Environmental Protection Specialist (GEMS)

Summary

This position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Mid Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6), Salisbury VA Medical Center (SVAMC), in Engineering Service. The incumbent's major efforts include serving as the Medical Center's Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) Coordinator. The incumbent is responsible for coordinating the efforts of the VAMC staff to ensure the GEMS program is developed and implemented.

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Duties

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Responsible for ensuring that the GEMS program results, findings, and conclusions lead to continual improvements of environmental programs; applying environmental science and technology to demonstrate relationships between the operation of the VAMC and human health, ecosystems, environmental media, and natural resources; and providing leadership and direction to management, professional, and technical personnel regarding the development and implementation of the GEMS program. The incumbent holds certifications to signs manifest for the destructive /disposal or Pharmaceutical, Biological, Hazardous and Asbestos Waste.As the Environmental Protection Specialist, responsibilities include the following:

• Developing and implementing a GEMS program at the VA Hospital and coordinating the efforts of staff involved with GEMS to ensure that the GEMS is developed and implemented in accordance with VHA policy and guidance.
• Conducting internal gap analyses of GEMS. Issuing reports of gap analyses and tracks status of corrective and preventive actions. Review's implementation of GEMS policy and procedures and reports the status to the Safety & Occupational Health Manager. Discusses deficiencies and necessary remedial action with appropriate VAMC staff, including top management.
• Planning, organizing, implementing, overseeing and providing technical assistance for projects to resolve environmental problems. The GEMS Coordinator provides technical expertise for the design, modification, operation and maintenance of VA Medical Center facilities and infrastructure to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
• Manages environmental programs and coordinates responses to VA and external environmental audits, surveys, inspections, etc.
• Serves as an expert on issues related to environmental statutes including the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Superfund, National Environmental Policy Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, etc.
• Participates in planning, organizing, implementing, and providing technical assistance for projects to resolve environmental problems. Assignments include, but are not limited to, industrial wastewater treatment and disposal; safe drinking water; treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste; release of hazardous material/spill response; air pollution control; environmental media permitting; toxic substances; and regulatory oversight.
• Provides technical expertise for the design, modification, operation and maintenance of facilities and infrastructure to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
• Develops, implements, and maintains effective programs for the identification, collection and disposal of hazardous wastes. Ensures that handling of all waste streams are in compliance with federal, state, and local governmental laws and regulations.
• Advises management on how environmental policies, procedures and systems will affect the operation of the hospital.
• Evaluates and implements pollution prevention alternatives to reduce the generation of waste.
• Manages response to environmental emergencies including releases/spills of hazardous materials.
• Facilitates the exchange of environmental information to staff, including the development and implementation of training and educational programs related to environmental programs.
• Manages computer programs and databases to enhance management of environmental programs.
• Reviews how expansion, modification, closures of existing facilities and infrastructure, and new construction of structures and infrastructure will affect the environment and provides information that will minimize adverse impacts to human health and the environment and reduce facility vulnerability.
• Measures the effectiveness of existing environmental programs and recommends to the Safety & Occupational Health Manager modifications to existing programs as needed to meet changing environmental requirements.
• Develops promotional and educational activities to promote stakeholder awareness of the Medical Center's environmental issues.
• Required to obtain COR certification so to manage all aspects of the Asbestos Abatement, Underground Storage Tank, and other environmental related programs.

Additional Duties: Incumbent has back-up responsibility to various extents for all positions within Safety Management. This may include Safety Management, Fire Protection, Industrial Hygiene, and Emergency Preparedness functions.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Environmental Protection Specialist (GEMS)/ PD020360

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/16/2026.

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: Ensuring that hazardous property is received, handled, stored, inspected, documented, and manifested/disposed of in compliance with applicable environmental regulations and safety requirements. Inspects storage areas; provides technical guidance to personnel involved in the handling and disposal of hazardous materials and wastes (e.g., paints, varnishes, lacquers, solvents, fuels, and pesticides); and prepares required reports. Performs site inspections at hazardous waste disposal, transport, or storage facilities where the problems typically are easy to identify and conventional in nature. He/she evaluates work practices, determines compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and recommends changes to control or eliminate potential or existing hazards or violations. Evaluates the feasibility and probable effects of proposed regulations; develops position papers, issue papers, workgroup materials, and briefing papers for higher-level managers; develops preamble language for proposed and final rules; and assists in developing policy guidance to implement the various provisions of environmental standards. NOTE: This experience must be supported by your resume to be creditable. OR ,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D. in a field related to this position that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate level education beyond first first year or 18 semester hours. NOTE: If using education combined with specialized experience to qualify, a copy of your transcript is required.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave : Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

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.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.