Safety and Occupational Health Specialist - Technical Career Field (TCF) Trainee

Full Job Description

This position is located in the Occupational Safety and Health Service at VA Central Iowa Healthcare System - Des Moines VA Medical Center, Des Moines, IA.

The Safety and Occupational Health Specialist - Technical Career Field (TCF) Trainee work with supervisors , union officials, and safety and occupational health committees to eliminate or control hazardous operations or conditions.

Minimum Requirement: The following are minimum requirements for appointment as a Safety and Occupational Health Specialist in the Veterans Health Administration, which all applicants must met.

(CLEAR DETAILS OF EXPERIENCE AND/OR UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit the required document, your application may not be reviewed.) Specialized Experience (GS-7): You must have one year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (i.e., GS-5) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Specialized experience is 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, Education (GS-7): Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one full year of graduate level education in 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, Combination (GS-7): Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level.

You must have a combination of successfully completed post-high school education and experience as described above which meets the total experience requirements for this grade level.

OR, Superior Academic Achievement (GS-7): Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) at the baccalaureate level in the qualifying curriculum detailed above is fully qualifying.

Applicants who wish to apply under this provision must submit proof from their educational institution that they meet one of the criteria listed below.

To qualify for SAA, applicants must have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled and meet one of the following: Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university or major subdivision; A grade-point average of "B" (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study; A grade point average of "B+" (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study; Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies.

For a list of recognized honor societies please visit http://www.achsnatl.org/quick_link.asp.

Specialized Experience (GS-9): You must have one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (i.e., GS-7) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Specialized experience is 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.

In addition, at this grade, you must possess experience performing above duties for a medical facility. OR, Education (GS-9): Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 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 related, in 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, Combination (GS-9): Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education as described above.

Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level (i.e. 18 semester hours of graduate education) may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9.

Major Duties:

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** This position involves a multi-grade career ladder.

The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-11. At the GS-07 and 09 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence.

You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11.

Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher-level work, and availability of funds.

The Safety and Occupational Health Specialist - TCF Trainee performs nonsupervisory work in one or more of the following areas: Inspecting, investigating, recording, analyzing, and reporting.

Major duties and responsibilities include but not limited to: Managing and overseeing hazardous chemical spill cleanups within the medical center Preparing and implementing procedures for safety, fire protection, and occupational health policies Developing operating practices for construction, workplace safety, and occupational health compliance Creating and delivering training programs for employees and supervisors on safety, fire prevention, and accident reporting Conducting safety orientations, fire protection classes, and workplace safety promotion programs Ensuring fire drills are carried out in compliance with VA and local policies Investigating safety incidents involving hazardous materials or equipment and reporting findings with analysis and recommendations Reviewing and verifying corrective actions to ensure proper hazard abatement Consulting with Industrial Hygienists to maintain compliance with OSHA standards Managing industrial hygiene contracts and coordinating contractor activities Recommending and participating in exposure surveys and ensuring proper documentation Reviewing construction plans for compliance with fire and safety codes Coordinating safety and occupational health activities with medical staff and external stakeholders Preparing required safety and occupational health reports (monthly, quarterly, annual) Serving on safety and medical center committees Conducting inspections of workplaces, patient care areas, and community facilities to identify hazards and code violations Recommending corrective measures and performing follow-up inspections Developing and managing budgets for safety, fire protection, and occupational health programs Performing additional related duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday to Friday; 07:30 a.m.

to 04:00 p.m. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved