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Safety and Occupational Health Specialist

Department of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

DOL fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration, flexibility and fairness so that all individuals are able to participate and contribute to their full potential. This position is located in the Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Andover, MA. This position is inside the bargaining unit. Additional selections may be made from this announcement if funding becomes available

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
02/26/2020 to 03/10/2020
Salary
$48,159 to - $92,655 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 07 - 11
Location
Andover, MA
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
50% or less - Local travel for inspection related activities. Occasional overnight travel for training/conferences.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12 - Future promotions are dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and supervisory approval.
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
MS-20-BOS-OSHA-114
Control number
559924900

Duties

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GS-7:  Participate as a member of an inspection team led by a higher-graded specialist and assist in the planning of and/or conduct a limited segment of a major investigation or a small investigation where the exposure and type of hazard and unsafe working conditions is predictable in advance. Researches and studies records and files covering mishaps, injuries, and equipment maintenance data. Audits employer occupational safety and health injury records, safety plans, and program documentation. Assists in the documentation of conducted portions of investigations to help support a legally sufficient case. Takes photographs and videos of apparent violations of occupational safety and health standards. Assists in preparing for opening and closing conferences and outreach activities. Responds to requests for information on OSHA policies, regulations, and programs.
GS-9:  Assists in planning and conducting portions or limited inspections or compliance reviews (or independently conducts inspections of business establishments and worksites whose operations are generally characterized by the presence of moderately stable, low-risk processes or some higher hazards or unsafe working conditions. Studies records and reports of occupational safety and health mishaps, injuries, and illnesses. Conducts research of employers and their previous OSHA enforcement activity in advance of new inspections or investigations and to respond to requests for information. Utilizes the automated enforcement system to calculate penalties assessed to employers based on the gravity, severity, and probability of occupational safety and health violations. Writes complete and legally sufficient case files documenting all inspection procedures, interviews, sampling, identified hazards, and corrective actions. Assists Department of Labor attorneys in the preparation of evidence for contested cases. Assists in conducting or may conduct opening and closing conferences with management officials, employees, and labor representatives regarding enforcement findings and applicable occupational safety and health policies and regulations.
GS-11:  Plans, schedules, and conducts the full range of occupational safety and health inspections of private businesses and worksites where there is a strong probability of encountering unsafe and unhealthful working conditions from minor to serious in severity. Inspections may include fatalities, large numbers of serious injuries, or very serious accidents. Studies records and reports of occupational safety and health mishaps, injuries, and illnesses. Conducts research of employers and their previous OSHA enforcement activity in advance of new inspections or investigations and to respond to requests for information. Conducts workplace analyses to determine hazardous processes that contribute to employee injury and illness. Develops strategies to mitigate or abate workplace hazards. Utilizes the automated enforcement system to calculate penalties assessed to employers based on the gravity, severity, and probability of occupational safety and health violations. Writes complete and legally sufficient case files documenting all inspection procedures, interviews, sampling, identified hazards, and corrective actions. Assists Department of Labor attorneys in the preparation of evidence for contested cases. Serves as a witness and testifies on behalf of the Department. Conducts opening and closing conferences with management officials, employees, and labor representatives.

Candidate required to obtain the necessary security investigation level.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Requires a valid drivers license and ability to operate a motor vehicle.
  • Subject to drug test prior to appointment at GS-11 grade level
  • Requires a medical examination.
  • Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
  • U.S. Citizenship.
  • Appointment to this position will require a background investigation.

Also advertised as job #DE-20-BOS-OSHA-113 for non-status applicants; to be considered for each, apply to BOTH jobs.

Applicants must meet time-in-grade, time-after-competitive-appointment and qualifications requirements within 30 calendar days after the closing date of the vacancy to be eligible for consideration for selection.

Federal Employees Please Note: Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met and reflects your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. competitive/excepted). In some cases you may need to submit more than one SF-50.

Reference the "Required Documents" section for additional requirements.

Applicants may be required to provide a writing sample at the interview.

Qualifications

Specialized Experience: Applicants must meet either the specialized experience OR substitution of education for specialized experience described below:

FOR GS-07:  One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 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 positions. Examples of specialized experience include:

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of hazards.

OR
Substitution of Experience GS-07: One year (1) of graduate-level education or superior Academic achievement. Information regarding S.A.A can be found in OPM’s General Schedule Qualification Policies.

For GS-09: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 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 positions. Examples of specialized experience include:

  • General knowledge of OSHA or related safety and occupational health standards or codes.
  • 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.
  • Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of 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.OR

OR
Substitution of Experience GS-09: Two years of graduate education or a Master's degree in safety or occupational health or related fields that included at least 24 semester hours in the following disciplines: safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, and industrial psychology.

For GS-11: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 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 positions. Examples of specialized experience include:

  • 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.
  • Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of 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.
  • Developing or implementing programs to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of accidents and occupational illnesses.
  • Designing or modifying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems to control or eliminate hazards.

OR
Substitution of Experience GS-11: A Ph.D degree or three years of graduate education leading to such a degree in the safety or occupational health or related fields that included at least 24 semester hours in the following disciplines: safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, and industrial psychology.

Education

Any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.
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 course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information.

You must submit with your application a current academic transcript and/or other official documentation from your academic institution demonstrating your eligibility for appointment. See the “Required Documents” section of this announcement.
In addition, if you wish to use your education as a basis for meeting the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must submit academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements.
If specific course work is required to fulfill the minimum qualification requirements, you must supply transcripts from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken in order to receive credit for that course work. See the “Qualifications and Evaluations” section of this announcement for more details.
If you do not submit sufficient academic documentation necessary to demonstrate that you meet the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement, your application will be deemed incomplete and you will be ineligible for further consideration for this vacancy.

Additional information

DOL seeks to attract and retain a high performing and diverse workforce in which employees’ differences are respected and valued to better meet the varying needs of the diverse customers we serve.
DOL fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration, flexibility and fairness so that all individuals are able to participate and contribute to their full potential.
Federal Employees Please Note: Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met and reflects your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. competitive/excepted). In some cases you may need to submit more than one SF-50.
Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Click here for Evaluation details. For Displaced Employees ONLY: if you meet the eligibility requirements for special priority selection under ICTAP/CTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. ICTAP/CTAP eligibles will be considered "well-qualified" if they attain at least a rating score of _85_ in a numerical rating scheme. Be sure to review DOL Account Eligibility Questions #24 and 27 to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP/CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation.

Evaluation Factors (Competencies) - All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:

Interpersonal Skills/Customer Service:  Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences. Customer Service: Works with clients and customers to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
Problem Solving: Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
Communication: Oral: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.  Written: Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material that is appropriate for the intended audience.
Technical Competency: Uses knowledge that is acquired through formal training or extensive on-the-job experience to perform one's job; works with, understands, and evaluates technical information related to the job; advises others on technical issues.

The information you provide may be verified by a review of your work experience and/or education, by checking references and through other means (ex. interview). Your evaluation may also include a review by an HR Specialist or panel and may include other assessment tools (ex. interview, structured interview, written test, work sample, etc). The examining Human Resources Office (HRO) makes the final determination concerning applicant ratings. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your vacancy question responses. If not, the HRO may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency indicated by the content of your resume.


To preview questions please click here.

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