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Safety & Occupational Health Specialist (Safety Specialist)

Department of Justice
Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System

Summary

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$57,188 - $82,301 per year
Pay scale & grade
GL 7 - 9
Promotion potential
9
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
COX-26-13043960
Control number
881468700

Duties

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Conducts safety and environmental inspections of the institution and prepares a report for the Environmental and Safety Compliance Administrator's review.

Promotes the adherence of safety policy for the facility.

Assist in the training of staff and inmates in the techniques of firefighting, occupational safety and environmental protection.

Assist the Safety Administrator or Assistant Safety Administrator in conducting investigations and obtains statements from witnesses and securing physical evidence.

Prepares factual written reports for all concerned that will identify the accident, injuries suffered by staff and/or inmates, cost of property damage and offer recommendations to eliminate future accidents in the future.

Responsible for developing and conducting safety training classes for the inmate population and staff.

Along with all other correctional institution employees, incumbent is charged with responsibility for maintaining security of the institution. The staffs correctional responsibilities precede all others required by this position and are performed on a regular and recurring basis.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

Career Transition Programs (CTAP): This program applies to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:

  1. Meet CTAP eligibility criteria;
  2. Be rated well-qualified for the position, scoring at least half of the total possible points for the vacancy KSAs or competencies; and
  3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP eligibility:
    • A copy of the agency notice (i.e., separation notice or agency RIF letter),
    • Most recent performance appraisal, and
    • Most recent SF-50 showing current/former position, grade, promotion potential, and duty location.
    • See USAJOBS' Career Transition Programs for more information.
EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: U.S Department of Justice - Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

Key Requirements:
  • U.S. Citizenship is Required.
  • See Special Conditions of Employment Section.

Qualifications

To be considered for the position, you must meet the following qualification requirements.

Education:

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- in a 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.

GL-07: 1 full year of graduate education or Superior Academic Achievement.

GL-09: 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.

OR

Experience:

GL-07 and GL-09: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level. To be creditable, experience must be in or related to safety and
occupational health that provided the specific qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Some examples of the qualifying specialized experience are:

GL-07:

  • Experience participating as a member of a survey or inspection team led by a higher graded specialist and is exposed to the practical application of techniques and measures used to identify hazards.

  • Experience attending and observing closing sessions where violations of appropriate standards and subsequent corrective requirements are discussed with management representatives.

  • Experience studying and reviewing past inspection records to further understanding of the application of technical standards to specific unsafe acts or conditions.

GL-09:
  • Experience surveying work to identify and evaluate hazardous and nonhazardous industrial work operations and conditions and to recommend corrective procedures where the potential for injury or property damage exists.

  • Experience providing informal instruction to work leaders and employees covering a variety of standard, general safety and occupational health subjects including mishap prevention and safe working practices.

  • Experience analyzing accident and injury reports, studying data to discover trends and mishap causes, and to develop recommendations for eliminating or controlling the hazards detected.
OR

Combination of Education and Experience:

GL-07 and GL-09: Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for all grade levels for which both education and experience are acceptable.

OR

NOTE: If you are using a certification to qualify, you MUST upload all supporting documentation at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable).

If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities.

**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.**

Education

ONLY if education is a requirement/substitution for specialized experience, applicant MUST upload legible transcripts as verification of educational requirement. Transcripts MUST be uploaded and electronically linked from USAJOBS at the time you apply and MUST include identifying information to include School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, Click Here.

Foreign Education: For information regarding foreign education requirements, please see Foreign Diploma and Credit Recognition at the U.S. Department of Education website: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications.

Superior Academic Achievement. (S.A.A.) applicants MUST provide a transcript in order to be considered under S.A.A.

S.A.A. is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership.

  1. Class standing -- Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses.
  2. Grade-point average (G.P.A.) -- Applicants must have a grade-point average of:
    • 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or
    • 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B+" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.
  3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies
In order to be creditable under this provision, superior academic achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled.

If you are selected for this position and qualified based on education (i.e. basic education requirement and/or substitution of education), you will be required to provide an OFFICIAL transcript prior to your first day on duty.

Additional information

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3307, a maximum entry age of 36 has been established for original appointment to a position in a Bureau of Prisons institution.

If you are above the maximum entry age and have prior federal law enforcement coverage, you MUST submit an SF-50 to verify prior coverage.

The representative rate for this position is $69,954 per annum ($33.52 per hour).

Special Conditions of Employment Section:

Appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of a urinalysis, physical, and background investigation.

All applicants are subject to National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and credit checks.

All applicants not currently working in an institution will be required to complete a qualification inquiry regarding convictions of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence in order to be authorized to carry a firearm.

Successful completion of the "Introduction to Correctional Techniques," three-week training course at Glynco, Georgia is required.

The addresses listed on the USAJOBS account/resume must be the primary residence at the time of application. You may be required to provide proof of residence.

Additional selections may be made if vacancies occur within the life of the certificate.

Although competitive and non-competitive applications are being accepted, the selecting official may elect to have only one group reviewed.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests:
If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Influencing/Negotiating
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

You will be evaluated based on your assessment score and the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation. Applicants who receive a score of 85 or higher will be reviewed first, and reviews will continue until 10 qualified applicants have been identified. Applicants who receive a score of 75 or below will not be reviewed.

Your resume and supporting documents will be compared against your responses to the online assessment to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements listed in this announcement. If the information in your application materials does not support your assessment responses, your score may be adjusted and/or you may be removed from consideration.

If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

There are several parts of the application process that affect the overall evaluation of your application:
  • Your resume, which is part of your USAJOBS profile;
  • Your responses to the eligibility questions;
  • Your responses to the online assessment;
  • Your supporting documentation, if required.

Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements for consideration. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

If you applied to more than one grade level, BE ADVISED that you may be selected at ANY grade level for which you applied and are found qualified (i.e., if the job is announced at the 9/11 grade levels and you apply for the GS/GL-9 and the GS-11, and you are found qualified at BOTH grade levels, you may be selected at either grade level).

Due Weight for Performance: Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. Please submit:
  1. a copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation; and
  2. a list of any awards (e.g. superior performance awards, special act or achievement awards, quality step increase, etc.) you received in the last 5 years.
If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, please submit a statement as to why it is not available. Please indicate if any prior performance appraisals/evaluations were at an acceptable level.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13043960

Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System

Agency contact information

Consolidated Staffing Unit

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Learn more about what it's like to work at Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://www.bop.gov

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