Clarification from the agency

Status Candidates (i.e. Current permanent employees of the Department of VA including VA Title 38, Title 38 Hybrid, and Canteen employees covered by the interchange agreement; All federal employees serving on a Career/Career-Conditional appointment; Former competitive civil service employees eligible for reinstatement; Veterans eligible under the VEO Act; 30% Disabled Veterans; VRA; Those eligible under the Employment Program for People with Disabilities; Those eligible under CTAP/ICTAP)

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This position will require travel between Zorn campus and CBOC's on a routine basis. The position functions as the technical environmental authority as the Environmental Protection Specialist, with the responsibility for assuring full compliance for interpretation and implementation of GEMS policies and programs in accordance with Veteran's Health Administration (VHA) and RRVAMC policies and guidance.

Major duties include, but not limited to the following:

• Participates in the preparation of written Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and standards.
• Analyzes GEMS related issues and problems, resulting in findings and conclusions that lead to continual improvement of environmental programs at RRVAMC.
• Provides guidance and direction to leadership, management, and professional and technical personnel regarding the development and implementation of facility GEMS>
• Plans, organizes, implements, oversees and provides technical assistance for projects to resolve environmental problems.
• Develops and implements environmental policies, procedures, and systems.
• Advises management on how environmental policies, procedures, and systems will affect the operation of the RRVAMC.
• Evaluates, modifies, and implements pollution prevention alternatives at the RRVAMC to reduce the generation of waste.
• Measures the effectiveness of existing environmental programs and recommend additions to environmental program as needed to meet changing environmental requirements.
• Develops promotional and educational activities to promote stakeholder awareness of RRVAMC environmental issues.
• Serves as expert on issues related to environmental statutes including the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC), Underground and Aboveground Storage Tanks, Superfund Statutes, Toxic Substances Control Act, and Safe Drinking Water Act.
• Provides support to the industrial hygiene program for RRVAMC on matters such as toxic and hazardous substances, control measures for reducing exposure to hazardous agents and disposal of hazardous chemical agents.
• Investigates accidents, which may include those involving fatalities and serious injury, and complaints of employees concerning unhealthful work condition and determines corrective measures, prepares necessary reports and records.
• Develops, maintains, and sustains a comprehensive Hearing Conservation Program for Louisville VAMC to include policy development and training.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm
Telework: Ad-hoc only
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Environmental Protection Specialist/PD404030
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

NOTE: Must possess a valid, state-issued driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that you are medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely. Please do not upload a copy of driver's license.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/10/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:
• 1. Knowledge of the principles, practices, and methods of program or administrative work relating to environmental protection program.
• 2. Knowledge of one or more environmental sciences or related fields (e.g. biology, ecology, chemistry, hydrology, radiation physics, environmental law, real property functions, or statistics) sufficient to assess and correlate environmental data, verify results, and discuss technical aspects of work with scientists, engineers, and other environmental experts.
• 3. Knowledge of environmental laws and regulations.
• 4. Ability to plan, organize, implement, and evaluate environmental programs.
• 5. Knowledge of the policies, organization, operations, work practices, and environmental parameters of regulated industries.

OR,

• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must meet one of the following education requirements:
  • Ph. D. or equivalent doctoral degree
  • 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate work leading to such a degree
  • LL.M. (if related to Environmental Protection). OR,

• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a masters degree.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Administration and Management
• Communications
• Computer Skills
• Project Management

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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The work includes frequent audits of waste storage areas and many other areas of the health care system, collection and consolidation of wastes across the health care system, and clean-up of hazardous materials and wastes. The work involves walking, standing, bending, hand dexterity, climbing, carrying of items, and driving of government motor vehicles. During audits and inspections, there is regular exposure to all the hazards and discomforts to which workers in the areas are subjected This may include toxic chemicals, biohazards, physical stressors, and safety hazards.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

How you will be evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.