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Investigator

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

Summary

This position is within U.S. Dept. of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Region 3. 

  • Selectee(s) will be expected to report to one of the offices listed above, this is not a virtual or remote position. 
  • Position is inside the bargaining unit.
  • A valid drivers license is required.
  • Additional selections may be made from this announcement if funding becomes available.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
10/27/2022 to 11/09/2022
Salary
$47,097 to - $74,074 per year

Salaries are at the General Schedule (Base) Pay and do not include locality pay. See "Other Information" section for additional information.

Pay scale & grade
GS 09 - 11
Locations
Few vacancies in the following locations:
Linthicum, MD
Philadelphia, PA
Pittsburgh, PA
Wilkes Barre, PA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
75% or less - frequent travel may be required for visits to work sites, meeting and trainings. This may require extended overnight lodging and some evening and weekend work.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
12
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
MS-23-BOS-OSHA-069
Control number
685830800

Duties

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Duties include but are not limited to the following:

GS-09

  • Accepts allegations of discrimination or retaliatory behavior from complainants.
  • Reviews and analyzes complaints to ensure the existence of a prima facie case and to determine if the complaint is appropriate for investigation.
  • Conducts preliminary interviews to determine if the allegation constitutes an alleged violation or if it should be filed with another agency.
  • Provides technical assistance and information to employers, employees, labor representatives, attorneys, and members of the general public regarding the Whistleblower statutes enforceable by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
  • Makes determinations regarding merit cases and recommends, orally and in writing, appropriate case disposition to management.
  • Assists the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Solicitor in the preparation and development of Whistleblower cases for litigation.
  • Testifies in the United States District Court as an official government witness and at administrative hearings conducted before U.S. Department of Labor Administrative Law Judges.

GS-11

  • Works independently and in a team environment.
  • Plans and conducts field investigations by gathering relevant information and conducting interviews pertaining to allegations. 
  • Writes investigative findings, reports and recommendations.
  • Plans and organizes workload to focus attention on priority deadlines that are both internal and external.
  • Receives complaints, ensuring the information taken is complete and adequate to meet filing requirement for the various statutes enforced by OSHA.
  • Evaluates and amends the scope of the compliant if the investigation reveals potential violations of additional statutes under the jurisdiction of OSHA.
  • Conducts settlement negotiations with complainants, respondents and/or their legal representatives or other employer/employee representatives for major companies.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Appointment to this position may require a background investigation.
  • Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
  • Must be at least 16 years old and a U.S. Citizen.
  • Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
  • Requires a valid drivers license.

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.

Notification Concerning COVID-19 Vaccinations.  As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal executive branch employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law.  If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to submit documentation of proof of vaccination or to be in the process of requesting an exception to the vaccination requirement before appointment or onboarding with the agency.  The agency will provide additional information regarding which forms of documentation can be accepted and how you can request to be considered for a legally required exception from this requirement.

Currently, implementation and enforcement of Executive Order 14043 has been suspended pursuant to an injunction pending further litigation.

Qualifications

GS-09:

Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-07, in the Federal Service.  Experience should have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and is typically in or related to the work of the positions.

Examples of specialized experience include: 

  • Experience interpreting laws and regulations regarding Whistleblower complaints, such as investigating workplace Safety and Health Retaliation complaints; AND/OR
  • Experience interpreting administrative procedures to derive conclusions involved in assessing and assuring compliance in Whistleblower complaints; AND/OR
  • Experience identifying Whistleblower violations concerning job retaliation.

OR

Education Substitution for specialized experience: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.

GS-11:

Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level, GS-09, in the Federal Service.

Examples of specialized experience include:

  • Experience in collecting and evaluating evidence for investigations regarding any violations of the OSH Act or 25 Statues investigated by Whistleblower Protection Programs; AND/OR
  • Making appropriate determinations regarding the disposition of Whistleblower complaints which are supported by evidence; AND/OR
  • Providing consultation on Whistleblower statutes.

OR

Education Substitution for specialized experience: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related.

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.

Additional information

The salary indicated in this announcement is the 2022 General Schedule (GS) Base salary.  The salary will be adjusted to meet the locality pay of the duty location upon selection. If you would like to see the pay tables for each location, please copy or click on the following link:  2022 General Schedule Locality Pay Tables

Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or have speech disabilities, please dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.

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 can participate and contribute to their full potential.

Refer to these links for more information: GENERAL INFORMATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

Position Telework eligibility is determined by management based on position duties during the recruitment process. Employee participation in telework on a routine or situational basis is determined by management primarily based on business needs.  Employees participating in telework are subject to the terms and conditions of the Department of Labor’s Telework Program.

How you will be evaluated

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

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

Legal, Government, and Jurisprudence:  Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, legal practices and documents, government regulations, Executive Orders, agency rules, government organization and functions, and the democratic political process.

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. Includes Influencing/Negotiating:  Persuades others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior; works with others towards an agreement; negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions.

Reasoning:  Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.

Self-Management:  Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior.

Oral Communication:  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 Communication:  Writes in clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

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 Office of Human Resources (OHR) makes the final determination concerning applicant ratings. Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your vacancy question responses. If not, the OHR may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency indicated by the content of your resume.

Click here for Evaluation details.

INFORMATION FOR CTAP/ICTAP ELIGIBLE(S) ONLY: If you are eligible for special priority selection under CTAP or ICTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration. ICTAP/CTAP eligible(s) 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 to reflect that you are applying as an ICTAP or CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation. 


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