Incumbent serves as the Construction Safety Officer (CSO) for the VAMHCS, a multi-site organization that encompasses two medical centers in Baltimore and Perry Point, Maryland, a Community Living Center on the Loch Raven Campus, Baltimore, Maryland and a Community Based Outpatient Clinics throughout the state of Maryland.

Duties

"Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing. As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care." Duties may include: Uses logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Objectively analyzes and evaluates an issue in order to form an opinion/judgment/conclusion; Uses logic and reasoning to research, interpret and apply information such as regulatory and/or procedural guidance; Identifies the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems; Integrates information into development of a resolution. Accurate interpretation and conveyance of construction safety , technology, codes and standards in technical reports Identification and investigation of abnormal site conditions found during routine inspections. Prepares reports on construction safety incidents as required Knowledge of the standards promulgated by the National Fire Protection Administration, specifically 29CFR1910.26, National Electric Code, NFPA 70E, and relevant BOCA codes(this list is not meant to be all-inclusive) Ability to oversee numerous projects simultaneously Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance. Applies principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, monitoring, evaluating, and managing projects and resources, including technical performance. Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Travel: 25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position. Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Safety and Occupational Health Specialist/PD15047-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved 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, 10/18/2024. 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 by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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. Preferred Experience: 2-4 years of construction safety experience VAMHCS Safety Service ONLY years of experience, customer service and team work. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: at least one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that required the performance of work concerned with conducting reviews and resolving problems in achieving compliance with fire protection control standards and regulation; coordinating corrective measures with internal and external stakeholders. Sufficient knowledge to serve as technical authority and make significant, far-reaching decisions or recommendations in the development, interpretation and application of the fire and life safety policies. Sufficient knowledge and experience to develop and manage a diverse and complex fire alarm system, fire protection system, and fire suppression system in a large organization containing multiple facilities. AND Individual Occupational Requirements Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- in 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, 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. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analysis and Problem SolvingCritical ThinkingProject ManagementSafety EngineeringTechnical Competence 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: Performance of job duties may require long periods of walking, standing, kneeling or bending. In the event of emergency response, running may occur when responding to such incidents, i.e., fire alarm activations. Moderate lifting and carrying of equipment and supplies are required. Use of all appendages and good vision and hearing are a must. Emotional and mental stability are required. Work Environment: The work environment consists of standard office settings, laboratories, patient units, mechanical equipment spaces, roof, crawl spaces, and construction sites. The incumbent's work regularly involves exposure to hazards such as moving machinery, infectious diseases, shielded radiation sources, toxic chemicals, gases, flammables, high noise levels, electrical shock, etc. This individual must use all the proper personal protective equipment and clothing such as hard hats, safety shoes, earplugs, goggles, gloves, etc., when in the aforementioned situations. 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

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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 VA Maryland Health Care System 10 North Greene Street Baltimore, MD 21201 US
• Name: Crissann Heathcote
• Phone: 4432405982
• Email: [email protected]