Environmental Protection Specialist

Summary

The Environmental Protection Specialist serves as the Green Environment Systems Manager (GEMS) for the Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System located in Fort Meade, South Dakota or Hot Springs, South Dakota. The employee will apply specialized knowledge of planning and administering environmental compliance and environmental sustainability, using the Environmental Management Systems format.

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Duties

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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

Major duties include but are not limited to:

• Planning and implementing program policy and procedures ensuring compliance with environmental laws and regulations, as well as timely tracking of regulatory deadlines, shipping schedules, and hazardous waste locations and volumes.
• Inspecting proper documentation for the transportation of hazardous materials and waste.
• Maintaining one hundred percent (100%) accountability of waste manifests.
• Managing environmental permits, ensuring that permits are written, followed, and modified as needed and completes all required actions to avoid violating permit requirements.
• Working with other services, including Engineering, to ensure that permits are written, updated, and submitted as required.
• Leading facility self-assessments, conduct significant surveys and inspections to determine compliance with applicable state, local, and federal environmental regulations and evaluate program implementation.
• Advising organizations and services on procedural methods and process improvements, lead sustainability evaluations that cover a wide variety of environmental aspects and impacts and will oversee other environmental investigations and remedial actions.
• Developing and implementing quality control and quality assurance practices for existing processes as well as for any new processes introduced or modified.
• Solving problems and improving the methods and processes carried out at medical facilities requiring the development, adaptation, and modification of precedents, methods, and procedures.
• Advising senior level management officials within the health care systems on the status of environmental programs and recommends changes in the process to meet new environmental requirements and/or reduce environmental impact.
• Performing other related duties as assigned.

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

Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized

Telework: This position may be authorized for ADHOC telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

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.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
• Must possess a current, valid state-issued Driver's License (NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid state-issued Driver's License.)
• 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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.

Qualifications

TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-12 LEVEL YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is experience managing or leading an environmental protection program in a complex organization, to include applying a wide range of federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations to ensure compliance and improve environmental performance. NOTE: Your experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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.

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Driver's License Requirement : A current and valid Driver's License is required for this position. NOTE: We cannot accept pictures/photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package.

Physical Requirements: The work includes frequent audits of waste storage areas and many other areas of the health care system, collection and consolidation of wastes across the health care system, and clean-up of hazardous materials and wastes. The work involves walking, standing, bending, hand dexterity, climbing, carrying of items, and driving of government vehicles. During audits and inspections, there is regular exposure to all the hazards and discomforts to which workers in the areas are subjected. This may include toxic chemicals, biohazards, physical stressors, and safety hazards.

Work Environment: Much of the work is performed in an office setting. The work does include frequent audits of waste storage areas, storm water drains and outfalls, environmental audits and inspections within and outside the health care system facilities and involves a good deal of walking, standing, bending, lifting, and climbing. During audits and inspections, there is regular exposure to all hazards and discomforts to which the workers are subjected. This may include toxic chemicals, physical stresses, and safety hazards, such as working at a storage, disposal, or spill site where there is risk of exposure to pesticides, hazardous chemicals, radioactive materials, or other pollutants. The employee must use a variety of protective equipment and clothing or gear.

The GEMS Program Manager must utilize experience and knowledge to perform all work in a safe and prudent manner. The GEMS Program Manager must adhere to The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals. The Environmental Specialist shall wear personal protective equipment, including a respirator, as required by the hazards of the environment and the work being conducted.

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

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.

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.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

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

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.