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Environmental Protection Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Environmental Protection Specialist, henceforth titled VHA Green Environmental Management System Manager (GEMS Program Manager) is the VA's primary approach and responsible person that addresses environmental performance in a manner that meets the requirements of Federal, state and local environmental statutes and regulations; applicable Executive Orders and VA and VHA Directives.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
08/10/2022 to 08/25/2022
Salary
$97,490 to - $126,742 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
Palo Alto, CA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSW-11599139-22-ARH
Control number
670757900

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Duties

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Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; Tour of duty subject to change to meet the needs of the Agency
Telework: Not Authorized; Position not suitable for telework
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Environmental Protection Specialist/PD00148A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

The VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) GEMS Manager is responsible for managing, supervising, administering, and advising facility employees and Leadership, as well as VHA/VA Leadership organizations, the public, and other environmental related agencies on environmental program implementation to meet regulatory an internal VA and external Federal, state and local requirements. The VAPAHCS GEMS Manager develops, implements and manages environmental goals, policy, and procedural documentation.

  • Author, develop, implement and periodically review GEMS requirements in accordance with the principles of ISO 14001, Federal, State and local environmental statutory law, Executive Orders, VA and VHA policies, and this directive.
  • Identify and implement training, policies, operational requirements and engineering controls needed to comply with evolving and dynamic environmental regulatory requirements.
  • Provide guidance to management and Leadership to address environmental findings and ensure that the health care systems programs satisfactorily address environmental compliance, operational controls and procedures related to environmental aspects.
  • Provide guidance, oversight and consultation with management to consult and resolve to address and resolve compliance findings.
  • Evaluate and update standard operating procedures (SOPs), checklists and other control documents and activities where necessary to ensure that operational controls are effective and documented.
  • Facilitate VISN Environmental GEMS Audit (VEGA) at VAPAHCS or at other facilities within VISN.
  • Develop an action plan with management to address VEGA findings and corrective/preventive actions to address environmental deficiencies in a timely manner.
  • Primary point of contract and central liaison for inspections and audits conducted by US Environmental Protection Agency, State environmental regulatory agencies, local environmental inspection agencies, and when required to notify an environmental regulatory agency due to a spill/release or other incident.
  • Manage compliance activities including legal proceedings such as Notices to Comply, Notices of Violation, Compliance Action plans, work with internal and external legal entities towards compliance, and settle fines and fees associated with regulatory actions.
  • Chairs, the GEMS Committee, and leads the planning, organization, and development of all Committees initiatives and activities.
  • Act as the technical advisor, author of, and Contracting Office Representative for environmental contracts.
  • Work collaboratively with and advise the Office of Facility Planning and Development (OFPD) and Engineering Service to ensure that VAPAHCS projects comply with and address all regulatory and compliance needs.
  • Develop and coordinate systems to ensure integration of cultural resources legal compliance within the context of the VA's mission. Systems include internal operation tracking and reporting via the chain of command.
  • Provides expert technical advice and assistance in the interpretation and application of 36 CFR Part 800, the NHPA, and related laws, regulations, Executive Orders, procedures, and guidelines to Federal and state agencies, Indian Tribes, preservation organizations, and the general public.
  • Provide assistance, guidance and training on NEPA and related environmental matters; the analysis and definition of program and project review requirements; the timely quality control of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), Environmental Assessments (EA), and other documents that support the NEPA reviews such as Categorical Exclusions (CATEX).
  • Plans, organizes, implements, overseas and provides technical, management and supervisory assistance for projects to resolve environmental problems.
  • Analyzes hazardous waste from research which may include unknown material or mixture to ensure the waste is properly managed and disposed of.
  • Responsible for adherence to the Joint Commission Environment of Care Hazardous Material and Waste Management Programs. Areas of responsibility under this program include, safe wastewater disposal, safe drinking water, storage and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste, release of hazardous material/spill response; air pollution control, environmental regulatory permitting; toxic substances; and regulatory oversight.
  • Supervise professional contracted work that includes environmental services comprising of air monitoring, hazardous and biological waste disposal and inspection operations.
  • Other related duties as assigned

Requirements

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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
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
  • Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/25/2022.

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-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11. 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.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below:

  • Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-11 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: developing and proposing policies and innovative programs governing environmental protection services; managing, supervising, administering, and advising employees and Leadership on environmental program implementation; author, develop, implement and periodically review environmental protection requirements; identify and implement training, policies, operational requirements and engineering controls needed to comply with environmental regulatory requirements; serve as point of contract and central liaison for inspections and audits conducted by US Environmental Protection Agency, State environmental regulatory agencies, local environmental inspection agencies, and when required to notify an environmental regulatory agency due to a spill/release or other incident; chair committees and leads the planning, organization, and development of all committees initiatives and activities; knowledge of sustainability guidelines and procedures for design and construction phases of green buildings; plans, organizes, implements, overseas and provides technical, management and supervisory assistance for projects to resolve environmental problems; and demonstrate knowledge of strategies to minimize impact on ecosystem and water resources, smarter use of water, building energy performance, sustainable materials, and waste reduction.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Chemistry
  • Materials Engineering
  • Project Management
  • Public Planning
  • Public Safety and Security


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 may require some physical effort (e.g. walking, standing, carrying light items such as manuals or briefcases, or driving or traveling by motor vehicle).

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/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the Federal Government will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent a VA job announcement includes language requiring applicants to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order 14043, that requirement does not currently apply to this Job Announcement. VA may request information regarding your vaccination status, if selected, for the purposes of implementing other workplace safety protocols, such as masking, physical distancing, testing, travel, and quarantine.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

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.

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.

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