Skip to main content
U.S. flag
 

Summary

The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo.  This position is located in the Office of Safety, Health, and Environmental Management (OSHEM) which provides policy, guidance, and assistance for the Smithsonian's safety, occupational health and wellness, fire protection, industrial hygiene, and environmental management programs.

Overview

Help
Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Ad hoc only
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$121,785 - $158,322 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Promotion potential
13
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - Full-Time, Permanent
Travel Required
25% or less - Travel up to 25% is required.
Appointment type
Permanent - Federal
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
26A-SB-314443-MPA-OSHEM
Control number
879193700

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

Current Smithsonian Institution Internal Employees/Agency Employees Only may apply including current Smithsonian Institution employees with Federal career/career-conditional status or eligibility. More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

Duties

Help

The Lead Diving and Marine Safety Manager leads research diving activities worldwide for the Smithsonian Institution, and advises leadership on pertinent issues involving scientific diving including training, safety, emergency response, standards and requirements, operations, and compliance.

In this position, you will:

  • Manage SI’s scientific diving and marine safety programs with responsibility for oversight of all research diving and boating operations safety worldwide under the auspices of the Institution. 
  • Represent the SDCB in congressional Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sessions and hearings pertaining to Smithsonian scientific diving operations.  
  • Represent SI as an institutional member in American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) to assure consistency and reciprocity of standards and certifications with other major US scientific diving programs. 
  • Evaluate, advise and inform SDCB, OSHEM and the Office of the Under Secretary for Science and Research (OUSSR) regarding technical and procedural matters pertaining to scientific diving. 
  • Be responsible for diver training and certification. 

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
  • May need to complete a Probationary Period
  • Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

Conditions of Employment

Qualification requirements, including one year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level for promotion candidates, must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information.

For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website.

Selectee(s) must be able to: 

  • maintain Instructor Certification from an internationally recognized scuba certification agency. Applicants must attach a copy of current diving instructor certification credentials. Failure to attach diving instructor certification credentials will result in loss of consideration.
  • maintain active scientific diver status, including meeting all diving/swimming, physical
    examination and training requirements.
  • pass a pre-employment drug screening. 
  • pass a dive physical exam.  
  • operate small boats used in field operations.
  • obtain and maintain a valid Passport.
  • obtain and maintain a valid Driver’s License.
  • be on call after hours for urgent or emergency situations.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- safety or occupational health fields (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or degree in other related fields that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours of study from among the following (or closely related) disciplines: safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, and industrial psychology.

OR

Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience in or related to safety and occupational health that provided the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

In addition to the basic qualification requirement above:

Experience:

GS-13: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Service.  For this position, specialized experience is defined as: 

  1. managing a scientific diving program to include boating and marine operations;
  2. instructing scientific divers in safe diving techniques;
  3. developing and reviewing scientific dive plans; and
  4. conducting underwater dives in support of science, to include operating boats in support of those operations. 

Applicants must attach a copy of current diving instructor certification credentials. Failure to attach diving instructor certification credentials will result in loss of consideration.

Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual 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.

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are qualifying by education and/or you have education completed in a foreign college/university described above, it is your responsibility to provide transcripts and proof of U.S. accreditation for foreign study. For instructions on where to fax these documents, see the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

In an effort to streamline our hiring process, SI employees whose current position of record is in the same job series (0018) and who are in a (Federal competitive or excepted service appointment) as this advertised position, are not required to submit a transcript with your application package. However, if selected, you will be required to provide a copy of your transcript before your start date in the position.

Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying).

Education

Basic Qualifications:

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- safety or occupational health fields (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or degree in other related fields that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours of study from among the following (or closely related) disciplines: safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, and industrial psychology.

OR

Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Experience in or related to safety and occupational health that provided the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

Additional information

This position is not included in the bargaining unit.  

Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position.  However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.

Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.

Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:

  1. Skill in managing a complex scientific diving program and the ability to lead others in performing work related to scientific research diving and boating safety programs with a focus on the natural sciences. 
  2. Skill in representing management at high level meetings and hearings based on expert knowledge of scientific research diving 
    focused on natural science. 
  3. Ability to communicate complex technical diving concepts and data orally and in writing.
  4. Expert knowledge of safe scientific diving techniques and skill in developing curricula for scientific research diver training programs focused on natural science in order to train scientific research divers. 

BASIS OF RATING:  Once the announcement closes, your application will be evaluated and rated by a Subject Matter Expert Review Panel. 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 Subject Matter Expert Review Panel 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.

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:


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

Smithsonian Institution

Join the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums, 14 education and research centers, and the National Zoo, in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."

Agency contact information

Stephani Brownlee
Phone
202-633-6409
TDD
202-633-6409
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
BrownleeST@SI.edu
Address
SMITHSONIAN
Office of Human Resources
POB 37012, 600 Maryland Avenue, MRC 517
Suite 5060
Washington, District of Columbia 20013-7012
United States

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.