The Technical Career Field (TCF) is a national workforce development program within VHA that was designed to replenish technical staff in critically identified positions. This position is a developmental position, reporting directly to the Chief of Safety & Occupational Service and can be assigned duties at any of the facilities within the system.

Duties

The TCF career fields represent those technical fields where VA-specific knowledge and experience is desirable for success in the field. Individuals selected follow a formal training plan for two years during which they are trained, coached, and supervised by a preceptor. Preceptors are selected annually, through an extensive application process, for their technical expertise, their commitment to training and the suitability of their facility as a training location. *Selectees will be required to sign Mobility, Training, and Continued Service Agreements. This is a developmental position leading to a GS-11, performing assignments intended to broaden skills and provide practical experience leading to progressively more complex assignments performed under progressively less supervision. The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Selection will be made at the GS-7 grade level only. The incumbent serves as an Industrial Hygienist in the Safety Office of a member of the Medical Center Director's office. The incumbent shall serve as a backup to the Safety Officer. This is a career progressive position with various duties to access work practices and environmental conditions for hazards to the health and safety of workers. Work schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:30a.m. to 4:00p.m. Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available Telework: This is not a telework position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description Title/PD#: Industrial Hygienist (TCF)/PD101-00985-A

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet time-in grade, basic requirements and specialized experience requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 06/06/2024. 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 within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-7 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. 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. Basic Requirements: All applicants must meet one of the basic requirements 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. 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 (external link) (ABIH). Please note: 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. In addition to meeting one of the Basic Requirements, applicants must also meet the grade specific requirements listed below: Evaluation of Experience for Industrial Hygienist Series 0690 requirement for all grade levels: Qualifying 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-07: 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 in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of an Industrial Hygienist. Specialized Experience includes: Under supervision supports the development of facility environmental programs and policies by assuring compliance with applicable laws and regulation for air emissions, wastewater discharge, solid and hazardous waste, fuel and oil storage, among other areas; Assists in disaster planning and planning groups for potential environmental disasters; Assists in completing permits, leads, and maintain records for facility inspections and other environmental investigations; Maintains and calibrates facility equipment (e.g., used to measure noise, heat, light, ventilation, humidity, and air contaminants); sets up equipment according to specification; and uses equipment to collect samples. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. Please see Education section for requirements; OR, Applicants may qualify based on superior academic achievement: Applicants must be in the upper third of their graduating class; OR have a GPA of 3.0 or higher; OR be a member of an Association of College Honor Societies. Please see Education section for requirements; OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Please see Education section for requirements. 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. DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT: Applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted State driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that he or she is medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely. Applicants are required to pass agency Government Vehicle Drivers physical examination. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your valid state-issued driver's license. 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/. Physical Requirements: Industrial hygiene surveys are frequent and require the employee to carry moderately heavy equipment. Investigations also involve a good deal of standing, walking and bending. Work Environment: The employee is exposed to a wide range of hazardous unpleasant conditions during investigations, including toxic materials, high noise levels, and temperature extremes. Use of protective clothing and equipment is required.

Education

Education requirements:
GS-7:

• Education: To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successful completion of one (1) year of graduate-level education that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Industrial Hygienist position.
• Superior academic achievement (S.A.A.) -- This provision covers advanced trainee positions that provide opportunities for advancement upon attaining required job skills and knowledge, require no prior experience, and have work classified at two-grade intervals. It recognizes students who have achieved superior academic standing as evidenced by one of the three methods described below. In order to be creditable under this provision, superior academic achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled.
  • S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.
    • 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.
    • Grade-point average (G.P.A.)-- Applicants must have a grade-point average of:
      • 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.
      • 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
    • Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed below. These honor societies are listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (external link). Agencies considering eligibility based on any society not included in the following list must ensure that the honor society meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision.
• Combination: You must have a combination of specialized experience as described above and graduate level education beyond a bachelor's degree that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Industrial Hygienist position to meet the total experience requirements for this grade level.

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

Contacts

• Address Roseburg VA Medical Center 913 Northwest Garden Valley Boulevard Roseburg, OR 97471 US
• Name: Simone Ball
• Phone: 541-440-1000 X44275
• Email: [email protected]