Summary This position serves as an Industrial Hygienist and GEMS Coordinator assigned to the Safety and IH team at the TVHS Medical Center reporting to the Safety Manager. VISN 9 Healthcare Systems and Medical Facilities provide extensive services such as ambulatory care, primary care, and secondary care in acute medicine and surgery, specialized tertiary care, transplant services, spinal cord injury, outpatient care, and a full range of extended care and mental health services to Veterans. Responsibilities VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS) is an integrated tertiary health care system comprised of two hospitals, the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro and the Nashville VA Medical Center, as well as 21 outpatient clinics located in middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky. TVHS provides ambulatory care, primary care, and secondary care in acute medicine and surgery, specialized tertiary care, transplant services, spinal cord injury outpatient care, and a full range of extended care and mental health services. More than 146,000 Veterans in middle Tennessee, southern Kentucky, and northern Georgia trust VA TVHS for their health care needs. TVHS is the seventh largest VA medical center system in the nation serving roughly 75 counties with robust research and development, health care innovation, and more. Middle Tennessee offers an abundance of entertainment such as historic music venues, NFL Titans and NHL Predators, recreational activities, and natural sceneries ideal for any individual. Additionally, Tennessee does not have state taxes making the area more attractive to high-quality candidates. The primary purpose of the position is serves as the primary technical authority for this multi-site, multi-disciplinary HCS and research facility on industrial hygiene matters, providing expertise and advice to top level management, service chiefs and their staff, and to employee organizations. Specifically, advice concerns occupation health, safety, and environmental hazards associated with a wide variety of industrial work situations, including laboratory and maintenance operations. This includes domestic and industrial wastewater treatment and environmental media permitting; toxic substances; and regulatory oversight. Ensures that Green Environmental Management System (GEMS) policies and programs are carried out in accordance with governing regulations. Applies GEMS environmental science and technology to issues of human health, ecosystems, environmental media, and natural resources. The duties for the Industrial Hygienist include but are not limited to: Represents, and acts on behalf of, the facility upon request at professional committees and boards and serves as a community resource on application of standards and occupations health matters. Audits records of industrial accidents, related injuries, deaths, illnesses, and other indicators as required to assess the state of the occupation environment of the facility properly and completely. Review's expansions, modifications, closures of existing facilities and infrastructure, and new construction to determine how this affects the environment. Provides information that will minimize adverse impacts to human health and the environment and reduce the HCS vulnerability. Measures the effectiveness of existing environmental programs and recommends additions to environmental programs as needed to meet changing environmental requirements. Plans and manages industrial hygiene and environmental projects/programs that are related to achieving and maintaining environmental (GEMS) compliance, as well as developing and implementing environmental policy, guidance and procedures related to all environmental media. Resolves difficult and complex technical, project management and organizational problems using innovative and original approaches. Provides expert technical advice and guidance to senior management officials in the appropriate application of technology to VHA's mission as it relates to environmental issues including GEMS. Serves as a technical expert on issues related to environmental statutes and OSHA requirements, as well as for new or enhanced information system software related to occupational safety and health and environmental programs. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:00AM-3:30PM Position Description Title/PD#: Industrial Hygienist/PD70963A Physical Requirements: The performance of duties requires long period of walking, standing, crawling, kneeling, and bending. Moderate lifting and carrying of equipment, use of personal protective devices, and work in hazardous and confined spaces is required. Use of all appendages, good vision and hearing are necessary. Emotional and mental stability are required. Work Environment: The incumbent is exposed to a variety of potential health hazards and uncomfortable work situations which may be physically taxing. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job Subject to a background/suitability investigation Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc. is required 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may 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 Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Individual Occupation Requirement: Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: A bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in industrial hygiene, occupational health sciences, occupational and environmental health, toxicology, safety sciences, or related science; or A bachelor's degree in a branch of engineering, physical science, or life science that included 12 semester hours in chemistry, including organic chemistry, and 18 additional semester hours of courses in any combination of chemistry, physics, engineering, health physics, environmental health, biostatistics, biology, physiology, toxicology, epidemiology, or industrial hygiene; or Certification from the American Board of Industrial Hygiene(external link) (ABIH). The education must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education(external link) at the time the degree was obtained. Evaluation of Education All science or engineering courses offered in fulfillment of the above requirements must be acceptable for credit toward the completion of a standard 4-year professional curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in science or engineering at an accredited college or university. For engineering degrees to be acceptable, the curriculum must be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) as a professional engineering curriculum. Transcripts and/or a legible copy of your certification must be submitted with your application in order to be considered. Transcripts must reflect degree as conferred and/or coursework along with grades received. In addition to the above basic requirements, applicants must also meet the below specialized experience requirements: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as: Use of industrial hygiene principles, procedures, standards, equipment, techniques, and methods; developing and implementing an industrial hygiene program; performing analysis to determine nature and degree of toxic materials; use of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards (such as hazardous waste, drinking water, medical waste, etc.); conducting surveys/studies of work operations regarding hazardous conditions; and developing industrial hygiene policies, procedures, and reports. Such work must have involved experience in all of the following areas: 1) the acquisition of quantitative and qualitative data, and the measurement of exposures for a variety of chemical, physical, and biological stresses; 2) the analysis of the data acquired and the prediction of probable effects of exposures on the health and well-being of workers; and 3) the selection and recommendation of appropriate controls, including management, medical, engineering, education or training, and personal protective equipment. NOTE: 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. - OR - Education: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. (Transcripts must be submitted with application.) - OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-11. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. (Transcripts must be submitted with application.) 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 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. Additional Information 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. 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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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. 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.
