Massachusetts Veterans Jobs

Summary This position is located within the Safety Section at the VA Boston Healthcare System in Brockton, MA. This position is responsible for developing and maintaining a comprehensive fire protection, safety, and industrial hygiene program for both divisions of the medical center and supported activities. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Fire Protection: Develops programs to meet oversight (i.e., Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and other regulatory agency requirements. Develops, administers, implements and revises a comprehensive fire protection/prevention plan. Oversees testing and maintenance of fire protection and alarm equipment. Evaluates material and equipment for updating/replacement to meet changing technologies, standards, codes, and regulations. Maintains current proficiency in latest safety/fire safety related events, trends, and findings and incorporates the findings into practice. Provides for compliance with the Life Safety Code and other applicable National Fire Codes through a comprehensive inspection program of the entire health care system on a regular basis. Safety: Develops and maintains a comprehensive safety program. Reviews and improves the safety program by reviewing for OSHA compliance and for compliance with the applicable provisions of the JCAHO standards, the Life Safety Code and the National fire Codes produced by the NFPA so as to assure compliance throughout all campuses including Massachusetts National Cemetery, applicable Outreach centers, contract Nursing Homes and contract Residential Board and Care Facilities. Reviews accident reports and incident reports and directs and evaluates the effectiveness of corrective actions. Ensures all regulatory requirements are met. Industrial Hygiene: Reviews, plans, develops, implements and evaluates occupational safety procedures and policies to handle occupational hygiene issues (proper use of materials and equipment, carcinogens, antineoplastic, hazardous chemicals, biohazard, asbestos, noise abatement, respiratory protection, use of personnel protective equipment etc.). Responds to emergencies and implements proper safety procedures and analysis functions. Develops, implements and evaluates a comprehensive environmental protection program in compliance with US Environmental Protection Agency laws and regulations and any other rules, regulations, codes and standards of all other appropriate regulatory agencies. Additional Duties: Provides support to chairperson of the Environment of Care Committee. Implements, develops, conducts, maintains and revises a comprehensive Safety, Fire Prevention/Protection and Occupational Health training program. Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short-term priorities, and prepares schedules for completion of work; evaluates work performance of subordinates; and provides advice, counsel, or instruction to employees on both work and administrative matters. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 7:00 am - 3:30 pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Supervisory Safety & Occupational Health Specialist/PD523-00719-O Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required This is an open and continuous job opportunity announcement. Certificates are issued on an unannounced periodic basis based on requests from management. Applications will be evaluated and referred for selection as vacancies occur within the organization. This announcement may close at any time once all positions are filled. Requirements 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, 12/31/2024. 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-13 position, you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. 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. Safety and Occupational Health Management Series 0018 Individual Occupational Requirements 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. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Managing safety or occupational health program elements. Developing and recommending safety and occupational health policy to higher levels of management. Applying safety and occupational health laws, regulations, principles, theories, practices, and procedures to advise on or resolve technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements. Developing safety and occupational health standards, regulations, practices, and procedures to eliminate or control potential hazards. Developing or implementing programs to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of accidents and occupational illnesses. Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of hazards. Designing or modifying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems to control or eliminate hazards. Inspecting or surveying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems for compliance with established safety and occupational health policies or standards and to identify potential new hazards. Training of workers, supervisors, managers, or other safety and occupational health personnel in safety or occupational health subjects. Work in occupational fields such as industrial hygienist, safety engineer, fire prevention engineer, health physicist, and occupational health nurse. In addition to meeting either of the individual occupational series requirements listed above, you may qualify based on your experience as described below: GS-0018-13 (Full Performance Level) SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service. Requires 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. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include leading/directing the work of others in: Managing safety or occupational health program elements; Developing and recommending safety and occupational health policy to higher levels of management; Applying safety and occupational health laws, regulations, principles, theories, practices, and procedures to advise on or resolve technical matters dealing with occupational safety and health requirements; Developing safety and occupational health standards, regulations, practices, and procedures to eliminate or control potential hazards; Developing or implementing programs to reduce the frequency, severity, and cost of accidents and occupational illnesses; Analyzing or evaluating new and existing jobs, processes, products, or other systems to determine the existence, severity, probability, and outcome of hazards; Designing or modifying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems to control or eliminate hazards; Inspecting or surveying workplaces, processes, products, or other systems for compliance with established safety and occupational health policies or standards and to identify potential new hazards; Training of workers, supervisors, managers, or other safety and occupational health personnel in safety or occupational health subjects; Working in occupational fields such as industrial hygienist, safety engineer, fire prevention engineer, health physicist, and occupational health nurse. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Accident Investigation Education and Training Safety Engineering Technical Competence 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 requires regular and recurring physical exertion related to frequent inspections and surveys requiring considerable standing, walking, climbing, bending, crouching, stretching, reaching, or similar movements. Occasionally, there may be a need to lift and carry moderately heavy objects. The work may require some degree of agility and dexterity when for example, it involves inspecting laboratories, maintenance ships, or construction sites. Must be able to operate a motor vehicle to get to/from office and worksites. The work involves regular and recurrent exposure to hazards, unpleasantness and discomforts such as moving machine parts, shielded radiation sources, irritant chemicals, fumes, physical stresses, dust, high noise levels, adverse weather conditions, and high temperatures from steam lines. Protective equipment and clothing may be needed, including hard hat, safety shows, ear muffs or plugs, goggles, respirators, and gloves. 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. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.