Environmental Protection Specialist

Full Job Description

El Paso VA Health Care System (EPVAHCS) Environmental Protection Specialist is the Green Environmental Management Systems (GEMS) Coordinator.

The GEMS Coordinator is a key member of the EPVAHCS GEMS Committee responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of the VA GEMS program across the EPVAHCS organizational elements.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/19/2026.

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-9. 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.

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-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Principles and practices applicable to the investigation, analysis, and evaluation of operational programs related to treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous and solid waste, air quality, drinking water, wastewater, and pollution prevention; Using test equipment, troubleshooting environmental problems requiring investigation of questionable conditions to resolve operational problems related to environmental media; Conducting environmental pollution control studies and surveys and investigating compliance with environmental regulations, Federal, state, and local environmental control regulations; communicate effectively orally and in writing to various levels of management, as well as federal and state regulators and stakeholders; knowledge of the established principles, concepts, and methods of environmental protection program work, and skill in applying this knowledge in performing a variety of duties involving the management, coordination, monitoring, oversight, or evaluation of routine programs, projects, or activities; using standard data gathering and analysis techniques to collect and review technical information on environmental activities or quality and to identify and solve problems of a procedural or factual nature.

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 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED).

OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a Master's degree.

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/.

Major Duties:

Duties include, but are not limited to: Green Environmental Management Systems (GEMS) Plans, organizes, implements, oversees and provides technical assistance for projects to resolve environmental problems by completing permits and leading facility self-assessments.

inspections, and other environmental investigations.

Provides technical expertise for the design, modification, operation and maintenance of EPVAHCS facilities and infrastructure to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

Responsible for managing EPVAHCS environmental program(s) and coordinating the efforts of VA Health Care System (VAHCS)organizations that relate to environmental matters.

Key member of the GEMS Committee administering the GEMS and responsible for management of GEMS activities and internal reporting activities to the Safety & Environment of Care Committee (S&EOCC).

Develop and implement environmental policies, procedures, and systems.

Advise senior level management on the status of environmental programs and recommends changes in the design of facility work programs to meet new environmental policies, procedures, and systems and its affect the operation of the VAHCS.

Use test equipment to monitor environment, structures and systems to include but not limited to air, water and waste streams to effectively manage and/or provide technical advice regarding response to environmental emergencies including releases/spills of hazardous material.

Use Healthcare work processes, procedures, equipment, facilities, materials and activities sufficient to anticipate and control hazards, evaluate and determine casual factors contributing to accidents and/or hazardous working conditions.

Through the Hazardous Communication (HAZ-COM) Plan, facilitates the exchange of environmental information to EPVAHCS staff, including the development and implementation of training and educational programs related to environmental programs.

Adapts various available media to fit special and unique training requirements. Participates in the development of novel or innovative environmental training and promotion activities.

Incumbent has back-up responsibility to various extents for all positions within the Safety Section of Facility Support Service.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:45pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Environmental Protection Specialist/PD800970 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized