This position serves as a Fire and Life Safety Program Manager in the Safety & Occupational Health Service at the VA Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS) in Baltimore, Maryland. Fire and Life Safety Specialists apply science and engineering principles, practical concepts, and processes to protect life, property, VA operations, and the environment.Qualifications: To qualify for this position, you must meet one of the following requirements:
Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this position. Qualifying specialized experience includes:
- 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.
Education: Successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. The major study must be in safety or Occupational Health fields (safety, Occupational Health, industrial hygiene), or a 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. This education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university. NOTE: If you select this option, you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~
Combination: Equivalent combinations of specialized experience and graduate-level education (beyond the second year or master's level), as described above. The education portion must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university. NOTE: If you select this option, you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:
- Analysis and Problem Solving
- Compliance Inspection
- Fire Management
- Project Management
- Technical Competence
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.
Physical Requirements: Performance of job duties may require long periods of walking, standing, kneeling or bending. In the event of emergency response, running may occur when responding to such incidents, i.e., fire alarm activations. Moderate lifting and carrying of equipment and supplies are required. Use of all appendages and good vision and hearing are a must. Emotional and mental stability are required.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.Education: IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).Employment Type: FULL_TIME