Industrial Hygienist (GEMS)

The South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) Coordinator is the key member of the STVHCS GEMS Committee responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of the VA GEMS across STVHCS organizational elements. 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-09. 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. Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) 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 American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH). You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-09 grade level One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) 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: Receives and disposes of hazardous wastes and maintains appropriate records in accordance with existing Environmental Protection Agency standards and state law. Responds to industrial hygiene inquiries and provides technical assistance to employees. Calibrates and uses a variety of industrial hygiene instrumentation, including but not limited to air sampling pumps, noise survey instruments, and field direct reading devices. Performs on-site inspections of new construction to ensure compliance with all applicable codes, standards, and health care system policies. Develops, evaluates, and provides corrective actions for respiratory programs. Recommends and approves remedial actions. OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-09 level 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-09 level Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: the recognition, evaluation, corrective actions, and elimination of environmental conditions in the workplace that causes sickness, impaired health, or illness. This experience must demonstrate a professional knowledge of the theory and application of the principles of industrial hygiene and closely related sciences such as physics and engineering controls. Such work must have involved experience in all of the following areas: the acquisition of quantitative and qualitative data, and the measurement of exposures for a variety of chemical, physical, and biological stresses; the analysis of the data acquired and the prediction of probable effects of exposures on the health and well‑being of workers; and the selection and recommendation of appropriate controls, including management, medical, engineering, education or training, and personal protective equipment. Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). 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 combination of education (one year beyond the Master's Degree level) and experience as described above. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position Standards Technical Competence Technical Problem Solving Communications Compliance Financial Management Health Risk Analysis 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. Note A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part‑time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements Moderate lifting, 15‑44 pounds; Moderate carrying, 15‑44 pounds; Straight pulling (1 hour); Pulling hand over hand (1 hour); Pushing (1 hour); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (3 hours); Standing (3 hours); Crawling (1 hour); Repeated bending (1 hour); Climbing, use of legs and arms; Both legs required; Operation of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle; Ability for rapid mental and muscular; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Depth perception; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted); emotional & mental stability; prosthetic limbs permitted. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management website: #J-18808-Ljbffr