Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

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Major Duties include:

• Develops, plans, implements, and manages the comprehensive industrial hygiene programs. Leads in the development of facility industrial hygiene goals, policies, and procedural documentation.
• Manages various industrial hygiene programs, to include respirator, ventilation, asbestos, ergonomics, heat stress, indoor air quality, ergonomics, hazardous communication, OSHA lead, mercury, waste anesthetic, formaldehyde; and assists with programs for medical surveillance, hearing conservation, laser safety, incident/accident review board, hazardous drugs, bloodborne pathogens, permit-required confined space entry, etc.
• Conducts in-depth surveys and evaluations of working conditions/environments to determine the nature and magnitude of hazardous exposures and the effectiveness of existing control measures.
• Applies appropriate sampling techniques and procedures and may oversee the work of contractors engaged to perform specific monitoring. Performs analyses of samples and evaluates the interpretation of scientific data.
• Analyzes hazardous exposures findings and recommends, devises, or works with engineers/other disciplines to develop corrective control measures, such as changes in work procedures, systems, materials, or use of personal protective equipment.
• Serves as the Hazardous Materials Officer, responsible for the initiation, development, administration, coordination and auditing all aspects of Federal, State, and municipal environmental health.
• Audits for compliance with protocols and guidelines established by the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control, The Joint Commission, College of American Pathologists, National Sanitation Foundation, Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The purposes of these efforts are to maintain safe working conditions and effective engineering and administrative controls as they relate to biological hazards.
• Serves as the technical representative in the design, modifications, operation and maintenance of facilities and infrastructure to ensure compliance with NFPA codes, OSHA regulations, etc. standards. Reviews construction drawings and provide expertise for determination of locations and adequacy of eye washes, biological safety devices, chemical safety devices, and industrial hygiene requirements.
• Conducts education and training for staff and other personnel on industrial hygiene program requirements, occupational health matters, hazard awareness, safe health working procedures, personal protective equipment, and materials handling.
• Composes correspondence in response to all inquiries, deficiencies, or action plans related to the industrial hygiene program. Manages the reports and documents for the industrial hygiene programs, to include analysis, inspections, hazardous findings, auditing, etc.
• Reviews and updates policies.
• Performs other duties as necessary.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm
Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for Ad-Hoc telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description Title/PD#: Industrial Hygienist/PD23557A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized


The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc. is required
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

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

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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

Qualifications

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

Basic Requirement: Applicants must meet one of the following:

• A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in industrial hygiene, occupational health sciences, occupational and environmental health, toxicology, safety sciences, or related science; or
• A bachelor's degree in a branch of engineering, physical science, or life science that included 12 semester hours in chemistry, including organic chemistry, and 18 additional semester hours of courses in any combination of chemistry, physics, engineering, health physics, environmental health, biostatistics, biology, physiology, toxicology, epidemiology, or industrial hygiene; or
• Certification from the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH).

Note: Transcripts and/or certification required. Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry are not acceptable.

Evaluation of Education: All science or engineering courses offered in fulfillment of the above requirements must be acceptable for credit toward the completion of a standard 4-year professional curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in science or engineering at an accredited college or university. For engineering degrees to be acceptable, the curriculum must be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) as a professional engineering curriculum.

Evaluation of Experience: Qualifying experience involves the recognition, evaluation, corrective actions, and elimination of environmental conditions in the workplace that causes sickness, impaired health, or illness. This experience must demonstrate a professional knowledge of the theory and application of the principles of industrial hygiene and closely related sciences such as physics and engineering controls.

Such work must have involved experience in all of the following areas: the acquisition of quantitative and qualitative data, and the measurement of exposures for a variety of chemical, physical, and biological stresses; the analysis of the data acquired and the prediction of probable effects of exposures on the health and well-being of workers; and the selection and recommendation of appropriate controls, including management, medical, engineering, education or training, and personal protective equipment.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, you must also qualify based on your experience as described below:

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: Professional industrial hygiene work involving the recognition, evaluation, and control of workplace hazards; collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative exposure data; assessment of chemical, physical, biological, and ergonomic stresses; determination of health effects from exposures; and recommendation of corrective measures such as engineering controls, administrative controls, medical surveillance, training, and personal protective equipment. Resume(s) must clearly support responses to the online questionnaire to receive credit for experience. We will not make assumptions regarding experience;

OR

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related, that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one (1) year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours will be considered as satisfying the one (1) year of full-time study requirement). TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED- Transcripts must be legible and contain sufficient information (e.g., student name, name of institution, total number of credits completed, date degree conferred, etc.) to show you meet the requirements as specified in the announcement.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education (Transcripts required).

• To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 2 years of graduate education that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-11. For example, an applicant who has 45 semester hours of graduate level education (9 semester hours beyond the first two years - i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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.

Physical Demands: Investigations and surveys involve moderate physical exertion, including carrying equipment, climbing, standing, walking, and bending, as well as use of personal protective devices and occasional work in confined spaces.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Working Conditions: The work involves exposures to all the hazards and discomforts including chemicals, noise, dust, aerosols, fumes, and operating equipment. Protective clothing or equipment, including respiratory protection, may be necessary. Much of the work is performed in an office setting, although exposure to industrial hazards is expected multiple times weekly during walk-through surveys conducted individually or conducted as part of a larger study. Work is self-directed at this level.

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. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.