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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

The position is responsible for administering and managing a comprehensive Safety program which is comprised of Occupational Safety and Health, Industrial Hygiene, Fire and Life Safety, environmental Protection, Environment of Care and related programs.

Duties:
Program Supervision and Evaluation 50%

• Plan, coordinate, direct, control, administer, and evaluate these comprehensive programs.
• Manage the facility's Safety Office and all related programs.
• Programming including the development and distribution of manuals, memos, bulletins, policy, promotion of education and training activities, implementation of special projects and management of contracts.
• Perform the administrative and personnel management functions relative to staff supervised.
• Develop work improvement plans.
• Provide advice and counsel to worker related to work and administrative matters
• Effects disciplinary measures appropriate to the authority delegated in this area.
• Follow up on Joint Commission, GARF, EPA, and OSHA reported deficiencies.

Program Development, Implementation and Compliance 50%

• Develop and prepare local occupational safety, industrial hygiene, environment and fire protection, safe patient handling and emergency management directives and regulations through adoption of VA. TJC, EPA, OSHA, NFPA, FEMA, CAP, State and Local guidelines and polices.
• Apply regulations and standards and safety practices to detect hazardous operations arid conditions and recommends proper measures to eliminate or minimize the possibility of injury, illness, environmental impact or fire to all personnel and property.
• Coordinate all aspects of the medical center environment of care (EOC) program
• Review all grate proposals for inclusion of safeguards for using chemicals.
• Serve as the ergonomic coordinator performing workplace ergonomic surveys and recommend corrective measures to eliminate or minimize ergonomic related hazards.
• Review drawings and specifications for new construction and building alterations to determine degree of compliance with standards and regulatory criteria.
• Assure dele3lopemnt and presentation of various Safety programs and responds education activities for staff, contractor and visitors, as appropriate.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:00AM - 4:00PM
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. - Ad Hoc- Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• 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)

Qualifications

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-12) in the Federal Service that has given me the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Supervisory Safety and Occupational Health Specialist, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Qualifying specialized experience is demonstrated as supervisory experience such as Assess and apply regulations, standards and industry/community practices to evaluate, monitoring, and identify deficiencies and gaps in medical center activities to assure compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance to include OSHA, EPA, CDC, TJC, NFPA, NIOSH, and FEMA in a comprehensive program, Assess and prioritize competing requirements from work group comprised of technical experts and maximize resources and work activities, all to assure compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and guidance, in a comprehensive program for the medical center; evaluates compliance with construction safety, fire standards and environmental requirements to devise innovative hazard control measures applicable to new building construction and industrial/facility modifications with knowledge of construction standards, methods, practices, techniques, materials, equipment and utility systems, investigates mishaps involving personnel, damage to machinery, tools, materials or equipment and any type of environmental mishap; compiles statistical data to determine mishap trends and recommends preventive measures, and reviews all grant proposals for inclusion of safeguards for using chemicals, ensuring safety training has taken place and safe practices are in effect.
NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Communications
• Compliance Inspection
• Leadership
• Planning and Evaluating
• Technical Competence

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.

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.

Physical Requirements: The work includes regular and recurring periods of 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 exposure to operating machines and equipment, hazards materials, high noise level, dust and fumes. Protective clothing and equipment will be worn as required.

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. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

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.

Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

• Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
• Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
• Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
• Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.

Application of Veterans' Preference: Category rating and selection procedures place those with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants that meet the eligibility and qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category (except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher).

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.