Safety and Occupational Health Specialist

Position Overview

This role is based at the Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. The application window closes either when 75 applications are received or by the stated deadline, whichever occurs first.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, manage, and assess occupational health and safety initiatives and programs.
• Ensure adherence to safety laws, regulations, and policies by evaluating compliance and performing risk assessments.
• Advise management on safety policies to mitigate hazards in the workplace.
• Develop safety standards, regulations, practices, and procedures to reduce potential hazards.
• Evaluate existing jobs, processes, and environments to identify and eliminate hazards.
• Design or modify workspaces and processes to enhance safety and remove risks.
• Conduct workplace inspections to ensure compliance with safety standards and identify new hazard risks.
• Train employees, supervisors, and managers on occupational safety and health topics.
• Lead incident investigations and provide expert testimony related to safety violations.
• Document and report findings, policies, and procedures thoroughly.

Qualifications and Experience

Applicants must have undergraduate or graduate education in safety, occupational health, industrial hygiene, or related fields such as occupational medicine, toxicology, public health, biological sciences, or engineering. Alternatively, a relevant certificate such as Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), or Certified Health Physicist (CHP) is acceptable.

Specialized experience is required depending on the grade level:

• For GS-5 level, foundational knowledge in safety and occupational health is required.
• GS-11 requires at least one year of experience equivalent to GS-9 level, including program planning, compliance evaluation, risk analysis, and advisement on safety standards.
• GS-12 expects one year of experience equivalent to GS-11 level, with responsibilities including program development, compliance guidance, incident investigations, and report writing.

Higher education such as a Ph.D. or equivalent may substitute for specialized experience.

Applicants must clearly describe their employment history, including dates and hours worked, especially for part-time roles, to enable proper qualification assessment.

Additional Information

Experience includes paid, unpaid, volunteer work, and national service programs which count towards qualification. Proper documentation is required to substantiate experience outside an applicant's official job series. Precise records and official personnel documentation should accompany any such claims. The Department of Health and Human Services encourages applicants passionate about improving public health and safety.