Safety and Occupational Health Specalist

Occupational Safety and Health Administration • Washington, DC

9d • Onsite

About The Position

This position serves as a Safety & Occupational Health Specialist within the Dept. of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs (DCSP), Office of Partnerships and Recognition (OPR), located in Washington, D.C. The full performance level of this position is at the GS-12 grade level. This position is not remote and the selectee will be expected to report to the office.

The duties of the Safety and Occupational Health Specialist vary by grade level:

GS-09: Compiling information and reports to assist the Director in determining concurrence with recommendations. Assisting in developing new or revised approaches and procedures to resolve critical problems in Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) application review and verification. Responding to requests for technical and program information concerning policies, procedures, and activities. Providing accurate, timely responses to requests for assistance and information.

GS-11: Reviewing regional recommendations for approval, denial, or termination of Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) participation. Representing OSHA in meetings with industry, labor unions, academics, and national safety organizations, explaining regulatory requirements and negotiating understanding of program expectations. Producing analytical materials for program evaluations, briefings, and policy discussions. Monitoring safety and health data from enforcement, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and other regulatory/scientific bodies, identifying trends that may influence cooperative program policy or procedures.

GS-12: Developing background materials and identifying issues of national significance requiring official interpretations or regulatory clarification. Analyzing complex problems encountered by field staff during VPP application reviews and on-site evaluations and developing new or revised approaches and procedures. Providing technical assistance and on-the-job training in management review of safety and health programs to field staff conducting VPP pre-approval and on-site evaluations. Monitoring new or revised regulations, policy memoranda, safety/health studies, and industry best practices, summarizing impacts and developing recommendations. As the employee progresses, assignments become more difficult and complex with less supervision.

Requirements

• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
• Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- safety or occupational health fields (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or degree in other related fields that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours of study from among the following (or closely related) disciplines: safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, and industrial psychology.
• OR Experience Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience in or related to safety and occupational health that provided the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.
• Managing safety or occupational health program elements.
• Developing and recommending safety and occupational health policy to higher levels of management.
• Applying safety and occupational health laws, regulations, principles, theories, practices, and procedures to advise on or resolve technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements.
• Developing safety and occupational health standards, regulations, practices, and procedures to eliminate or control potential hazards.
• Developing or implementing programs to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of accidents and occupational illnesses.
• Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of hazards.
• Designing or modifying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems to control or eliminate hazards.
• Inspecting or surveying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems for compliance with established safety and occupational health policies or standards and to identify potential new hazards.
• Training of workers, supervisors, managers, or other safety and occupational health personnel in safety or occupational health subjects.
• Work in occupational fields such as industrial hygienist, safety engineer, fire prevention engineer, health physicist, and occupational health nurse.
• OR Certificates : Certification as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), or Certified Health Physicist (CHP), or similar certification that included successful completion of a written examination meets the requirements for GS-5.
• Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal Service.
• For the GS-09: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position.
• Conducting research on occupational safety and health topics, program practices, or emerging trends.
• Compiling technical resources to support knowledge management and program improvements.
• Reviewing training courses to assess appropriateness of policies and procedures.
• OR Substitution of Experience: Two years of graduate education or a Master's degree in safety or occupational health fields (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or degree in other related fields that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours of study from among the following (or closely related) disciplines: safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, and industrial psychology.
• For the GS-11: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position.
• Analyzing long range impacts of new initiatives or policy changes.
• Using analytical methods to assess program performance and progress.
• Identifying trends that point to the need for corrective action and/or suggesting solutions.
• Applying measurable, quantifiable criteria for evaluating safety and health programs or initiatives.
• OR Substitution of experience: Three years of progressively higher level related graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in safety or occupational health or related fields.
• For the GS-12: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11.
• Analyzing data to evaluate and improve a program, operation, or process.
• Evaluating safety and health programs or initiatives to assist with research projects.
• Participating in agency task forces involving safety and occupational health programs.
• Providing technical assistance or on-the-job training to safety and occupational health staff.
• No substitution of education for experience at the GS-12 level.
• If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum coursework requirements for this position.
• Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Nice To Haves

• Certification as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), or Certified Health Physicist (CHP), or similar certification that included successful completion of a written examination meets the requirements for GS-5.

Responsibilities

• Compiling information and reports needed to assist the Director in determining whether to concur with recommendations.
• Assisting in developing new or revised approaches and procedures to resolve critical problems encountered in Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) application review and verification.
• Responding to oral and written requests for technical and program information concerning policies, procedures, and activities.
• Providing accurate, timely responses to requests for assistance and information (in-person, telephone, email, postal mail, websites, etc.).
• Reviewing regional recommendations for approval, denial, or termination of Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) participation.
• Representing OSHA in meetings with industry, labor unions, academics, and national safety organizations, explaining regulatory requirements and negotiating understanding of program expectations.
• Producing analytical materials-spreadsheets, summaries, graphics, source documentation- for use in program evaluations, briefings, and policy discussions.
• Monitoring safety and health data from enforcement, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and other regulatory/scientific bodies, identifying trends that may influence cooperative program policy or procedures.
• Developing background materials and identifying issues of national significance that may require official interpretations or regulatory clarification.
• Analyzing complex problems encountered by field staff during VPP application reviews and on-site evaluations and developing new or revised approaches and procedures.
• Providing technical assistance and on-the-job training in management review of safety and health programs to field staff conducting VPP pre-approval and on-site evaluations.
• Monitoring new or revised regulations, policy memoranda, safety/health studies, and industry best practices, summarizing impacts and developing recommendations.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree