Recent Graduate - Industrial Hygienist

Occupational Safety and Health Administration•Overland Park, KS

4d•Onsite

About The Position

This is a one-year appointment under the Department of Labor Recent Graduates program. The position is not remote; the selectee must report in person to an assigned DOL office and may participate in telework as determined by management and agency policy. After successful completion of the program, the appointee may, at the agency's discretion, be converted to a term or permanent position in the competitive service. The Industrial Hygienist supports workplace safety and health inspections and compliance reviews. The role communicates hazards and unsafe conditions to supervisors, employees, and employee representatives, encourages safe work practices, and recommends corrective action based on case facts, testimony, OSHA policies, and court decisions. Duties increase in difficulty and complexity as the employee progresses, with less supervision. At the GS-09 level, duties also include assisting with investigations of fatalities, injuries, and serious incidents; identifying imminent dangers and conditions requiring immediate correction; conducting exposure sampling and coordinating laboratory analysis; preparing reports with findings and hazard-control recommendations; inspecting worksites, equipment, work practices, protective devices, and safety procedures; researching information to prepare for inspections or respond to requests; applying regulatory provisions to assess compliance; and calculating violation penalties using an automated system. The role may involve making affidavits and testifying in court. Applicants must meet the Industrial Hygienist basic education requirement and the applicable Recent Graduates eligibility and qualification requirements. The position requires U.S. citizenship, a background investigation, a valid driver's license, a medical examination, and the ability to maintain physical requirements and use personal protective equipment. Employees may be required to lift up to 25 pounds. The appointment's full duration constitutes a trial period, and participants must sign a DOL Pathways Recent Graduate Program Participant Agreement.

Requirements

Must be at least 16 years old and a U.S. citizen.
Must obtain the required security/investigation level and undergo a background investigation.
Must sign a DOL Pathways Recent Graduate Program Participant Agreement.
Must have completed a qualifying degree, certificate, or eligible career or technical education program within the past two years, subject to the stated veteran eligibility exception.
Must meet the basic education requirement through a qualifying degree in industrial hygiene or a related field; a specified science or engineering degree with required coursework; or Board for Global EHS Credentialing certification.
For GS-07 qualification through experience, must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to GS-05, or meet the stated education or combination pathway.
For GS-09 qualification through experience, must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to GS-07, or meet the stated graduate education or combination pathway.
Must provide transcripts demonstrating the required degree, course work, and/or eligibility as applicable.
Must have a valid driver's license, pass a medical examination, and maintain required physical capabilities.
Must use personal protective equipment and be able to lift items weighing up to 25 pounds.
Must be subject to drug testing prior to appointment at GS-11 and GS-12 grade levels.
Must be able to report in person to the assigned office; this is not a remote position.

Responsibilities

Develop contacts with higher-graded specialists, industrial hygienists, safety engineers, supervisors, employees, and employee representatives in connection with inspections and compliance reviews.
Communicate workplace hazards and unsafe conditions, and coordinate corrective measures for adverse occurrences, unguarded machine operations, and fire hazards.
Encourage personnel to adopt safe work practices and remedy hazardous conditions.
Resolve assignments that provide orientation to occupational work, workplace hazards, and methods and procedures for eliminating or controlling them.
Recommend appropriate courses of action by evaluating case merits, testimony, OSHA policies, and court decisions.
Make affidavits and testify in court when required.
Identify conditions requiring immediate corrective action or posing imminent danger to life or limb.
Assist in investigating fatality, injury, and serious-incident mishaps.
Assist with exposure sampling, sample shipment to laboratories, review of laboratory analyses, and preparation of reports with findings and control recommendations.
Inspect worksites, machines, equipment operations, environmental conditions, work practices, protective devices, equipment, and safety procedures.
Conduct research using internet technology to prepare for onsite inspections or respond to information requests.
Apply regulatory provisions to determine whether establishments comply with safety and occupational health standards.
Use an automated system to calculate penalties based on violation gravity, potential injury or illness severity, and probability of occurrence.