About this role
Job SummaryThe incumbent serves as an industrial Hygienist assigned to the New Mexico Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Responsible for providing independent and comprehensive Industrial Hygiene (IH) services (including but not limited to, written industrial hygiene reports within the area of responsibility of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and might include responsibilities in one or more specialized areas, such as research safety, radiation, exposure to agents.
QualificationsTo qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/27/2026. 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 by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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 Requirements. 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 (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED); or 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 (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED); or Certification from the Board for Global EHS Credentialing (formerly American Board of Industrial Hygiene(external link) (ABIH)) (CERTIFICATION DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED). All science or engineering courses offered in fulfillment of the basic 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. GS-11 grade level: Specialized Experience. One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. The experience involves the recognition, evaluation, corrective actions, and elimination of environmental conditions in the workplace that causes sickness, impaired health, or illness. This experience demonstrates 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 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; and the selection and recommendation of appropriate controls, including management, medical, engineering, education or training, and personal protective equipment. Specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-9 level includes providing independent Industrial Hygiene services such as written industrial hygiene reports, researching safety, radiation, exposure to agents, respiratory protection program, asbestos control, water safety and testing, accident review infection control and prevention, waste management, construction safety, sterile processing or other areas as related to industrial hygiene. OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-11 level. 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-11 level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have 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. Only graduate level education in excess of two years of progressively higher level graduate education may be combined with experience. (TRANSCRIPT 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/.
Major DutiesMajor duties include: Performs Industrial Hygiene (IH) surveys on a scheduled, request, or emergency basis to evaluate a wide variety of occupational health hazards that encompass a broad spectrum of work activities. Conduct studies of work operations and processes, examining work environments, analyzing findings, promulgating recommendations, and preparing various reports. Inspects the medical center to identify potential occupational health hazards and the need for further investigative studies and surveys. Performs state-of-the-art technical training, information, guidance or direction on IH and varied occupation health issues. Plans and manages industrial hygiene and environmental construction projects that are related to achieving and maintaining compliance. Develop standard operating procedures and implement environmental policy, guidance and procedures. Interprets results of studies for the work environment in terms of possible impairment to health, nature of health impairment, potential for medical center damages, etc. Receives and disposes of hazardous wastes and maintains appropriate records in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency standards, state laws, and Veteran Affairs regulations. Provides support to one or multiple boards and committees, such as the Safety Committee, Accident Review Board, Construction Committees and/or Environment of Care Committee. Appears on root cause analysis panels dealing with occupational health matters and the application of federal and state regulations. Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Industrial Hygienist/PD14602A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Recruitment Incentives only authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not AuthorizedRequirementsYou must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.