Assistant Area Director

Summary

This position is with the U. S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Chicago Region. It is in the Naperville Area Office.

• Selectee will be expected to report to the Naperville Area office; this is not a remote position.
• This position is outside the bargaining unit.

Duties

• Serves as Supervisor to a multi-disciplinary group of Industrial Hygienists Safety and Occupational Health Specialists and Safety Engineers. Identifies distributes and balances workload and tasks.
• Provides and signs written performance appraisals based on daily observation of work. Approves the use of annual sick and/or credit leave of short duration.
• Communicates assignments and applicable time frames to team members.
• Conducts on-the-job assessments of workload progress productivity and quality to ensure compliance with policies and procedures.
• Makes recommendations on promotions reassignments awards training and other career development opportunities.
• Assists in the formulation of new or revised draft performance standards.
• Reviews case files to ensure proper application of standards and proposed penalties as well as reasonable abatement dates and documentation that is legally sufficient and consistent with OSHA policies and directives.
• Monitors progress of the group toward accomplishment of the program plan recommending deviations to the plan as required.
• Serves as a witness before judicial hearing and trials including criminal investigations providing technical expertise in occupational safety.
• Represents OSHA at meetings of employer or labor organizations trade associations and other groups interested in safety and health.
• Ensures that OSHAs Strategic Plan mission and vision are communicated and integrated into the goals objectives work plan and customer service.
• Reviews comments and makes recommendations on current OSHA standards development of new standards and operational procedures which affect the compliance program.
• Leads inspections/investigations involving difficult and complex cases involving high risk operations imminent danger non-existent or inadequate standards where use of the general duty clause would be required catastrophes and discrimination complaints.
• Recommends approval of completed case files by evaluating and determining appropriate actions.
• Provides technical assistance to employers employees and the general public concerning technical interpretations of the OSH Act of 1970.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
• Subject to pre-employment and random drug tests.
• Requires medical exam and must maintain physical requirements.
• Requires a supervisory probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
• Subject to financial disclosure requirements.
• Requires a valid drivers license.

Qualifications

The Industrial Hygienist Series has an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

• A bachelors or graduate/higher level degree in industrial hygiene occupational health sciences occupational and environmental health toxicology safety sciences or related science; or
• A bachelors 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).

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 bachelors degree in science or engineering at an accredited college or must meet the Individual Occupational Requirements listed above and the Specialized Experience to qualify for Assistant Area Director as described below.

In addition to meeting the individual occupational requirement applicants must have at least 52 weeks specialized experience at the next lower level in the normal career progression of the position being filled. When compared to Federal experience this experience must be equivalent to at least the next lower grade level of GS-12. This experience may have been gained either in the Federal or Private sectors. Resumes should reflect the majority but is not limited to the following specialized experience listed below:

• Conducting complex occupational safety and health inspections.
• Conducting analyses of workplace safety and health programs to determine unsafe or unhealthy working conditions or processes.
• Providing technical advice guidance or training training to employers employees labor representatives or other interested parties regarding safe/healthful working conditions.
• Leading teams of occupational safety and health professionals in the investigation and/or documentation of unsafe and/or unhealthful working conditions.

Education

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.

If your education was completed at a foreign college or university you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum coursework requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.

Additional information

The mission of the Department of Labor (DOL) is to protect the welfare of workers and job seekers improve working conditions expand high-quality employment opportunities and assure work-related benefits and rights for all workers.

Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

As a condition of employment all personnel must undergo a background investigation for access to DOL facilities systems information and/or classified materials before they can enter on duty: BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

You may not be aware but in the regulations for agency ethics programs there are requirements for supervisors. Section 2638.103 of Title 5 of the CFR states: Every supervisor in the executive branch has a heightened personal responsibility for advancing government ethics. It is imperative that supervisors serve as models of ethical behavior for subordinates. Supervisors have a responsibility to help ensure that subordinates are aware of their ethical obligations under the Standards of Conduct and that subordinates know how to contact agency ethics officials. Supervisors are also responsible for working with agency ethics officials to help resolve conflicts of interest and enforce government ethics laws and regulations including those requiring certain employees to file financial disclosure addition supervisors are responsible when requested for assisting agency ethics officials in evaluating potential conflicts of interest and identifying positions subject to financial disclosure requirements.

Supervisory Financial Disclosure (If applicable): This position is subject to the confidential financial disclosure requirements of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 (P.L. 95-521). Therefore if selected you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest(s) and your prospective position with DOL. This information will be required annually.

For more information click Telework Position Information. This is not a remote work position. The selectee will report to an assigned DOL office location on a regular basis and is eligible for participation in telework as determined by management in accordance with DOL policy.

Based on agency needs additional positions may be filled using this vacancy.

The Department of Labor may use certain incentives and hiring flexibilities currently offered by the Federal government to attract highly qualified candidates. Click here for Additional Information.

The Fair Chance Act (FCA) prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicants criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOL employee has violated your rights under the FCA you may file a complaint of the alleged violation following our agencys complaint process Guidelines for Reporting Violations of the Fair Chance Act. Note: The FCA does not apply to some positions specified under the Act such as law enforcement or national security positions.

All applicants tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to screening for illegal drug use prior to appointment.

All Department of Labor employees are subject to the provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Program under Executive Order 12564 and Public Law 100-71.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Required Experience:

Director