. Investigates claims for Environmental Differential/Hazardous Differential Pay and prepares findings. Develops training material for specific external installation problems. Conducts safety training for supervisors and employees in accordance with all applicable regulations.
  7. Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED. If you are not sure you are eligible for military membership, please contact a National Guard recruiter prior to applying for this position.
  • This is an excepted service position that requires membership in a compatible military assignment in the employing state's National Guard, required prior to the effective date of placement.
  • Selectee will be required to wear the military uniform.
  • Acceptance of an excepted service position constitutes concurrence with these requirements as a condition of employment.
  • Applicants who are not currently a member of the National Guard must be eligible for immediate membership and employment in the National Guard in the military grade listed in this announcement.
  • Males born after 31 December 1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Federal employment suitability as determined by a background investigation.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
  • Participation in direct deposit is mandatory.
  • This position is ineligible for inclusion in a bargaining unit.
  • Indefinite appointments may be made permanent at a later date without competition.

Qualifications

NOTE: Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/DD/YY to MM/DD/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume.

NOTE: This position is being advertised as an indefinite appointment and applicant selected may be released at any time subject to a 30 day notice, and advised of his/her rights and benefits to which entitled. In the event a permanent employee is accepted for this indefinite position, there will be a change in their tenure from permanent to indefinite. Indefinite appointments may be made permanent at a later date without competition.

WHO CAN APPLY:
GROUP I -
All qualified Male/Female Warrant Officer (W1/WO1-W3/CW3), currently employed (permanent) in the Virginia Army National Guard Military Technician Program.
GROUP II - All qualified Virginia Army National Guard Male/Female Warrant Officer (W1/WO1-W3/CW3), regardless of employment status (Traditional, Military Technician or AGR). To be considered as a Group II applicant, proof of appointment/enlistment in the Virginia National Guard must be attached if the appointment/enlistment occurred within 60 days prior to, or during, the advertisement period.

Military Grades: Warrant Officer (W1/WO1-W3/CW3)

GENERAL EXPERIENCE: Applicant must have experience implementing plans, methods, and assessing risks to improve safety in the workplace and off-duty environments.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicant must have at least 12 months of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-09 level, or equivalent pay band in other pay systems in the Federal government. This experience may also have been obtained in the private sector but must demonstrate that it is comparable to the GS grade indicated. This experience must include activities such as:

  1. Experience performing inspections of daily operations and workplaces.
  2. Experience conducting safety education.
  3. Experience performing or participating in mishap investigations involving Army personnel, equipment, property, or operations.
  4. Experience reviewing contract proposals, statements of work, performance work statements, local purchase requests, and work requests for inclusion of safety criteria.

Education

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

Experience

General Experience (for GS-5 positions): Experience in scientific or technical work that provided an understanding of the basic principles and concepts of the safety and occupational health field. Creditable general experience must have demonstrated the achievement of knowledge equivalent to the education described above.

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.

Additional information

If you are a male applicant who was born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency (Register | Selective Service System : Selective Service System (sss.gov)).

Benefits

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.

Once the announcement has closed, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you meet the qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are minimally qualified, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the assessment questionnaire to determine your level of experience. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application package, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this position. If you are found to be among the top qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your resume showing work schedule, hours worked per week, dates (including Month and Year, e.g., 02/2017, Feb 2017, etc.) of employment and duties performed.

2. Other supporting documents: Most recent SF50 for current Federal Technicians.

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 application/Occupational Questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. To view the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12764106

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement 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.

Follow the prompts to select your resume 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.


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/.

Agency contact information

VaARNG Tech Jobs HRO
Address
VA JFHQ DET HQ
8000 JEFFERSON DAVIS HWY
BLDG 430
Richmond, VA 23297
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.


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