Industrial Hygienist

Full Job Description

Employee will be assigned to Safety Service, VA Central California Healthcare System Fresno, CA, serving as an Industrial Hygienist working with the following: asbestos control and abatement, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, hearing conservation, hazard communication, nitrous oxide, mercury, hazardous and infectious waste management, water testing and treatment, respirator program, and anti-neoplastic drugs.

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

Individual Occupational Requirements BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: 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 Board for Global EHS Credentialing (formerly American Board of Industrial Hygiene(external link) (ABIH)).

Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry are not acceptable. Link to OPM Individual Occupational Requirements Note: Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry are not acceptable.

GS-11 grade level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 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 - In addition to meeting one of the above requirements, applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the knowledge, skill and ability to successfully perform the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position.

To be creditable, this specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience includes: knowledge of industrial hygiene principles, procedures, standards, equipment, techniques, and methods; managing an industrial hygiene program; performing analysis to determine nature and degree of toxic materials; knowledge of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards (such as hazardous waste, drinking water, medical waste, etc.); conducting surveys/studies of work operations regarding hazardous conditions; and preparing comprehensive industrial hygiene reports.

Such work must have involved experience in all of the following areas: 1) the acquisition of quantitative and qualitative data, and the measurement of exposures for a variety of chemical, physical, and biological stresses; 2) the analysis of the data acquired and the prediction of probable effects of exposures on the health and well-being of workers; and 3) the selection and recommendation of appropriate controls, including management, medical, engineering, education or training, and personal protective equipment.

OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) - Applicants must possess successful completion of three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D.

degree or Ph.D. in industrial hygiene, occupational health sciences, occupational and environmental health, toxicology, safety sciences, or related science.

The education is qualifying if it provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Industrial Hygienist position.

This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

OR COMBINING EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)- Combination of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Hazardous Materials: Knowledge of hazardous materials and waste and their uses, interactions, dangers, production, handling, storage, and disposal.

Health Risk Analysis: Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of health risk analysis; establish an exposure assessment strategy; collect basic characterization information (workplace, work force, and agents); assess exposure to the work force; prioritize health risks; implement monitoring and control strategies for unacceptable exposures; schedule and perform periodic reassessments; and document and communicate health risk exposure.

Compliance Inspection: Knowledge of the guidelines, regulations, and procedures associated with compliance inquiries, including application of compliance rules and criteria and ability to make appropriate decisions and issue citations, fines, or orders.

Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

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.

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. Major Duties:

Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Performs various duties in Industrial Hygiene program to access work practices and environmental conditions for hazards to the health and safety of workers; conducts studies of work operations and processes, examines work environments, analyzes findings, promulgates recommendations, and prepares various reports; and works in environmental conditions involving a variety of hazards including physical, chemical and biological hazards, ionizing and nonionizing radiation, and other environmental agents.

Regularly inspects the medical center to identify potential occupational health hazards and the need for further investigative studies and surveys; determines 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; and 1) selects or devises methods and instruments; 2) personally or through others, conducts measurements; and 3) studies and tests 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; and recommends procedures that will be suitable and effective for the environment.

Receives and disposes of hazardous wastes and maintains appropriate records in accordance with existing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, state law and facility regulations; prepares comprehensive and legally sufficient written reports of all monitoring activities performed; and ensures proper documentation of employee exposures in medical records.

Performs all other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm.

Position Description Title/PD#: Industrial Hygienist/PD02277A Physical Requirements: The work may require some physical effort (e.g.

walking, standing, pushing/pulling carts with light items, carrying light items such as manuals, briefcases, light equipment, or driving or traveling by motor vehicle) Promotion Potential: Position is at the full performance level.