The incumbent is responsible for planning, designing, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating SAO’s safety, occupational health, environmental management, industrial hygiene, and fire protection programs at SAO properties, both in the Boston area as well as SAO’s remote facilities in Arizona, Hawaii, and Greenland.
Summary
The incumbent is responsible for planning, designing, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating SAO’s safety, occupational health, environmental management, industrial hygiene, and fire protection programs at SAO properties, both in the Boston area as well as SAO’s remote facilities in Arizona, Hawaii, and Greenland.
This Merit Promotion position is open to Current Federal Employees and Former Federal Employees with permanent status or reinstatement eligibility. Individuals who are eligible for a special appointing authority may also apply such as Individuals with Disabilities (Schedule A), former Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and Vista volunteers; certain Military Spouses, or individuals eligible under various programs for Veterans (VRA, VEOA, 30% disabled).
Serves as a technical expert in safety and occupational health, providing technical information and support for the planning, implementation, administration, and audit/evaluation of the SAO’s safety and health program. Interprets occupational safety and health standards that apply to Federal agencies, construction, and other Smithsonian activities. Develops appropriate guidance such as new or revised procedures, directives, and memoranda to ensure consistent application of standards across SAO. Conducts research as needed to provide accurate and current information and data to assist with decision-making, inform the development of policies and procedures, identify/develop best practices. Documents and/or develops standard operating procedures and checklists for activities such as inspections, audits, investigations, and design reviews.
Supervise the Safety and Occupational Health Specialists assigned to Arizona and Hawaii; serves as a safety liaison for SAO leased properties in Massachusetts; oversees safety at the Greenland telescope. Assigns projects and tasks; prepare performance plans and perform performance appraisals; approve work schedules, leave, and overtime; resolve conflicts and take disciplinary action when required; nominate staff for awards to reward performance; give advice, counsel, or instruction to staff on both safety and administrative matters; determine training needs and arrange training as appropriate; and interview and hire new staff when vacancies occur.
Oversees the planning, organization, scheduling and execution of a comprehensive inspection program for the diverse and complex array of SAO work environments in accordance with OSHA standards, NFPA codes, other applicable national consensus standards, and Smithsonian policies and procedures. Works with SAO personnel and onsite contractors to ensure that construction and maintenance projects are performed with minimal impact on the safety or health of building occupants and ensures contractor compliance with applicable safety and health standards and Smithsonian policies and procedures. Participates in related meetings, activities, site visits, and inspections.
Investigates accidents, incidents, and reports of unsafe/unhealthful conditions including ergonomic hazards. Conducts ergonomic assessments for a wide variety of work activities in office, laboratory, maintenance, construction, and industrial work environments. Prepares reports including results and recommendations for corrective measures and leads and/or participates in implementation of corrective measures. Coordinates and serves on Accident Review Boards for major incidents. Uploads information and abatement actions to the electronic data management system. Assists with OSHA recordkeeping to ensure reports of occupational injury/illness are complete, determinations as to recordability are accurate, and properly recorded in the OSHA 300 logs in accordance with standards. Assists with annual summaries of occupational injuries/illnesses and ensure posting in accordance with Federal standards.
Works closely and collaboratively with SI OSHEM and serves as a POC for the SI Emergency Operations Group (& Unit Directors). Prepares regulatory deliverables such as the Smithsonian Annual Report to OSHA (e.g., 300 Logs) and the submission of injury/illness data to BLS, along with internal deliverables such as the Facilities Performance Report, METR Schedule, and other required documentation as required, e.g., the MWRA Permit Renewal, etc. Reviews, evaluates, and analyzes injury/illness data, inspection reports, reports of unsafe/unhealthful conditions, accident/incident investigation reports, ergonomic assessments, and other sources of information to identify significant trends and to evaluate the performance of SAO and its subsidiaries against established goals. Reviews strategies and makes recommendations for addressing trends that show increases in the number and/or severity of employee injuries and illnesses. Prepares reports from electronic data management systems and/or spreadsheets to analyze and present data. Develops Power Point presentations and/or Excel charts and graphs for various target audiences.
Serves as a database administrator for SAO’s electronic safety and health management systems for injury/illness reporting, inspections, and incident reporting/investigation, and other safety and health program activities. This includes granting, modifying, and deleting access, assisting users with navigating the databases, modifying/deleting records in accordance with 29 CFR 1904 and Smithsonian policies and procedures, providing/coordinating training sessions.Researches and makes recommendations for changes to improve the accuracy and management of safety and health data. In conjunction with administrative team, participates in the creation and maintenance of orderly and accessible central files to include active and archive (storage) files and file inventory.
May be required to serve an 18-month
probationary period for managers.
May be required to serve a one-year probationary
period.
Pre- and post-appointment background
investigation
U.S. citizenship
Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.
Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
Conditions of Employment
COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS:
For the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccination requirements and its impact on your application, click on Smithsonian Institution’s Frequently Asked Questions.
Qualifications
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular competencies to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To qualify at the GS-12 level, applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level or equivalent under other pay systems in the Federal service, military or private sector. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements including time-in-grade (General Schedule (GS) positions only), time-after- competitive appointment, minimum qualifications, and any other regulatory requirements by the cut-off/closing date of the announcement.
For this position specialized experience is defined as experience planning, implementing, and evaluating the requirements of a safety and occupational health program for work activities and environments. Experience must also include developing occupational safety guidance; training personnel on safety-related topics; applying safety and occupational health laws; inspecting workplaces for compliance and hazards; investigating incidents, reviewing designs, drawings and safety plans; conducting ergonomic assessments; and maintaining safety-related databases.
Education may not be used in lieu of specialized experience.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Additional information
Important Note: Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.
Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): If you are applying for a VEOA appointment, you must be a veteran and must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. ("Active Service" under this law means active duty in a uniformed service and includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.) A veteran who is released under honorable conditions shortly before completing a 3-year tour is also eligible.
Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities: The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority:
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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above. The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:
Knowledge of occupational safety and health standards, regulations, consensus guidelines, concepts, principles, and best practices and the practical application of such to the design, implementation, administration, management, and evaluation of comprehensive occupational safety and health programs, training courses, and educational materials for the diverse collection of units that support the mission of the Smithsonian Institution and that is authoritative and current.
Skill developing and managing personnel and overseeing safety at a diverse portfolio of work environments.
Skill in interpreting and applying safety and occupational health regulations for overall management of a safety and occupational health program sufficient to plan and execute a comprehensive inspection for a wide variety of work settings, including construction worksites, telescope facilities, laboratories, etc.
Skill in applying safety and occupational health principles and practices, techniques and procedures, regulations and standards to identify and mitigate/eliminate hazards during the review of projects or as the result of a report of an unsafe/unhealthful condition, or as the result of an accident. Conducts and completes safety assessments and/or accident reports.
Ability to communicate and interact effectively with diverse groups.
Ability to utilize data management tools such as spreadsheets to analyze and present safety occupational trends, metrics, and reports.
BASIS OF RATING: Once the announcement closes, your application will be automatically evaluated and rated by the system and a Human Resources Specialist. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your application and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of this position. If, after the Human Resources Specialist reviews your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that the score you have received is not a true reflection of your qualifications and/or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect the information you provided that support your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.
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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Your application package should include the following documents:
Resume - Your resume can be uploaded and attached to your application or created using the USA Jobs on-line resume builder. Ensure your resume contains the job title (including the occupational series and grade if it is Federal), job-related qualifications, starting and ending dates (month and year), hours worked per week, and salary for each employment period.
Current and former employees MUST submit a copy of their Standard Form (SF)-50, “Notice of Personnel Action,” that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position title, series, grade, step, salary, type of service (competitive or excepted in block 34), and tenure (1 or 2 in block 24).
A recent performance evaluation
Proof of Veteran's Preference - DD214 (Member 4 Copy) if you are requesting a special appointment authority, such as VRA or VEOA
Proof of severe disability if you are requesting special placement consideration.
Proof of eligibility for a military spouse appointment, such as a permanent change station military order.
Proof of eligibility for any other special appointing authority not specifically mentioned here.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page. Please Note:
You must apply for this position online through the 'Apply Online' button and submit required supplemental documents (if they are relevant to you).
You may submit required documents by uploading them online during the application process; OR You may manually fax required documents. Faxes are received by an automated system, not a physical fax machine. Documents that are faxed as part of the application process must be sent with the system generated cover sheet by the closing date. Documents faxed without the system generated coversheet are not retrievable and cannot be considered as part of the application package.
The complete application package, including any required documents, is due in the Smithsonian Office of Human Resources on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
If you are unable to apply online, paper applications may be accepted with prior approval of the Contact Person listed below.
SMITHSONIAN
60 Garden Street, MS17
60 Garden Street Cambridge, MA 02138
Mail Stop 17
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
United States
Next steps
At the end of the application process you will be able to create and save a PDF file that contains your responses to the assessment questions. You may save this file as initial receipt of your application. After the job announcement closes, you will receive an email from the Smithsonian with confirmation of receipt. The Smithsonian receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. We will send you an e-mail to update you as we go through phases of the application review process. You may also check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS;" e-mailing vacancy.info@si.edu; or by contacting the Office of Human Resources Representative listed
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Your application package should include the following documents:
Resume - Your resume can be uploaded and attached to your application or created using the USA Jobs on-line resume builder. Ensure your resume contains the job title (including the occupational series and grade if it is Federal), job-related qualifications, starting and ending dates (month and year), hours worked per week, and salary for each employment period.
Current and former employees MUST submit a copy of their Standard Form (SF)-50, “Notice of Personnel Action,” that indicates proof of status and time-in-grade eligibility. The SF-50 must include your position title, series, grade, step, salary, type of service (competitive or excepted in block 34), and tenure (1 or 2 in block 24).
A recent performance evaluation
Proof of Veteran's Preference - DD214 (Member 4 Copy) if you are requesting a special appointment authority, such as VRA or VEOA
Proof of severe disability if you are requesting special placement consideration.
Proof of eligibility for a military spouse appointment, such as a permanent change station military order.
Proof of eligibility for any other special appointing authority not specifically mentioned here.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Click on the "Apply Online" button on the upper right side of the page. Please Note:
You must apply for this position online through the 'Apply Online' button and submit required supplemental documents (if they are relevant to you).
You may submit required documents by uploading them online during the application process; OR You may manually fax required documents. Faxes are received by an automated system, not a physical fax machine. Documents that are faxed as part of the application process must be sent with the system generated cover sheet by the closing date. Documents faxed without the system generated coversheet are not retrievable and cannot be considered as part of the application package.
The complete application package, including any required documents, is due in the Smithsonian Office of Human Resources on the closing date of the announcement by 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
If you are unable to apply online, paper applications may be accepted with prior approval of the Contact Person listed below.
SMITHSONIAN
60 Garden Street, MS17
60 Garden Street Cambridge, MA 02138
Mail Stop 17
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138
United States
Next steps
At the end of the application process you will be able to create and save a PDF file that contains your responses to the assessment questions. You may save this file as initial receipt of your application. After the job announcement closes, you will receive an email from the Smithsonian with confirmation of receipt. The Smithsonian receives many applications for each job. Each application is reviewed carefully which may take a few weeks. We will send you an e-mail to update you as we go through phases of the application review process. You may also check your application status by logging into www.usajobs.gov and selecting the tab "My USAJOBS;" e-mailing vacancy.info@si.edu; or by contacting the Office of Human Resources Representative listed
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
