The purpose of this position is to provide assistance in the safety and occupational health program for the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, in the counties surrounding Temple and Waco, Texas. The specialist will assist the Chief, Safety and Industrial Hygiene Section and other program managers and will be responsible for independent completion of specific program elements in various environmental, safety and occupational health programs.

Duties

Major duties include, but are not limited to: Workplace Evaluations and Inspections: 50% Performs inspections of CTVHCS as member of an environment of care or inspection team of higher graded specialists to determine compliance with safety and occupational health laws and regulations. The specialist identifies hazards and assesses their potential for harm to employees and provides technical assistance to managers and supervisors necessary to achieve safe and healthful working conditions. The employee also conducts independent inspections of work areas found in a multi-campus health care system where operating processes are reasonably stable and physical conditions fairly constant. Conducts or participates in opening conferences with managers and employee representatives explaining purpose and scope of inspection and pertinent safety and occupational health regulations. Assesses ongoing construction projects for compliance and uncontrolled hazards. Program Administration: 50% Administers Safety and Occupational Health Programs. Executes program elements in related programs such as industrial hygiene, environment of care, GEMS and emergency management. Studies records and files covering mishaps, injuries, and equipment maintenance data; reviews safety activities for evidence of compliance with prescribed safety requirements. Inspects worksite, machine and equipment operations, environmental conditions, work practices, protective devices and equipment, and safety procedures; records and photographs apparent violations of standards for use as evidence of existing hazards. Interviews supervisors and employees for information on specific working conditions to evaluate the total worksite environment. Conducts or participates in closing conference with employer reviewing hazards cited or observed, advising employer of legal responsibility to provide occupational safe worksite and of legal right to appeal inspection findings. Prepares final report or assigned portion of report, showing apparent violations, and recommends penalties and abatement dates. Assists attorneys in preparing evidence supporting agency's findings of safety and occupational health violations where employer contests results of inspection; testifies as witness under examination by agency and employer attorneys. Work Schedule: Tours beginning as early as 7:00am Compressed/Flexible: May be authorized (9 hour days and one 8 hour day per pay period) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Safety & Occupational Health Specialist/PD08063A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/25/2023. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Individual Occupational Requirements: 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: 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. 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. OR Certification: 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. In addition to the above IOR, you must qualify with grade requirements below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Assesses work practices and environmental conditions for hazards to the health and safety of workers; Conducts routine surveys; Surveys assigned work areas, in accordance with established guidance; Prepares data for inclusion in reports and writing portions of reports; Researches literature related to specific health hazards; Selects and adapts established methods to meet the needs of the individual assignment and recommends changes as required; Evaluates exposures and performs modifications in work procedures or schedules to comply with established health requirements and to provide information for evaluation purposes. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement. 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. [Superior academic achievement is based on 1. class standing: applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.; 2. grade-point average: a-3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or b-3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum, or 3. honor society membership as outlined by the Association of College Honor Societies.] Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a bachelor's degree. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analysis and Problem Solving Analytical Thinking Capacity Management Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VA Central Texas Health Care System 1901 Veterans Memorial Drive Temple, TX 76504 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]