Industrial Hygienist Apprentice 1/2, White Plains (NY HELPS)

New York State Department of Labor (DOL) has several programs focused on ensuring workplace safety and health:

About the Role

The incumbent within the Division of Safety & Health (DOSH) will inspect work sites to determine compliance with state and federal standards/guidelines and to identify health violations/hazards, particularly those associated with exposure to toxic or explosive chemicals and substances in the form of dusts, fibers (including asbestos), fumes, mists, vapors, gases, metals, and pathogenic organisms. The incumbent will also identify hazards such as noise and vibrations, light of various types, and other physical energies including electromagnetic emissions.

Based upon the results of field testing and/or laboratory analyses taken from on-site inspections, the incumbent may confer with management and employee representatives and/or take appropriate enforcement or consultation action. Additionally, the incumbent may issue notices of violations and enforce state and federal laws. The role may also involve conducting training for appropriate staff or public and private sector employers and employees. Computer use is expected in the performance of these duties.

The incumbent will participate in organizational transformations, ensuring successful adoption and alignment with strategic objectives, and engage in technology and innovation to optimize processes and enhance customer experiences. The role requires proactive management of relationships with key stakeholders, strategic thinking about current and future organizational needs, and adaptability to shifting priorities. The incumbent will also participate in change implementation, conflict resolution, problem-solving, team collaboration, and effective communication with diverse audiences.

The incumbent will foster an inclusive and equitable environment, ensure exceptional customer service, demonstrate self-awareness and empathy, uphold ethical conduct and professional integrity, and apply relevant technologies and digital tools to optimize performance and drive innovation.

Responsibilities

• Inspect work sites for compliance with state and federal safety and health standards.
• Identify health violations and hazards, including exposure to toxic or explosive chemicals, dusts, fibers (e.g., asbestos), fumes, mists, vapors, gases, metals, pathogenic organisms, noise, vibrations, light, and electromagnetic emissions.
• Conduct field testing and/or laboratory analyses and confer with management and employee representatives regarding findings.
• Issue notices of violations and enforce state and federal laws.
• Conduct training for public and private sector employers and employees on safety protocols.
• Participate in organizational transformations and technology innovation initiatives.
• Manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Analyze issues, make sound judgments, and implement effective solutions.
• Proactively identify potential challenges and develop preventative solutions.
• Collaborate with teams to achieve agency objectives.
• Communicate effectively with diverse audiences through various channels.
• Foster an inclusive and equitable work environment.
• Provide exceptional customer service and address stakeholder needs proactively.
• Maintain ethical conduct and professional integrity.
• Utilize relevant technologies and digital tools to optimize performance.

Programs Overview

• Asbestos Control Bureau (ACB): Oversees the abatement of toxic hazards linked to asbestos fibers during building rehabilitation, reconstruction, or demolition. Enforces New York State Labor Law and Industrial Code Rule 56, including licensing contractors, certifying workers, requiring notifications for large projects, mandating asbestos surveys, and specifying abatement methods.
• Boiler Safety Bureau: Inspects high and low-pressure boilers to prevent accidents and injuries. Administers boiler regulations, monitors insurance company inspections, certifies inspectors, certifies boiler repair facilities, and investigates boiler accidents.
• Industry Inspection Bureau: Enforces regulations for public safety in areas such as amusement rides, places of public assembly, and storage of explosives. Conducts inspections, issues permits, and investigates accidents related to various industries and equipment.
• On-Site Consultation Program: Offers free and confidential safety and health consultative services to small and medium-sized businesses in high-hazard industries. Helps businesses prevent workplace injuries and illnesses and comply with OSHA regulations.
• Public Employee Safety & Health (PESH) Bureau: Enforces safety and health standards for public sector employees, including state, county, town, and village governments, public authorities, school districts, and fire departments. Responds to fatalities, accidents, and complaints, inspects worksites, and provides technical assistance.
• Safety, Health, & Essential Rights Program: Addresses emerging issues such as airborne infectious diseases, workplace safety committees, warehouse worker protection, and construction fatality registry. Includes initiatives like the Airborne Infectious Disease Exposure Prevention Plan, Workplace Safety Committee requirements, Emergency Preparedness Law, Warehouse Worker Protection Law, and Retail Worker Safety Act.

Apprenticeship Requirements

The Senior Industrial Hygienist apprenticeship is a registered apprenticeship that includes on-the-job training and related instruction each year of the program. The program is expected to take approximately 18-24 months to complete. The apprentice will begin at salary grade 14 and advance to Apprentice 2 after one year, upon successful completion of Apprentice 1. Upon successful completion of Apprentice 2, the apprentice will advance to the journey level, salary grade 20, and receive a Certificate of Completion from the Department of Labor, which is a nationally recognized credential.

A detailed look at the training expectations can be found at: doi.ny.gov/industrial-hygienist-time-based.

Qualifications

Industrial Hygienist Apprentice 1: Bachelor's or higher degree in one of the following fields: audiology, bacteriology, biochemistry, biological science, biology, biophysics, biostatistics, chemical engineering, chemistry, community health, environmental biology, environmental engineering, environmental health, environmental planning, environmental toxicology, epidemiology, genetics, geochemistry, health physics, human development, hydrology, industrial hygiene, medical science, medical technology, molecular biology, nursing, occupational health, petroleum engineering, physics, public health, or toxicology. The degree must include or be supplemented by eight semester credit hours in chemistry.

Industrial Hygienist Apprentice 2: Bachelor's or higher degree in one of the fields listed above, including or supplemented by eight semester credit hours in chemistry, and one year of industrial hygiene experience. Industrial hygiene experience is defined as anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of workplace hazards, including quantifying hazards, identifying risks, sampling and measuring environmental stressors, interpreting standards, recommending controls, and training employees on safety protocols.

Your degree must have been awarded by an educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education/Secretary of Education. If awarded by an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of verification services can be found at: www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm.

Employees hired under the NY HELPS program will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status in the future without needing to compete in an examination. While serving in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to initiate and maintain relationships across a diverse set of stakeholders.

Additional Information

• This position may require a fingerprint background check prior to appointment.
• Some positions may require a medical examination prior to appointment, with the appointee responsible for the clinical laboratory test fee. Periodic medical examinations may also be required to reassess the ability to perform essential duties.
• Position-specific duties may include occasional altered work schedules or assignments, requiring availability and willingness to work evenings and/or out-stationed assignments.
• Employees will be required to travel, including multiple days/nights for training purposes, not to exceed one week at a time.
• As this position requires travel, the appointee must have a valid New York State driver’s license and access to a motor vehicle or otherwise demonstrate the capacity to meet transportation needs.
• Candidates with no previous state service will begin at the starting rate of the salary range. Additional location pay is available for the following counties: Bronx, Kings, Nassau, NYC-Manhattan, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Westchester, Dutchess, Orange, and Putnam.
• Telecommuting is available and can be discussed during the interview.
• NYS Department of Labor does not participate in E-Verify and does not sponsor visa applications. Employment is contingent upon maintaining valid work authorization and necessary documentation to work legally in the United States.
• Due to operational requirements and funding considerations, unit assignments may change in the future, though this will not impact title, salary, or location.

Benefits

• 13 paid holidays per year.
• 5 personal days per year.
• Minimum of 13 vacation days per year.
• Paid sick leave (CSEA and PEF employees: 13 days; M/C employees: 8 days plus free enrollment into the Income Protection Program for short-term and long-term disability coverage).
• Choice of several affordable health insurance plans.