This position serves as the Green Environmental Systems Manager for the Minneapolis VA Healthcare System. Environmental Protection Specialists, also known as GEMS Program Managers, play an essential role in the GEMS Program and apply specialized knowledge of planning and administering environmental compliance and environmental sustainability, using the Environmental Management Systems format.

Duties

Duties: Plans and implements program policy and procedures ensuring compliance with environmental laws and regulations. Manages environmental permits, ensuring that permits are written, followed, and modified as needed and completes all required actions to avoid violating permit requirements. Lead facility self-assessments, conducts significant surveys and inspections to determine compliance with applicable state, local, and federal environmental regulations and evaluate program implementation. Advises organizations and services on procedural methods and process improvements, leads sustainability evaluations that cover a wide variety of environmental aspects and impacts and oversees other environmental investigations and remedial actions. Maintains current files of local, state, and federal pollution control regulations and ensures that documentation is maintained to demonstrate compliance with regulations. Develops and implements quality control and quality assurance practices for existing processes as well as for any new processes introduced or modified. Develops and implements health care system environmental policies, procedures, process improvements, and systems for environmental compliance and environmental management systems, focusing on meeting compliance requirements while reducing generation of waste and increasing overall sustainability of the health care system. Leads new and emerging contaminant and pollution issues and is expected to coordinate all associated activities with reducing, removing, and preventing pollution. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level, GS-12, 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. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, day shift Telework: ADHOC-May be authorized (Employees who Telework on an occasional, episodic, or short-term, and have completed required telework training and telework agreement). Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Environmental Protection Specialist/PD23531A and PD23530A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/05/2024. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. For a GS-12 position you must have service 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-11: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Planning and implementing of program policy and procedures ensuring compliance with environmental laws and regulations; managing current files of local, state, and federal pollution control regulations and ensures that documentation is maintained; implementing quality control and quality assurance practices; and reviewing training materials and providing advice and consultation services to other organizations. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related, that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one (1) year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours will be considered as satisfying the one (1) year of full-time study requirement). Note: If you select this option, a copy of your transcripts is required. Education cannot be credited without documentation. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED - must have Conferred date of degree for full credit). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience, as described above, which meets the total qualification requirement for the GS-11 grade level. Note: If you select this option, a copy of your transcripts is required. Education cannot be credited without documentation. GS-12: 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: Planning and implementing of program policy and procedures ensuring compliance with environmental laws and regulations; managing environmental permits, ensuring that permits are written, followed, and modified as needed and completing all required actions; leading facility self-assessments, conduct surveys and inspections to determine compliance with applicable state, local, and federal environmental regulations; advising organizations and services on procedural methods and process improvements, lead sustainability evaluations that cover a wide variety of environmental aspects and impacts; developing and implementing quality control and quality assurance practices; managing an environmental program; and reviewing training materials and providing advice and consultation services to other organizations. Driver's License: A current and valid State Driver's License is required for this position. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid Commercial Driver's License. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: CommunicationComplianceStandardsTechnical Competence 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 includes frequent audits of waste storage areas and many other areas of the health care system, collection and consolidation of wastes across the health care system, and cleanup of hazardous materials and wastes. The work involves walking, standing, bending, hand dexterity, climbing, carrying of items, and driving of government motor vehicles. During audits and inspections, there is regular exposure to all the hazards and discomforts to which workers in the areas are subjected. This may include toxic chemicals, biohazards, physical stressors, and safety hazards. Working Conditions: Much of the work is performed in an office setting. The work does include frequent audits of waste storage areas, storm water drains and outfalls, environmental audits and inspections within and outside the health care system facilities and involves a good deal of walking, standing, bending, lifting, and climbing. During audits and inspections, there is regular exposure to all hazards and discomforts to which the workers are subjected. This may include toxic chemicals, physical stresses, and safety hazards, such as working at a storage, disposal, or spill site where there is risk of exposure to pesticides, hazardous chemicals, radioactive materials, or other pollutants. The employee must use a variety of protective equipment and clothing or gear. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Minneapolis VA Medical Center One Veterans Drive Minneapolis, MN 55417 US
• Name: Nola Mattson
• Phone: 320-252-1670 X6621
• Email: [email protected]