SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SPECIALIST

Duties

• Serves as technical Safety and Occupational Health advisor to the RMO leadership.
• Directs and oversees comprehensive command-level safety and environmental programs (e.g. chemical hygiene, HAZCOM, waste management, fire safety, radiation safety).
• Conducts Command Inspection Programs across all unit laboratories and mission functions to ensure 100% compliance with Federal, DA, and DHA regulatory mandates.
• RMO representative in command technical investigation boards, audits/inspections, and pre-operational surveys, ensuring alignment between enterprise-level directives and command-specific research and development missions.
• Authors and executes command specific strategic safety plans and safety regulations.
• Leads the transition, integration, and sustainment of the Army Safety and Occupational Health Management System across the command's entire operational footprint, translating higher-echelon guidance into actionable unit-level implementation.
• Facilitates command-wide safety communications by actively participating and supporting the command Biological Safety and Occupational Health Committee.
• Proactively disseminates safety alerts, policy updates, and lessons learned to directorates, divisions, offices, and teams under the command, providing targeted technical support and interventions for command missions, staff, and personnel.
• Exercises stewardship over command safety program resources, operational budgets, unit material/equipment, and travel efficiencies.
• Evaluates individual safety proficiencies for alignment to command mission needs for adequacy and drives professional development by focusing on continuous personal development and completing specialty training.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• Security Clearance - This position is designated Tier 3, Non-Critical Sensitive, Moderate Risk and requires the incumbent to obtain and maintain a Secret Security Clearance Level as a condition of employment.
• Probationary Period - Appointment to this position is subject to a two-year probationary period unless the appointee has previously met the requirement.
• This position requires the completion of a pre-employment Physical Examination and an annual examination thereafter to ensure the continued, required level of physical health and ability or fitness to perform the duties of the position.
• The duties of this position meet the criteria for compliance with Federal and Defense Health Agency Drug Free Workplace Programs. This position is subject to a pre-employment screening, and random testing thereafter.
• This position has been designated Mission Essential. In the event of severe weather conditions or other such emergency type situations the incumbent is required to report to work or remain at work as scheduled to support mission operations.
• This position requires the incumbent to participate in the Biological Personnel Reliability Program (BPRP).
• This position requires the incumbent to participate in the Occupational Health Surveillance Program (OHSP).
• This position has a requirement to lift up to 44 lbs. in the regular performance of duties.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the education or experience requirements described below. 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; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is .

USAMRIID is participating in an alternative personnel system known as the Personnel Demonstration Project (PDP). The DJ-03 payband is equivalent to the GS-11 step 1 to GS-12 step 10 level. In keeping with the Demonstration pay fixing policies, employees earning a salary that falls within this payband equivalent, will not receive an immediate pay increase (promotion) if appointed to this position. Future pay increases within the payband will be accomplished through the pay for performance management system.

Specialized Experience:
One year of specialized experience which includes 1) Experience implementing environmental, safety and occupational health program elements for research, development and engineering programs or facilities; 2) Experience advising or resolving technical environmental, safety and occupational health matters within biological laboratory setting; AND 3) Experience evaluating established environmental, safety and occupational health standards to identify and eliminate potential hazards. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).

OR

Education: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree with a major study in safety or occupational health fields (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree in other related fields that included or was supplemented by at least 24 semester hours of study from among the following (or closely related) disciplines: safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, and industrial psychology.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: .

Additional information

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• This position requires a 2 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
• Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
• Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
• Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the information sheet.
• Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized, based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.
• Obtain and hold Biological Personnel Reliability Program (BPRP) enrollment pursuant to the requirements of the Army Biological Surety Program. Individuals must maintain a current certification of enrollment in the BPRP as a condition of eligibility for continued employment. The BPRP is a suitability and reliability program operated by the agency and requires the employee to submit to and satisfactorily complete suitability and reliability screening and analysis. As a condition of employment, employees in this position must also be approved by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice for access to laboratories containing biological select agents and toxins pursuant to the terms of 42 CFR Part 73.
• Incumbent works in containment suites with highly hazardous infectious agents and toxins and is required to participate in the Occupational Health Surveillance Program (OHSP), IAW with AR 40-5 and DA Pam 385.69. The OHSP monitors worker health and provides vaccinations aimed at additional protection above personal protective devices. Individuals who have a medical condition that precludes receipt of a FDA licensed vaccine or who otherwise decline to receive said vaccinations will not meet the conditions of employment for this position.