Safety & Occupational Health Specialist

**Please be advised this occupation is currently undergoing a classification consistency review that may result in a change in title series and/or grade if determined by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). A consistency review is required for this position as a result of an OPM appeal related to the occupation. A consistency review is the process that involves a classification review of positions performing work that is identical or related to an OPM appeal to ensure they are classified consistently and in accordance with OPM standards. If a reduction in grade occurs you could be eligible for grade and/or pay retention.**

Major duties include but are not limited to:

• Collaborate with supervisors safety & occupational health committees and other staff to eliminate or control hazardous operations and conditions.
• Identify hazards detect risks and determine causal relationships; developing abatement recommendations for safety and occupational health hazards.
• Study variables and retrace sequences to uncover the sources of reported injuries and illnesses.
• Assure the validity of collected data accurate documentation of occurrences and data summaries and maintenance of program information.
• Examine available data to identify possible sources of losses experienced.
• Prepare summary documentation related to safety and occupational health.
• Develop educational material and techniques related to safety and occupational health.
• Conduct safety and orientation classes for all employees.
• Participate in the management of the operating budget for the service including safety occupational health and fire protection matters.
• Conduct workplace inspections to identify violations.
• Review proposed/required corrective actions to ensure accomplishment of hazard abatement.
• Recommend sampling strategies for performance of exposure surveys.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

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: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Safety & Occupational Health Specialist/PD23511A and PD23512A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care you will operate in a model with three core elements seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veterans community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor Americas Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

• 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.
• 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.
• 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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers 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 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 your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement 10/19/2026.

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-09. 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 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.

Individual Occupational Requirement - 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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

GS-09 Minimum Qualifications:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-07) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Qualifying specialized experience includes what is stated above as well as: observing workplace conditions to identify hazards risks and causal relationships; collecting and analyzing data; preparing a variety of written reports and/or other documents; and making recommendations to try and eliminate workplace hazards. OR
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a masters or equivalent graduate degree or successfully completed two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree LL.B or J.D. in a related field of the position to be filled (i.e. safety occupational health industrial hygiene or related fields that included coursework in closely related disciplines - such as occupational medicine toxicology public health mathematics physics chemistry biological sciences engineering and industrial psychology). OR
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and graduate education beyond the first year.

GS-11 Minimum Qualifications:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-09) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Qualifying specialized experience includes what is stated above as well as: observing workplace conditions to identify hazards risks and causal relationships; collecting and analyzing data; preparing written procedures for implementing safety precautions; reviewing proposed corrective actions to identified hazards/risks; and recommending alternatives to eliminate or minimize losses. OR
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree Or LL.M in the related field of the position to be filled (i.e. safety occupational health industrial hygiene or related fields that included coursework in closely related disciplines - such as occupational medicine toxicology public health mathematics physics chemistry biological sciences engineering and industrial psychology). R
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and graduate education beyond the first two years.

For more information on these qualification standards please visit the United States Office of Personnel Managements website at Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. The incumbent 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 incumbent 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: Approximately 50 percent of the work takes 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 (PPE) may be required when conducting surveys and investigating hazardous operations.

Required Experience:

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