Summary Serves as the Industrial Hygienist in the VA Northern California Health Care System. Plans, directs, coordinates, designs, implements, evaluates, and monitors a comprehensive Industrial Hygienist Program and serves as a technical authority on industrial hygiene and related issues. Responsibilities DUTIES INCLUDE BUT WILL NOT BE LIMITED TO: Works directly for the Chief of Safety, and also works with the Safety and Health group, and management/labor representative. Assures industrial hygiene program is in compliance with standards set by VHA, JCAHO. OSHA, EPA and other regulatory agencies. Consults and reviews VA publications, guidebooks, OSHA documents and regulations, the Federal Register, EPA regulations and other pertinent documents. Actively participates in and advises various Committees including the facility's Environment of Care Committee on industrial hygiene matters. Assists facilities in meeting national and regional goals. Provides consultative and technical assistance to the health care system in overcoming or minimizing adverse health effects of unusual environmental health and related problems. Develops VANCHCS industrial hygiene policies and procedures. Plans, organizes, and administers comprehensive evaluation of VANCHCS facilities to identify potential occupational health hazards and the need for further investigative studies and surveys. Studies and surveys preformed involved determining compliance with various established criteria, evaluating exposures, and advising on control measures and changes in work procedures or schedules to comply with established health requirements, and providing information for evaluation purposes. In performing surveys/studies, incumbent must select or devise methods and instruments, personally or through others conduct measurements, and study and test materials associated with the work operation or work environment. Recommends improvement of programs through education, equipment purchase, and engineering/work practice controls. Prepares technical reports on results of evaluations. Work Schedule: MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 08:00AM - 04:30PM FULL TIME Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Industrial Hygienist/PD11628O Physical Requirements: Inspection surveys and fact-finding missions require moderate physical exertion, including walking, standing and carrying many items of equipment necessary to conduct testing and obtain samples. The employee may be required to enter restricted work places, such as, asbestos abatement areas, where respiratory protective equipment and full protective clothing is required. Ability to function under these conditions is required if work is to be successfully completed. **RELOCATION/RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE MAY BE AUTHORIZED FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES** Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this 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 may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/15/2024. Individual Occupational Requirements Basic Education Requirement: Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: 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 (external link) (ABIH). 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 bachelor's degree in science or engineering at an accredited college or university. For engineering degrees to be acceptable, the curriculum must be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) as a professional engineering curriculum. Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry are not acceptable. GS-12 Grade Level Requirement: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the federal service; experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) 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: 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. 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. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analysis and Problem Solving Analytical Reasoning Compliance Risk Management Technical Competence 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. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or 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. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. 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.