This GS-0018-9/11 Safety and Occupational Health Specialist position is located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This position is responsible for administering a safety and occupational health program for the International Institute of Tropical Forestry. For additional information about the duties of this position, please contact Marinelis Talavera at [email protected].

Duties

Responsibilities described below are listed at the GS-11 full performance level Communicate health and safety guidance to employees, supervisors, contractors, and visitors Provide health and safety training for employees and supervisors Conduct safety education activities, promoting safety awareness through safety councils Prepare a chronological narrative of factors for contributing to the mishaps or fatalities, including photographs, statements, and other reports Assist with the employee assistance program (EAP) for the station in support of employee wellness and health education efforts Evaluate a health and safety program’s progress, which includes assessment of current guidelines, procedures, policies, and the training program Manage and utilize agency safety management automated databases Analyze safety data to identify incident or mishap trends Write reports of safety inspection or accident investigation findings

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the eligibility and qualifications requirements as defined below by the closing date of the announcement. For more information on the qualifications for this position, see the Office of Personnel Management's General Schedule Qualification Standards. Your application and resume must clearly show that you possess the experience requirements. Transcripts must be provided for qualifications based on education. Provide course descriptions as necessary You must meet the selective factor, basic requirement, and minimum qualification to qualify. Selective Factor: The incumbent must be fluent in both English and Spanish. The incumbent will be communicating with and disseminating safety information to employees, contractors, and the public. Puerto Rico's official languages are both English and Spanish, with Spanish being the dominant language of business, education, and daily life on the island. The incumbent must be fluent in speaking English to communicate with other federal government personnel and university personnel Basic Requirement: Safety and Occupational Health Management 0018 Education Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- 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: 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 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 Minimum Qualifications: For the GS-9: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as 3 out of 4 of the following: Identifying common workplace/work environment safety risks and hazards and assessing the potential for harm to employees Assisting with the investigation of workplace accidents, injuries, and incidents of property damage Preparing reports of safety inspection findings and recommendations to address unsafe practices or hazardous conditions Providing technical expertise to managers and employees with regard to risk factors, OSHA requirements, proper selection and use of personal protective equipment, and safe work practices OR Substitution of education: a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if directly related to the work of this position. Acceptable fields of graduate coursework include 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 A combination: an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education as described above (only graduate education in excess of 18 semester hours may be used to qualify applicants for this grade level). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work For the GS-11: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as ALL of the following: Scheduling and conducting safety and occupational health inspections of offices, storage areas, and industrial areas to determine compliance with applicable occupational safety standards Identifying hazards and evaluating risk potential for harm to employees in the workplace Investigating accidents, injuries, and property damage incidents and preparing final reports of findings with recommendations to correct the unsafe acts, practices, or conditions which caused the injury or property damage Providing technical expertise to managers and employees with regard to risk factors, OSHA requirements, proper selection and use of personal protective equipment, and safe work practices OR Substitution of education: a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if directly related to the work of this position. Acceptable fields of graduate coursework include 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 A combination: an appropriate combination of specialized experience and graduate level education as described above (beyond what is required for a master's degree, i.e., more than 36 semester hours leading to a Ph.D.). The education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work 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

Education

See above for education that may be qualifying for the specific grade level

Contacts

• Address USDA Forest Service HRM Contact Center DO NOT MAIL IN APPLICATIONS, SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT. Albuquerque, NM 87109 US
• Name: HRM Contact Center
• Phone: 1-877-372-7248 X2
• Email: [email protected]