Pest Controller

Summary
The Pest Controller, WG-5026-10 is responsible for the complete pest control program for the West Palm Beach Veteran's Medical Center and functions as the principal Pest Controller in the Environmental Management Service.
***This Announcement Has Been Extended Until 12/1/2023*****
This job is open to

• The public
  U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

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Duties
Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Responsible for planning, implementing, and carrying out a complete and comprehensive integrated pest management program for the medical center.
• Consults with pest management officials such as federal, state, and local environmental health specialist and entomologists in areas of program development or special needs.
• Accomplishes day to day tasks necessary for an effective Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM).
• Plans work to be completed, develop survey, inspection and treatment schedules and completes required reports and records operations, including chemical used and areas treated.
• Conducts Environment of Care Rounds to check for signs of pests, or things which may attract pests. Completes administrative records which document the applicable logs or records as required.
• Exercises sound judgment in handling and disposing of all infectious and hazardous waste materials and must be able to accomplish all tasks in accordance with Federal and State regulatory requirements
• Uses targeted, sustainable methods of control (effective, economical, environmentally sound) including education, habitat modification, biological control, genetic control, cultural control, mechanical control, physical control, regulatory control, and where necessary the judicious use of least hazardous pesticides.
• Must have a thorough knowledge of pests including ants, flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, mice, rats and birds, terminates, ticks, fleas, mites, bed bugs, etc. including their physical characteristics, life cycles, habits, reproduction patterns, and hiding areas within the facility.
• Must be able to use, identify, store, transport, handle, mix and dispose of toxic chemicals and media; and to consider factors such as compatibility, synergism, persistence, resistance, and animal and plant toxicity.
• Utilizes various public and private sector agencies; EPA, VA Headquarters VHA Handbook 1850.02, Agricultural Center publications and directives to ensure the overall program is within guidelines for safety, chemical application, and control methods.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Pre-employment physical required
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications
PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK CONDITIONS: Incumbent is required to submit to an annual physical and bi-annual blood, EKG, pulmonary and urinalysis testing provided by hospital staff. The incumbent must be able to lift and handle materials weighing over fifty (50) pounds and carrying chemical solutions and equipment up to forty (40) pounds for extended periods. Incumbent must occasionally work in cramped and inconvenient surroundings requiring manipulation of equipment in awkward positions for prolonged periods. Work frequently requires standing, stooping, bending, kneeling, climbing and working in tiring and uncomfortable positions for extended periods.
Incumbent must be safety conscious. Handling toxic materials warrants the use of a respirator, gloves, and other personal protective equipment designed to nullify the risk of exposure to toxic dust and sprays. Damage to health may occur if appropriate safety procedures are not followed.
The work is accomplished both inside and outside. When working outside, the employee is often exposed to hot sun for extended periods of time and occasionally to bad weather. Outside work may be done in marsh areas or under hot and dusty conditions for extended periods
Incumbent may be exposed to areas with minimal ventilation and/or limited access. Incumbent is required to wear necessary safety equipment while completing and preparing all applications.
The employee provides non-direct patient care which is appropriate to the cognitive, emotional and chronological maturation needs of the adult and/or geriatric patient. The incumbent demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care appropriate to the age of the patients served in his/her assigned service area.
Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualifications. For this position, the job element method is used to match what you, the applicant, can do against what the work calls for. Your knowledge, skills and abilities will be compared to the knowledge, skills and abilities (called job elements) needed for success. Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element (WG-2 and higher only; screen-outs are not applicable to WG-1). Applicants who appear to meet the screen out element are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated from consideration. The potential eligibles are rated against the remainder of the job elements. While a specific length of training and experience is not required, your responses to the questionnaire must be supported by detailed descriptions of your experience on your resume.
Ability to do the work of the position (i.e., Pest Controller) without more than normal supervision based on your training/experience.
AND
Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. The Selective Placement Factor (SPF) is: Possess a Florida state certification in the following areas: public health, structural, and ornamental insect and disease control. Certification information should be included in your resume. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your certification.
Per Veterans affairs (VA) Directive 1850.02, Pest Control Operations, Chapter 5, all Pest Management Programs, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) or Commercial, must be licensed by the state and local municipalities where the work is being performed.
You will be rated on the following Job Elements as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Dexterity and Safety
• Inspect
• Materials
• Technical Practices
• Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
• Without more than normal supervision

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
This job does not have an education qualification requirement.
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities (i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities), and/or disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. For more information on how to apply using this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator within the office, contact the facility Human Resources Department at (561) 422-8262.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

• Benefits
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  Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

• Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
• Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
• Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.

Application of Veterans' Preference: Category rating and selection procedures place those with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants that meet the eligibility and qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality ...