The Oklahoma City VA Health Care System (OKCVAHCS) is a tertiary hospital which includes (15) outpatient clinics dispersed over a large geographic region spanning two states. Supports and trains many residents, interns, and other trainees in a wide variety of medical specialties and healthcare occupations. The incumbent performs various duties in an Industrial Hygiene program to access work practices and environmental conditions for hazards to the health and safety of workers.

Duties

As the Industrial Hygienist at the Oklahoma Health Care Center (OKCHCS) the duties include but are not limited to the following: Asbestos control and abatement, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, hearing conversation, hazard communication, nitrous oxide, mercury, hazardous and infectious waste management, water testing and treatment, respirator program, ergonomics, and anti-neoplastic drugs. Duties include conducting studies of work operations and processes, examining work environments, analyzing findings, promulgating recommendations, and preparing various reports. Environmental conditions involve a variety of hazards including physical, chemical, and biological hazards; ionizing and non-ionizing radiation; and other environmental agents. Other duties may include: Industrial Hygiene Assessments & Technical Reviews Regularly inspects the medical center to identify potential occupational health hazards and the need for further investigative studies and surveys. Studies and surveys performed involve determining compliance with various established criteria, evaluating exposures, and advising on control measures and changes in work procedures or schedules to comply with established health requirements and providing information for evaluation purposes. In performing surveys/studies, incumbent must: 1) select or devise methods and instruments; 2) personally or through others, conduct measurements; and 3) study and test materials associated with the work operation or work environment. Performs analysis to determine nature and degree of toxic materials present. Interprets results of studies for the work environment in terms of possible impairment to health, nature of health impairment, potential for medical center damages, etc., and presents specific conclusions and recommendations to appropriate management and health officials. Determines the need for, and effectiveness of, control measures and changes in work procedures. Recommends procedures that will be suitable and effective for the environment. Work Schedule: 8:00a.m.-4:30p.m Position Description Title/PD#: Industrial Hygienist/PD144650 Recruitment Incentives: Authorized Physical Requirements: The performance of duties requires long periods of walking, standing, crawling, kneeling, and bending. Moderate lifting and carrying of equipment, use of personal protective devices, and work in hazardous and confined spaces is required. Use of all appendages, good vision, and hearing are necessary. Emotional and mental stability are required.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. IOR: Individual Occupational Requirement BASIC REQUIREMENTS: To meet the basic qualifications to apply to this vacancy, please select the appropriate option below that demonstrates you meet the basic qualifications for the Industrial Hygienist position. The education must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education(external link) at the time the degree was obtained. Applicants must meet one of the following 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(external link) (ABIH). Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry are not acceptable. Evaluation of Education All science or engineering courses offered in fulfillment of the above requirements must be acceptable for credit toward the completion of a standard 4-year professional curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in science or engineering at an accredited college or university. 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. Evaluation of Experience 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. GS-11 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: Specialized experience would typically include experience to include conducting studies on work operations and processes, inspecting work environments, interpreting data, making recommendations, and generating various reports. Environmental circumstances include physical, chemical, and biological risks, as well as ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and other environmental agents, clinical research, knowledge of concepts, principles, methods monitor, control, abate, prevent pollutants. OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-11 level: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-11 level.To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-09. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. There is no educational substitution for the GS-11 level. 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.

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.

Contacts

• Address VA Oklahoma City Health Care System 921 Northeast 13th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73104 US
• Name: VISN 19 HR Contact Center
• Phone: 719-227-4600
• Email: [email protected]