Physician-Occupational Health Service Chief

Veterans Health Administration • San Juan, PR

5d

About The Position

The Occupational Health Service Chief oversees all clinical and administrative functions of the Employee Occupational Health (EOH) program, ensuring compliance with VA Handbook 5019. The Chief provides medical leadership, directs occupational health activities, and supports the protection, safety, and medical readiness of VA employees.

Clinical responsibilities include employee evaluations such as pre-placement and onboarding examinations, fitness-for-duty assessments, return-to-work determinations, and evaluation and management of occupational injuries, exposures, and work-related illness. The Chief leads OSHA-required medical surveillance, oversees immunization and tuberculosis screening programs, directs infectious disease containment protocols, and maintains compliance with VA, federal, and accrediting-body standards. The role also provides confidential occupational-health guidance, participates in reasonable-accommodation assessments, oversees medical aspects of workers’ compensation cases, coordinates medical support for emergency response and disaster preparedness, and orders tests, prescribes appropriate medications, makes specialty referrals, and performs relevant clinical procedures. Practice is limited to occupational health and related medical oversight; primary care for non-occupational conditions is not provided unless specifically assigned by facility leadership.

Administrative responsibilities include oversight of Occupational Health operations and staff; maintaining compliance with VA Handbook 5019; developing internal policies and procedures; ensuring accurate medical documentation, regulatory reporting, accreditation readiness, and timely employee evaluations; collaborating with Human Resources, Safety, Infection Control, and facility leadership; protecting confidentiality and HIPAA standards; and fostering a culture of safety, prevention, employee wellness, and professional integrity. The Chief leads or contributes to committees and groups including Infection Control, Bloodborne Pathogens, Accident Review Board, Environment of Care, Reasonable Accommodation, and Emergency Preparedness.

The position has a Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. work schedule. VA describes a total rewards package that includes competitive salary, an annual performance bonus, regular salary increases, paid time off, retirement benefits, insurance, possible CME reimbursement, and liability protection with tail coverage. Sign-on and relocation incentives are not authorized.

Requirements

• Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine from an appropriately approved and accredited institution.
• Current, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Completion of qualifying residency training in an accredited core specialty program leading to eligibility for board certification, or an allowed alternative training and independent-practice pathway described in the announcement.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• U.S. citizenship, except where appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation or examination and meet the position’s physical and functional requirements, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Complete required background/security investigation, onboarding, and pre-employment requirements; applicants selected for testing-designated positions must undergo pre-appointment urinalysis.
• Participation in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program and completion of annual Employee Health requirements, such as TB screening or testing.
• Meet Selective Service registration requirements if applicable.
• Be physically, emotionally, and mentally competent to perform the essential functions safely and effectively, including working in stressful situations and shifting priorities as needed.

Nice To Haves

• Medical Review Officer certification or experience; a selected candidate who does not possess the certification at selection has 30 days to obtain it.
• Board certification, which is required to qualify for the stated possible CME reimbursement.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all clinical and administrative functions of the Employee Occupational Health program and provide medical leadership.
• Conduct or direct pre-placement and onboarding examinations, fitness-for-duty assessments, return-to-work determinations, and evaluations of occupational injuries, exposures, and work-related illnesses.
• Lead and manage OSHA-required medical surveillance programs, including respirator, asbestos, bloodborne pathogen, hearing, and chemical-exposure surveillance.
• Oversee employee immunization programs and direct tuberculosis screening and infectious disease containment protocols.
• Maintain compliance with VA, federal, OSHA, and accrediting-body requirements, including VA Handbook 5019.
• Provide confidential occupational-health guidance and participate in reasonable-accommodation medical assessments.
• Oversee medical aspects of workers’ compensation cases and coordinate medical support for emergency response and disaster preparedness.
• Order relevant diagnostic tests, prescribe appropriate medications, initiate specialty referrals when indicated, and perform standard occupational-health clinical procedures.
• Direct Occupational Health operations and staff; develop and implement internal policies and clinical procedures.
• Maintain accurate medical documentation, regulatory reporting, accreditation readiness, and confidentiality and HIPAA standards.
• Collaborate with Human Resources, Safety, Infection Control, and facility leadership; lead or contribute to relevant committees and emergency preparedness groups.
• Ensure timely employee evaluations and efficient service delivery, and promote safety, prevention, employee wellness, and professional integrity.
• Complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, and regular salary increases.
• 50-55 days of paid time off per year, comprising 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays, and possible five-day paid CME absence.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k), with VA contributions up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs may be carried into retirement.
• Possible $1,000 per year CME reimbursement for full-time physicians with board certification.
• Free liability protection with tail coverage.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree