SAFETY AND HEALTH OCCUPATION HEALTH SPECIALIST

CONTINUED FROM REQUIREMENTS SECTION Conditions of Employment for this Position: As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated. This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will 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. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. 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. QUALIFICATIONS The safety position supports USGS operations across the Oklahoma-Texas Water Science Center and the Central Midwest Water Science Center by helping ensure safe working conditions for staff involved in monitoring, research, and delivery of water resource information, including streamflow, groundwater, water quality, and water use data. The role helps safeguard employees performing fieldwork, laboratory activities, gaging station operations, and hydrologic research by assisting with regulatory compliance, identifying and reducing potential hazards, supporting emergency preparedness, and promoting safe practices that enable the Centers to carry out their mission of providing reliable, unbiased scientific information. - Participates in safety audits and inspections of offices, laboratories, vehicles, shops, storage areas, field stations, and other facilities, and provides support on workplace safety matters. - Maintains records of safety audits, recommendations, and annual inspection notices, and assists with follow-up to help ensure corrective actions are completed. - Prepares written summaries of findings and recommendations from inspections, site evaluations, and exposure assessments, and supports accident investigations and related reporting. - Works with inspection, abatement, and accident reporting systems and manages elements of occupational health programs such as medical monitoring, immunizations, and injury reporting. - Recommends practical hazard controls for fieldwork, laboratory settings, and higher-risk activities to reduce unsafe conditions. - Serves as the safety training coordinator, helping develop and deliver training programs, issuing safety communications, maintaining promotional materials, and tracking employee training completion. - Provides oral presentations on a range of safety and occupational health topics and coordinates refresher training reminders. - Supports safety and environmental compliance reviews; maintains applicable regulations, guidelines, procedures, and plans; and assists with emergency and continuity planning. - Interprets and applies OSHA, EPA, NFPA, and other relevant regulations and offers technical input when adjustments from standard practices are necessary. - Collaborates with management and technical specialists to develop OSH policies and procedures, participates in safety workgroups, and communicates recommendations to Center leadership. For GS-11: Applicants must meet one of the following to qualify for the GS-11 level: One year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-9 level in Federal service. Specialized experience includes the ability to identify and assess potential risks across different work settings and to provide guidance to leadership, collateral duty safety personnel, and employees on safety and occupational health (OSH) matters. Experience may include assisting with the development of OSH programs, guidance, or goals, and supporting the use or administration of OSH information systems such as SMIS, IAS, DOI LEARN/TALENT, PHA databases, or similar systems. Work should demonstrate skill in conducting inspections, determining when exposure assessments may be needed, preparing clear and technically accurate inspection reports or guidance documents, and representing management in meetings where OSH requirements are discussed. Experience should also include instructing employees on OSH subjects, preparing formal training materials, and contributing to new or enhanced training activities. Candidates should show the ability to participate in meetings, committees, or conferences with internal or external partners, and to recommend measures that help reduce or control hazardous conditions. This level of experience reflects progressively responsible OSH work performed with increasing independence. OR Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education (54 semester hours, 81 quarter hours or the equivalent) leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in safety, occupational health, or industrial hygiene. Or a Ph.D. degree in other related fields that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hrs or the equivalent 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. To be creditable, the education must have provided the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position to be filled. OR a combination of graduate education and specialized experience equivalent to the above. For GS-12: Applicants must meet the following to qualify for the GS-12 level: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 level in Federal service. Specialized experience includes providing technical advice and program support to leadership and safety personnel on a broad range of OSH issues. This includes independently developing OSH plans, goals, or strategies; offering well-supported recommendations on resolving OSH concerns; and helping ensure safety program consistency across varied operations. Experience should include administering or providing advanced support for OSH information systems such as SMIS, IAS, DOI LEARN/TALENT, PHA databases, or similar systems to monitor trends, track corrective actions, and support management decisions. Experience leading or directing accident investigations, analyzing contributing factors, identifying prevention strategies, and preparing comprehensive written and verbal communication such as reports, policies, or technical documents. Experience should include delivering training to audiences with differing levels of OSH knowledge. This level reflects full professional competence and the ability to provide well-informed guidance in safety and occupational health program management. You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement. What General Information Do I Need To Know About This Position? Salary dependent upon the agreed upon duty location of the position. Locality pay tables can be found here.