Summary This position is organizationally aligned under the Engineering Service at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center, Iron Mountain, MI (585) - a complexity level 3 VHA facility. The primary purpose of this position is to serve as an Industrial Hygienist for the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center (OGJVAMC) with secondary duties as a GEMS Manager. Responsibilities Major Duties: Assists in Occupational Safety and Health training for OGJVAMC personnel. Serves as an expert on issues related to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, as well as for new or enhanced information system software related to occupational safety and health. Participates with national-level committees to ensure that consistent and appropriate industrial hygiene measures are followed. This includes interpretation of new or revised technical or management guidance material provided by VHA organizations, regulatory and advisory agencies and reviewing and commenting on technical reports or studies that relate to or impact the operation and maintenance of the OGJVAMC. Conducts surveys of working conditions to determine the nature and magnitude of hazardous exposures and the effectiveness of existing control measures. Applies appropriate sampling techniques and procedures and may oversee the work of contractors engaged to perform specific monitoring. Based on sampling results, observe operations regarding toxic or hazardous materials, prepares a technical report citing health hazards and setting forth recommended action for their control or elimination. Develop, implements, and maintains a robust Respiratory Protection Program in compliance with agency policy, regulatory standards, and current best practices. This involves subjects related to the management of respirator programs for occupation health especially in the healthcare setting including selection of appropriate protective devices, user training and evaluation of new devices, and leading OGJVAMC training and exercises. Keeps abreast of latest development in the field of industrial hygiene by review of technical publications, attending technical conferences or professional society meetings and discussions with industry representative as necessary. Develops, evaluates, and maintains corrective and preventive actions for respirator programs at OGJVAMC and recommends remedial actions to management for approval. Coordinates with engineers to develop control measures, such as changes in work procedures, systems, materials, or the use of personal protective equipment where hazardous exposures are discovered. Serves as a technical and program management expert and for the OGJVAMC with responsibility for providing leadership guidance, technical assistance and evaluation for matters involving industrial hygiene and respiratory protection. Supports the development of facility industrial hygiene policies, programs, and procedural documentation. Plans, conducts, or directs special studies concerned with occupational health problems which require the development or modification of air sampling equipment or protective devices or the evaluation of control measures for a specific operation. Performs work that requires knowledge of the organization of the facility, as well as the construction, operation, and maintenance of healthcare facilities. Cooperatively works with federal, state, and local environmental and occupational safety and health organizations in areas of mutual interest. Supports the Safety Management System (SMS) in providing industrial hygiene expertise in identification and remediation of occupational health concerns. Supports the Green Environmental Management Systems (GEMS) in managing hazardous waste and hazardous materials. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Industrial Hygienist/PD231110 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Physical Requirements: Duties of the position require physical exertion and considerable walking, climbing, prolonged standing, and crouching, while carrying sampling equipment and measuring devices. Personal protective equipment must often be worn. The employee serving in this position is required to drive motor vehicles. Occasional travel is required. 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 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 identification 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial 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, 08/10/2026. 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. Note: additional time-in-grade information can be found under "How You Will Be Evaluated". BASIC 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. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) 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. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) OR Certification from the Board for Global EHS Credentialing (formerly American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH)). (Proof of Certification Required) NOTE: Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry are not acceptable. NOTE: 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. In addition to meeting the Basic Education Requirements you must meet the following specialized experience and/or education to qualify for this position at the GS-9 grade level. Specialized Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: the recognition, evaluation, corrective actions, and elimination of environmental conditions in the workplace that causes sickness, impaired health, or illness. Professional knowledge of the theory and application of the principles of industrial hygiene and closely related sciences such as physics and engineering controls. Experience in all of the following areas: the acquisition of quantitative and qualitative data, and the measurement of exposures for a variety of chemical, physical, and biological stresses; the analysis of the data acquired and the prediction of probable effects of exposures on the health and well-being of workers; and the selection and recommendation of appropriate controls, including management, medical, engineering, education or training, and personal protective equipment. OR Substitution of Education for Experience: Master's degree or equivalent graduate degree, obtained in an accredited college or university, with a major field of study directly related to the position being filled. One 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 number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours will be considered an academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. NOTE: Transcripts Required. OR Combination Education and Experience: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the Industrial Hygienist position may be used to meet the experience requirements for this position. For example, nine (9) months of appropriate specialized experience equivalent to GS-7 (75 percent of the experience requirement for GS-9) and 1 year of successfully completed graduate level education. (50 percent of the required education), would exceed the total requirement and be qualified for the GS-9 position. NOTE: Only graduate level education may be used to qualify at the grade 9 level. NOTE: Only graduate level education may be used to qualify at the grade 9 level. Transcripts Required. In addition to meeting the Basic Education Requirements you must meet the following specialized experience and/or education to qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level. Specialized Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: the recognition, evaluation, corrective actions, and elimination of environmental conditions in the workplace that causes sickness, impaired health, or illness. Professional knowledge of the theory and application of the principles of industrial hygiene and closely related sciences such as physics and engineering controls. Experience in all of the following areas: the acquisition of quantitative and qualitative data, and the measurement of exposures for a variety of chemical, physical, and biological stresses; the analysis of the data acquired and the prediction of probable effects of exposures on the health and well-being of workers; and the selection and recommendation of appropriate controls, including management, medical, engineering, education or training, and personal protective equipment. OR Substitution of Education for Experience: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, obtained in an accredited college or university, with a major field of study directly related to the position being filled. One 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 number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours will be considered an academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. NOTE: Transcripts Required. OR Combination Education and Experience: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience directly related to the work of the Industrial Hygienist position may be used to meet the experience requirements for this position. For example, nine (9) months of appropriate specialized experience equivalent to GS-09 (75 percent of the experience requirement for GS-11) and 2.5 years of successfully completed graduate level education. (50 percent of the required education, i.e., the applicant has one half year of graduate study beyond that required for the GS-09), would exceed the total requirement and be qualified for the GS-11 position. NOTE: Only education in excess of 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education may be used to qualify at the grade 11 level. Transcripts Required. 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 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 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. 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.
