Job Summary

The Safety and Occupational Health Specialist works with supervisors, union officials, and safety and occupational health committees to eliminate or control hazardous operations or conditions. Safety and occupational health specialists perform nonsupervisory work in one or more of the following areas: inspecting, investigating, recording, analyzing, and reporting. Their work is also characterized by the need to develop educational material and techniques.

Job Description

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet the basic requirements, time-in-grade and specialized experience requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 05/26/2026. 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 within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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 announcement. In 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. Basic Requirement: All applicants must meet the basic requirements as listed below: Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- safety or occupational health fields (safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene), or 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, Specialized Experience: 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. OR, Certificates: Certification as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), or Certified Health Physicist (CHP), or similar certification that included successful completion of a written examination meets the requirements for GS-5. Applicants may also qualify for higher grade levels based on their education and/or experience. You may qualify based on your specialized experience and/or education as described below: For GS-7: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Analyzing accident and injury reports, studies data to discover trends and mishap causes, and develop recommendations for eliminating or controlling the hazards detected. Performing surveys to identify and evaluate hazardous medical facility operations and conditions. Conducting inspection of facilities that include the use of machine guards, chemical storage areas, and a variety of related hazardous working conditions. Drafting reports of findings proposing corrective measures for unsafe conditions and hazardous work practices. OR, Education: See Education Tab. (TRANCRIPTS REQUIRED) Combination: See Education Tab. (TRANCRIPTS REQUIRED) For GS-9: Specialized Experience: You must have 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: Administering safety and occupational health programs to ensure compliance with applicable standards and requirements. Advising senior level management officials on the implementations needed within the assigned area relating to safety and occupational health programs. Recommending changes in the design of work programs to meet new safety and occupational health standards. Determining the extent to which mechanical and physical conditions comply, and making decisions regarding adherence to established safety policies and procedures. Analyzing factors and accidents cause data to develop specific methods for prevention, implementation and maintenance. OR, Education: See Education Tab. (TRANCRIPTS REQUIRED) Combination: See Education Tab. (TRANCRIPTS REQUIRED) For GS-11: Specialized Experience: You must have 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: Performing inspections of the facility, and construction work site to identify hazards which could cause serious injury (accident or illness) to staff, patients, contractors, or the public. Inspecting work areas to determine and ensure compliance. Researching and evaluating the appropriate guidelines pertaining to safety and occupational health. Recommending specific techniques (methods, procedures, training) to ensure countermeasures are in place to eliminate or control unsafe acts or conditions. Advising management and the general employee population of safety policies and actions taken or needed to control hazards such as fires, falls, electrical, asbestos, noise, and unsafe work practices. Reviewing and conducting investigations of accidents resulting in injury, property damage or lost time and preparing monthly, quarterly, and annual accident reviews and reports. Conducting supervisory and employee training programs in safety and occupational health. Initiating and carrying out safety education activities, promoting safety awareness through safety councils, preparing brochures and newsletters explaining job safety procedures, and meeting with specialized equipment operators (e.g., forklift operators), to discuss safe and unsafe work practices. OR, Education: See Education Tab. (TRANCRIPTS REQUIRED) Combination: See Education Tab. (TRANCRIPTS REQUIRED) Preferred Experience: 2 years experience in a hospital setting preferred.