This position is located within the Safety Department at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) in Pittsburgh, PA. The Industrial Hygienist is responsible for management of the VAPHS Industrial Hygiene Programs for VAPHS is a university affiliated medical center which spans approximately 180 acres at two geographically separated campuses.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-11. At the GS-09 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds. The major duties include but are not limited to: Oversees a comprehensive and effective program of industrial hygiene which recognizes, evaluates and monitors chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic stresses in the workplace; Maintains a comprehensive and current library pertaining to industrial hygiene; Identifies opportunities for improvement through an ongoing effort of hazard identification, evaluation, solution implementation, and monitoring; Evaluates existing and proposed new work processes or materials to incorporate prevention of occupational disease hazards; Performs ergonomic assessments; Establishes a program and protocols for physical screening of employees exposed to toxic materials or physical hazards; Formulates directives, laboratory procedures, and information bulletins related to the occupational health program; Reviews, analyzes, and makes recommendations on all levels of medical center construction projects; Acts when hazardous conditions pose a threat of personal injury or danger to equipment or buildings; Participates in major facility, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), or agency wide projects and activities that significantly affect the context, interpretation, or development of agency, VISN, and facility policies; Ensures all internal Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) code standards and regulations are practiced uniformly and consistently; Reviews findings with appropriate facility management and employee groups; Plans and directs a health education program designed to educate the VAPHS personnel; and, Performs all other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: You must meet one of the following basic requirements below to be eligible for the GS-0690, Industrial Hygiene job series. The education must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Applicants must meet one of the following Basic Requirements: A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in industrial hygiene, occupational health sciences, occupational and environmental health, toxicology, safety sciences, or related science; ~OR~ A bachelor's degree in a branch of engineering, physical science, or life science that included 12 semester hours in chemistry, including organic chemistry, and 18 additional semester hours of courses in any combination of chemistry, physics, engineering, health physics, environmental health, biostatistics, biology, physiology, toxicology, epidemiology, or industrial hygiene; ~OR~ Certification from the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH). Note: You must submit a copy of your certification with your application. Certification cannot be credited without documentation. Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry are not acceptable. For engineering degrees to be acceptable, the curriculum must be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) as a professional engineering curriculum. ~AND~ In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements above, to qualify for this position at the GS-9 level, you must meet one of the following: Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of an Industrial Hygienist, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience involves the recognition, evaluation, corrective actions, and elimination of environmental conditions in the workplace that causes sickness, impaired health, or illness. This experience must demonstrate a professional knowledge of the theory and application of the principles of industrial hygiene and closely related sciences such as physics and engineering controls. Such work must have involved experience in all of the following areas: the acquisition of quantitative and qualitative data, and the measurement of exposures for a variety of chemical, physical, and biological stresses; the analysis of the data acquired and the prediction of probable effects of exposures on the health and well-being of workers; and the selection and recommendation of appropriate controls, including management, medical, engineering, education, or training and personal protective equipment. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates, AND hours worked per week. ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of two (2) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Industrial Hygienist position. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ Combination: A combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, which may be used to meet total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Industrial Hygienist position. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: PROJECT MANAGEMENT COMPLIANCE INSPECTION HAZARDOUS MATERIALS PLANNING and EVALUATING IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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. Physical Requirements: The work of the position may require regular and recurring physical exertion such as moderate periods of walking, standing, crouching, bending, stooping, or stretching in performing regular and recurring activities, inspections, or to observe healthcare operations in treatment facilities. The work may also require the person in the position to carry sampling equipment weighing up to 25 pounds. During surveys, the person in the position is exposed to regular and reoccurring exposure to moderate risks, discomforts, and unpleasantness such as contagious diseases; infectious materials; or toxic or irritating chemicals; carcinogenic materials; noxious fumes; flammable liquids; radiation; and/or potentially pathogenic bacteria associated with the VAPHS functions. This exposure necessitates the use of a variety of protective clothing and equipment, such as respirators, face masks, coveralls, etc. 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

IMPORTANT: 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).

Contacts

• Address Pittsburgh VA Medical Center 1010 Delafield Road Pittsburgh, PA 15215 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]