Safety Engineer

Company: Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Location: Birmingham
Posted on: June 13, 2021

Job Description:

SummaryThese positions are located within the Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) in Region IV (Atlanta). These positions are inside the NCFLL bargaining unit. Additional selections may be made at each location if funding is available. The salary will be adjusted based on the geographic location. Salary. Selectees will be expected to report to the duty station listed within announcement. A writing sample may be required at the time of interview. Learn more about this agency ResponsibilitiesDepartment of Labor does not negotiate salary. If you have never worked for the Federal government, your salary will reflect the step 1 rate of the grade level for which you have been selected.The duties at the GS-7 level are essentially the same as the GS-9; at the GS-7, duties are performed with a higher level of supervision in a developmental capacity designed to prepare for the next grade level. At the GS-9 levelAssists in planning and conducting portions or limited inspections or compliance reviews (or independently conducts inspections of business establishments and worksites whose operations are generally characterized by the presence of moderately stable, low-risk processes or some higher hazards or unsafe working conditions or technically difficult operations which are covered by specific written guidelines) in establishments and worksites.Identifies areas in need of immediate corrective action or conditions which are of imminent danger to life or piles and prepares a variety of recurring reports as directed by the specialist's spects worksites, machine and equipment operations, environmental conditions, work practices, protective devices and equipment, and safety procedures. Records and photographs apparent violations of standards for use as evidence of existing hazards and unsafe working conditions.Assists agency attorneys in the preparation of evidence supporting the agency's findings of safety and occupational health violations where the employer contests the inspection results.Prepares final report or assigned portion of report, showing apparent violations, and recommends penalties and abatement dates. Recommends strategies and techniques for resolving unsafe or hazardous conditions.Assists in conducting and/or participates in opening and closing conferences with management officials, employees, and employee representatives reviewing hazards or unsafe working conditions cited or observed, advising employers of their legal responsibilities to providing an occupationally safe worksite, and of their legal right to appeal inspection findings.Studies records and files covering mishaps, injuries, and equipment maintenance data. Reviews safety activities for evidence of compliance with prescribed safety requirements.Conducts research assignments using internet technology to prepare for onsite inspections or in response to requests for municates with various parties at inspected worksites. Assists in investigating mishaps resulting in fatalities or injuries and serious terviews supervisors and employees for information on specific working conditions to evaluate the total worksite environment. Documents ongoing case files with relevant documentation to support a legally sufficient case.Travel Required 50% or less - Travel to perform safety inspections and related activities.Supervisory status No Promotion Potential 12 - There is no obligation to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Promotions are dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the need for an employee promoted to the higher level, and supervisory approval. Job family (Series) 0803 Safety Engineering Help Requirements Conditions of Employment Appointment to this position will require a background investigation. Requires a valid drivers license and ability to operate a motor vehicle. Requires a medical examination preemployment and annually. Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met. Must be a U.S. Citizen and must be at least 16 years of age. Subject to drug test prior to appointment at GS-11 and GS-12 grade levels. This is an appointment is under the DOL Recent Graduates program. The program duration is one year.Appointee must be a U.S. citizen in order to be eligible for conversion to a permanent position in the competitive service upon completion of the program. Upon successful completion of the program and at the agency's discretion, the appointee may be converted to a term or permanent position in the competitive service.Applicants must meet all legal and regulatory requirements. Reference the "Required Documents" section for additional requirements.QualificationsBasic Education Requirements: A. All applicants must show successful completion of a full 4-year professional engineering curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering in an accredited college or university. To be acceptable, the curriculum must: 1. be in a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; or 2. Include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statistics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress - strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics or electronics.Or,B. Combination of education and experience - college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: 1. Professional registration or licensure - Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1, or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.2. Written Test - Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.3. Specified academic courses - Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.4. Related curriculum - Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all inclusive.)And,Specialized Experience Requirements: In addition to the basic education requirements, applicants must also meet either the specialized experience or the substitution of education for experience described below.For GS-7: One year of professional engineering experience equivalent to the GS-5 level. In order to be creditable, this experience must be non-routine, professional engineering work: (1) is in an engineering discipline such as one of the following fields of engineering: mechanical, electrical, chemical, civil or structural, industrial, or materials engineering which demonstrates the ability to apply engineering concepts; (2) demonstrating ability to apply engineering knowledge to engineering problems in an industrial or construction setting; (3) Positive and continuing development of professional knowledge, skill and ability to successfully perform all the functions of the job; (4) Analyzing work processes and conditions, identifying and eliminating/controlling safety and occupational health hazards in construction, general industry or maritime.For GS-9: One year of professional engineering experience equivalent to the GS-7 level. In order to be creditable this experience must be non-routine, professional engineering work: (1) In an engineering discipline directly related to the safety engineer position such as one of the following fields of engineering: mechanical, electrical, chemical, civil, industrial, or materials engineering; (2) Demonstrating ability to apply engineering knowledge to engineering problems in an industrial or construction setting; (3) Positive and continuing development of professional knowledge, skill and ability to successfully perform all the functions of the job; (4) Analyzing work processes and conditions, identifying and eliminating/controlling safety and occupational health hazards in construction, general industry or maritime; and (5) demonstrating general knowledge of OSHA or related safety and occupational health standards or codes.Or,Substitution of Education for Professional Experience: Applicants who do not meet the specialized experience described above but possess education as described below may qualify based on that education or combination of education and experience (transcripts are required - student copies are acceptable).For GS-7: one full year of graduate-level education or superior academic achievement with a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on a bachelor's degree, or graduating in the upper 10t% of the class, or election to an honor society. Education must be in one of the following fields of engineering: mechanical, electrical, chemical, civil, industrial, materials or in a field of science directly related to safety and occupational safety and health. Applicants with an engineering bachelor's degree who have appropriate experience as a technician equivalent to grade GS-5 or higher may have such experience credited for grade GS-7 only on a month-for-month basis up to a maximum of 12 months. For GS-9: a Master's degree or two full years of graduate education in one of the following fields of engineering: mechanical, electrical, chemical, civil, industrial, materials or in a field of science directly related to safety and occupational safety and health. A combination of superior academic achievement and 1 year of appropriate professional experience is qualifying at GS-9.EducationAny applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.To be eligible for an appointment, you must meet the requirement A or B:A. Completed all requirements for Associates, Bachelors, Masters, Professional, Doctorate, Vocational, or Technical Degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two years;orB. Was released or discharged from active duty within the previous two years, where the applicant is a veteran who, due to a military service obligation, was precluded from applying for a recent graduate position during any portion of the two-year eligibility period following completion of his/her degree or certificate requirements, provided that not more than six years have transpired since the applicant completed the requirements for a degree or certificate.You must submit a transcript from your academic institution showing the date that you most recently completed the academic requirements described above. See the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. To use your education as a basis for meeting the Minimum Qualification Requirements (MQR) for this position, you must submit academic transcripts demonstrating that you meet the qualifying educational requirements. If specific course work is required to fulfill the MQR, you must supply transcripts from each academic institution in which the required courses were taken to receive credit for that course work. See the "Qualifications and Evaluations" section of this announcement for more details.If you do not submit sufficient academic documentation demonstrating that you meet the eligibility and MQR for this position, your application will be deemed incomplete & any applicant falsely claiming an academic degree from an accredited school will be subject to actions ranging from disqualification from federal employment to removal from federal service.If your education was completed at a foreign college or university, you must show comparability to education received in accredited educational institutions in the United States and comparability to applicable minimum course work requirements for this position. Click Evaluation of Foreign Education for more information or you will be ineligible for further consideration.Additional informationDOL seeks to attract and retain a high performing and diverse workforce in which employees' differences are respected and valued to better meet the varying needs of the diverse customers we serve. DOL fosters a diverse and inclusive work environment that promotes collaboration, flexibility and fairness so that all individuals are able to participate and contribute to their full potential.Refer to these links for more information:GENERAL INFORMATION, ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEESAdditional vacancies may be filled using this announcement, if authorized.Read more How You Will Be EvaluatedYou will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.Applicants meeting the eligibility and minimum qualification requirements will be evaluated against the competencies described below and will be placed into one of the following quality categories, based on responses to the vacancy questionnaire:Category A - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and has successful experience in the same or similar job that has demonstrated superior proficiency in applying the critical competencies required by this position to work of increased levels of difficulty and complexity.Category B - Meets the basic qualification requirements for the vacancy and demonstrates satisfactory proficiency in the critical competencies by this position.Category C - Meets the specialized experience described in the minimum qualifications requirements section of this announcement and demonstrates proficiency in the basic competencies.Evaluation Factors (Competencies) - All qualified applicants will be evaluated on the following key competencies:Safety Engineering: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods to identify, control, mitigate, and eliminate safety hazards in the design and use of facilities, equipment, operations, and work terpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or munication: Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation and spelling; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience. Expresses information to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience & nature of the information; makes clear and convincing oral presentations.Problem Solving: Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.The information you provide may be verified by a review of your work experience and/or education, by checking references and through other means (ex. interview). Your resume MUST provide sufficient information to substantiate your responses to the vacancy questions. If not, the Office of Human Resources (OHR) may amend your responses to more accurately reflect the level of competency indicated by the content of your resume. Your evaluation may also include a review by a Human Resources Specialist or panel and may include other assessments (ex. interview, panel review, written test, writing sample, etc.)Referrals will be made in accordance with applicable reemployment priority and/or veterans' preference requirements. Click Application of Veterans Preference for Category Rating Jobs for more information. To preview questions please click here. Read more Background checks and security clearanceSecurity clearance Other Drug test required Yes Position sensitivity and risk Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk Trust determination process Suitability/Fitness Help Required DocumentsThe following documents must be submitted by 11:59 pm (ET) on the vacancy closing date. Warning: If you submit a document using the same document title, the 2nd submission will OVERWRITE the 1st submission. Also, do not upload password-protected documents.The following documents are required from ALL applicants:- Resumes are required - provide a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one from your computer and USAJOBS profile. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please list the month, year, and the number of work hours worked for the experience listed on your resume. We also suggest that you preview the vacancy questions, and confirm that your resume supports your question responses. - Proof of Eligibility: Academic transcript or other official documentation from the qualifying educational institution showing that you meet the eligibility requirements for a Recent Graduate appointment, as described in the "Qualifications and Evaluations" section of this announcement. If you are claiming extended eligibility due to military service performed during the two-year period following graduation, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing the dates of such service. (For active duty service members expecting to be honorably discharged or released within 120 days, click Active Duty)- Proof of Qualifications: Academic transcripts sufficient to demonstrate that you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, as described in this announcement, where you are seeking to qualify, at least in part, on the basis of your education. See "Qualifications and Evaluations."The following documents are required if applicable:- Veterans' Preference Documents (if applicable): To be considered as a 5-point preference eligible, you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge From Active Duty, DD214. Your DD-214 must show the type of discharge and dates of active duty. To claim 10-point preference, you must submit a cop

Keywords: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Birmingham , Safety Engineer, Other , Birmingham, Alabama