Industrial Hygienist (Recruitment/Relocation Incentive)

About the Role

This position is responsible for planning, coordinating, evaluating, implementing, and administering a comprehensive industrial hygiene program at all Finger Lakes Healthcare System (FLHCS) facilities engaged in medical, surgical, long-term, residential, and outpatient care.

A Relocation/Recruitment Incentive may be authorized for highly qualified candidates.

Responsibilities

• Serves as Industrial Hygienist for two campus-style Medical Centers, one large Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), and several small rural CBOCs.
• Conducts surveys of working conditions to determine the nature and magnitude of hazardous exposures and the effectiveness of existing control measures.
• Works with management and labor representatives to ensure elimination or control of identified hazards and compliance with occupational safety and health regulations and standards.
• Conducts inspections and surveys to identify potential health hazards and presence of hazardous conditions.
• Establishes adequate and reasonable abatement schedules and resolution of occupational safety and health hazards, such as those associated with airborne chemical contaminants, harmful noise levels, inadequate ventilation, temperature extremes, or inadequate illumination that may impact the healthcare system or its processes.
• Leads the development of industrial hygiene goals, policy, and procedural documentation for the FLHCS, in accordance with occupational safety and health regulations and guidelines.
• Works closely with facility leadership to review how industrial hygiene considerations are integrated into the planning and operational activities of the facility.
• Coordinates industrial hygiene activities with regional representatives and supports the development of integrated planning for all facilities within the region.
• Participates with local, network, and national-level committees to ensure that consistent and appropriate industrial hygiene measures are followed.
• Prepares technical reports on any aspect concerning Industrial Hygiene Programs for distribution to VACO, VISN office, facility management and employees, and employee representatives.
• Conducts background reviews of areas surveyed and of the characteristics of the work processes (e.g., chemical inventories, handling, storage, and disposal methods) to ensure compliance with applicable standards and requirements contained in VA Directives and applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
• Assists in obtaining Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) for hazardous materials used within the healthcare system and reviews these SDSs to ensure compliance with proper use, storage, PPE, and disposal of hazardous chemicals and agents.
• Ensures that employees receive education and training on the proper utilization of this information.
• Investigates incidents resulting in physical injury or occupational exposure and advises supervisors on the adequacy and effectiveness of existing safety procedures and recommends any corrective action needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements

The education must be accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

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.
• 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.
• A certification from the Board for Global EHS Credentialing (formerly American Board of Industrial Hygiene).

Selective Placement Factor

A Selective Placement Factor (SPF) has been identified for this position. Applicants who do not meet the Selective Placement Factor are ineligible for further consideration. The SPF for this position is experience with:

• Asbestos sampling and semi-annual inspections.
• Fit testing.
• Working with individuals who have indoor air complaints.
• Conducting indoor air sampling.

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.

Evaluation of Experience

Qualifying experience involves the recognition, evaluation, corrective actions, and elimination of environmental conditions in the workplace that cause sickness, impaired health, or illness. This experience must demonstrate a professional knowledge of the theory and application of the principles of industrial hygiene and closely related sciences such as physics and engineering controls. Such work must have involved 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.
• The selection and recommendation of appropriate controls, including management, medical, engineering, education or training, and personal protective equipment.

Note: Courses in the history or teaching of chemistry are not acceptable.

Specialized Experience (GS-11 Grade Level)

In addition to meeting one of the above requirements, applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the knowledge, skill, and ability to successfully perform the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes:

• Knowledge of industrial hygiene principles, procedures, standards, equipment, techniques, and methods.
• Managing an industrial hygiene program.
• Performing analysis to determine nature and degree of toxic materials.
• Knowledge of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards (such as hazardous waste, drinking water, medical waste, etc.).
• Conducting surveys/studies of work operations regarding hazardous conditions.
• Preparing comprehensive industrial hygiene reports.

Such work must have involved 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.
• The selection and recommendation of appropriate controls, including management, medical, engineering, education or training, and personal protective equipment.

Substitution of Education for Experience

Applicants must possess successful completion of three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. in industrial hygiene, occupational health sciences, occupational and environmental health, toxicology, safety sciences, or related science. The education is qualifying if it provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Industrial Hygienist position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university.

Combining Education and Experience

Combination of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. 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. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Physical Requirements

The work includes frequent inspections of various spaces such as laboratories, mechanical spaces, boiler plants, etc., and necessitates a good deal of walking, standing, bending, and climbing.

Schedule

Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM.