Summary TCF is a national workforce development program within VHA that was designed to replenish technical staff in critically identified positions. The TCF career fields represent those technical fields where VA-specific knowledge and experience is required for success in the field. Individuals selected follow a formal individual development plan for two years during which they are trained and coached by a preceptor who is a subject matter expert within the career field/job specialty. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Technical Career Field (TCF)Trainees must remain at the hiring grade level for a minimum of one year. Selectees will be required to sign Mobility, Training, and Continued Service Agreements. This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-11. At the GS-09 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher-level work, and availability of funds. Major Duties include but are not limited to: Knowledge of all standards applicable to safety, occupational health, and fire protection in the medical center; Consults with certified professional Industrial Hygienists for the purpose of assuring facility compliance with all OSHA standards for general industry; The incumbent manages and supervises hazardous chemical spill cleanups within the medical center; Prepares written procedures for implementation of safety, fire protection, and occupational health policies; Develops specialized operation practices for construction, workplace safety, and occupational health; Develops training plans for employees in fields of fire protection, workplace safety, and occupational health, including accomplishment and documentation of training; Conducts administrative inspections of patient care areas for hazards and Life Safety Code violations; Conducts inspections of adult Community Placement Home Facilities (where hospital patients have been placed) for safety and fire protection measures;. Makes recommendations and follow-up inspections when necessary to assure compliance; Ensures that fire drills are conducted throughout the facility according to VA and local policies, assists management in developing a comprehensive Disaster Plan, and conducts disaster drills; Investigates alleged adverse incidents involving regulated materials, machinery, or other items that have an impact on employee/patient safety or occupational health, including thorough reporting of findings, related data, illustrations, analysis, and recommendations; Reviews proposed/required corrective actions to ensure accomplishment of hazard abatement; Prepares and manages industrial hygiene contracts and coordination of industrial hygiene contract work; Recommends sampling strategies for performance of environmental surveys. Participates in surveys for the purpose of verifying proper completion and adequate documentation; Reviews construction drawings for compliance with fire codes and other safety standards; Coordinates safety and occupational health activities with medical and administrative personnel and other hospital representatives; Develops hospital responses to inquiries from other facilities, agencies, and outside sources;. Serves as a member of the Safety Committee as well as other medical center committees as assigned; Performs other duties assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Training Service Agreement and Mobility Agreement Required All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position at the GS-9 grade level, you must meet at least one of the following: GS-9 Specialized Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience that is equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level and was 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. (This experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit). ~OR~ GS-9 Education: Two (2) full years of graduate education with a major study in safety or occupational health fields (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or degree in other related fields that included or was supplemented by at least twenty four (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. One (1) year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one (1) year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, eighteen (18) semester hours should be considered as satisfying the one (1) year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. (Transcripts Required) ~OR~ GS-9 Combination of Education and Experience: An equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. Experience must be detailed, and transcripts required. Physical Demands: The trainee is sedentary for long periods but is frequently required to make site visits to conduct surveys; these requiring prolonged standing, walking, climbing, bending, stooping, stretching, reaching, and other physical movement. Because the trainee is often exposed to fire code inspections, construction sites, and hazardous materials, high levels of physical coordination, balance, and good health are required. Work Environment: The work will take place in an office setting; however, frequent exposure to construction hazards, high noise levels, toxic substances, equipment and machinery, temperature extremes, dust, fumes, and adverse weather conditions is sometimes required. Personal protective equipment may be required when conducting surveys and investigating hazardous operations. 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. 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 IMPORTANT: 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 for 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. 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.
