Industrial Hygienist

Veterans Health Administration•Erie, PA

13d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position is assigned to the Erie VA Medical Center (VAMC) within the Office of Performance and Quality. The Industrial Hygienist plans and administers environmental and industrial hygiene programs and serves as a lead technical resource for facility compliance and occupational health matters. The role develops, implements, and sustains the facility’s Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) / Healthcare Environmental Regulatory Compliance (HERC) program and Industrial Hygiene program. It supports environmental and industrial hygiene policies and procedures; ensures compliance with applicable environmental requirements; conducts assessments, inspections, audits, and investigations; and advises facility staff and leadership on environmental and occupational hazards and controls. The position is full-time, with a Monday–Friday schedule from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Compressed or flexible scheduling is authorized, and telework is available on an ad-hoc basis. This is not a virtual position. The role is at the GS-11 grade level. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship is required.
Meet the Individual Occupation Requirement through one of the following: a bachelor’s or graduate/higher degree in industrial hygiene, occupational health sciences, occupational and environmental health, toxicology, safety sciences, or a related science; a bachelor’s degree in engineering, physical science, or life science with 12 semester hours in chemistry, including organic chemistry, and 18 additional semester hours in specified related subjects; or certification from the Board of Global EHS Credentialing.
For engineering degrees, the curriculum must be from a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by ABET as a professional engineering curriculum. Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry do not qualify.
Meet the GS-11 specialized-experience requirement: one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-09, including experience relevant to environmental management systems, compliance audits, environmental projects, waste and recycling programs, environmental program budgets, environmental policies and procedures, and long-term technical project assignments.
Current federal employees who held a GS grade within the past 52 weeks must meet the GS-11 time-in-grade requirement of 52 weeks at GS-09 and submit supporting SF-50 documentation.
Submit transcripts if using education to qualify; foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with the transcript.
Complete the required application steps and online assessment.
Meet applicable background and security investigation requirements and complete the online onboarding process.
Register with Selective Service if required for males born after December 31, 1959.
Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a condition of employment for VA health care personnel.
Serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.
Meet the announcement’s qualification requirements by its closing date of November 6, 2026.

Responsibilities

Develop, plan, implement, and sustain the facility’s GEMS / HERC program, including leading development of environmental policies and procedures.
Prepare and submit permits and lead facility self-assessments, inspections, and environmental investigations.
Work with facility leadership to incorporate environmental considerations into planning and operations, coordinate with regional representatives, and support integrated planning.
Participate in preconstruction meetings to explain GEMS requirements to contractors.
Serve as subject matter expert and consultant for regulated medical waste, sharps, hazardous waste, and recycling contracts.
Maintain the Waste Tracking System and enter monthly waste-disposal data.
Participate in financial and budget execution activities related to environmental programs.
Ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations concerning air emissions, wastewater, drinking water, solid and hazardous waste, fuel and oil storage, spill prevention, NEPA, and other areas.
Interact with federal, state, and local environmental agencies on facility environmental issues.
Administer the Erie VAMC GEMS Committee, report through the Comprehensive Environment of Care program, and participate in VA national-level GEMS committees.
Train employees and lower-grade environmental staff.
Review the continuing regulator accountability matrix report weekly to oversee facility environmental compliance timelines.
Develop, plan, implement, and sustain the facility’s Industrial Hygiene program, including leading development of related policies and procedures.
Provide expert advice on industrial hygiene matters, including toxic and hazardous substances, exposure-reduction controls, and disposal of hazardous chemical agents.
Perform and document baseline exposure assessments and reassessments in coordination with relevant subject matter experts for work areas throughout the VA medical facility.
Recommend exposure controls, administrative controls, or personal protective equipment to eliminate or reduce occupational health hazards.
Develop, maintain, and sustain the Respiratory Protection Program, including policy development, fit testing, and training.
Develop, maintain, and sustain the Hearing Conservation Program, including policy development, training, and noise evaluations.
Initiate and periodically review Industrial Hygiene Exposure Assessments.
Serve as a technical consultant and committee member for the Comprehensive Environment of Care Committee, Accident Review Committee, Emergency Preparedness subcommittee, Infection Prevention Committee, and Radiation Safety Committee.
Design, prepare, and conduct employee training on chemical handling and disposal, job safety analysis, noise, silica, and other industrial hygiene topics.
Accompany OSHA, EPA, IDEM, VISN, and other occupational health inspectors during inspections of the medical center, community-based outpatient clinics, or leased facilities.
Lead environmental audits and incident investigations, conduct root cause analysis, develop corrective actions, and track incidents to closure.
Perform other duties as assigned.