Industrial Hygienist

Occupational Safety and Health Administration•Saint Louis, MO

3d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is with the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in the Kansas City Region's Saint Louis Area Office in Saint Louis, Missouri. The full-performance level is GS-12, and the position is in a bargaining unit. The selectee is expected to report regularly to the assigned office; this is not a remote position, though telework may be available at management's discretion under DOL policy. A writing sample may be requested during the interview process. At the GS-11 level, the Industrial Hygienist plans and conducts portions of inspections or compliance reviews, or independently inspects establishments and worksites with generally stable, lower-risk processes or specified higher hazards and technically difficult operations. The role applies relevant regulations and standards, communicates findings and guidance, conducts research to support inspections or information requests, and carries out targeted outreach. Work may involve uncooperative parties, technical disagreements, and difficult labor-management relations. At the GS-12 level, the role reviews scientific literature and workplace exposure data, performs quantitative analyses, and helps prepare regulatory and guidance materials, including standards documents, decision papers, work plans, analyses, and preambles. The position analyzes inspection records, conducts investigations, evaluates inspections and state programs, recommends corrective action, and may accompany state investigators on compliance visits. It also supports technical directives and interpretations, prepares seminars and speeches, and studies industrial processes and workplace health hazards, including through visits to industrial facilities. Assignments become more difficult and complex with less supervision as the employee progresses. Applicants must meet the basic education requirement through an eligible degree in industrial hygiene or a related field, a qualifying science or engineering degree with specified coursework, or certification from the Board for Global EHS Credentialing. Specialized experience is required at the GS-11 and GS-12 levels. GS-11 applicants may alternatively qualify through specified graduate education or a combination of education and experience; education cannot substitute for GS-12 experience.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen and at least 16 years old.
Must meet the basic education requirement through one of the stated qualifying education or certification pathways.
Must meet the applicable specialized-experience requirement: 52 weeks at GS-09-equivalent for GS-11, or 52 weeks at GS-11-equivalent for GS-12.
GS-11 applicants may qualify through the specified doctoral-level graduate education or an allowed combination of education and experience; education does not substitute for GS-12 experience.
Qualifying industrial hygiene experience must involve workplace environmental conditions and demonstrate knowledge of industrial hygiene principles, including exposure data acquisition and measurement, analysis and prediction of health effects, and recommending appropriate controls.
Must obtain the required security/investigation level and undergo a background investigation.
Subject to pre-employment and random drug testing.
Must complete a medical examination and maintain the position's physical requirements.
Must use personal protective equipment (PPE).
Must be able to lift items weighing up to 25 pounds.
Must have a valid driver's license.
Must complete a probationary period if the requirement has not already been met.
Foreign education must be shown to be comparable to U.S. accredited education and applicable coursework requirements.
Must meet all legal and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

Plan and conduct inspections or compliance reviews of establishments and worksites, independently where appropriate.
Apply regulatory provisions and determine compliance with occupational safety and health standards.
Communicate findings, advice, and technical information to employers, workers, and other audiences; coordinate efforts to gain compliance.
Research workplace hazards and prepare for inspections or respond to information requests.
Conduct targeted outreach and provide information on OSHA legislation, regulations, and compliance activities.
Review scientific literature and compile and quantitatively analyze health and exposure data.
Assist in preparing decision papers, work plans, analyses, standards packages, proposed and final standard preambles, guidance products, and related documents.
Analyze inspection records, conduct investigations, prepare reports, and evaluate on-site inspections.
Assess the quality and uniformity of inspection programs, identify state program deviations from federal requirements, and recommend corrective actions.
Interview state officials about potential program problems and, when requested, accompany state investigators on compliance visits.
Assist with directives and memoranda for field personnel and provide technical information for interpretations.
Prepare seminars and speeches on OSHA rulemaking and guidance activities.
Collect and analyze information about industry developments, standards, safety and health reports, and scientific and technical sources.
Visit industrial facilities with other occupational health specialists or industrial hygienists to assess work processes and health hazards.